Abstract:

Objective To effectively improve the effect of modified ultrafiltration (MUF) by minimizing length and diameter of extracorporeal circulation (ECC) tubes for infants and young children, improving MUF circuit, optimizing MUF method, so as to reduce the amount of suspension red blood cells used in ECC. Methods Thirty children with simple congenital heart disease with body weight<8 kg were randomly assigned to two groups. The control group (n=15) used traditional 1/4 inch ECC tubes and traditional modified MUF (tMUF) and the experimental group (n=15) used the modified ECC tubes and optimized and modified MUF (mMUF). The amount of priming volume of suspension red blood cells and total amount of used blood were compared. Blood samples were collected to detect hematocrit (HCT) before ECC (T1), after aortic clamping (T2), before the end of ECC (T3), and after MUF (T4). Results The amount of priming volume of suspension red blood cells and total amount of used blood in the experimental group were significantly less than those in the control group (both P=0.001). The HCT value increased remarkably after mMUF. Conclusion For infants and young children with congenital heart disease, reducing length and diameter of ECC tubes and improving MUF circuit can decrease the amount of blood products used during surgery and achieve the purpose of saving blood.

Key words: extracorporeal circulation, infant, hematocrit, modified ultrafiltration