Human Lung fat Microembolism Associated with Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Electron Microscopic Evidence

Abstract

During 15 cardiac surgery procedures including total bypass of variable duration (20-130 min) bioptic lung samples have been obtained in 3 successive phases of the operation (prior and after the bypass and before the final closure of the chest). Sections were examined at light and electron microscope. The findings show fatty microemboli in lung capillaries in samples obtained before the final closure of the chest in the medium duration ECC case and both, at the end of bypass and before the definitive closure of the chest in prolonged bypass. The entity of fatty microemboli appears linked to ECC duration.