The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 48, 575-576, Copyright © 1989 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Hypoxemia after intraluminal oxygen line obstruction during cardiopulmonary bypass
JA Robblee, E Crosby and WJ Keon
Department of Anaesthesia, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa Civic Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
A patient sustained an episode of hypoxemia during cardiopulmonary bypass.
Investigation of the extracorporeal circuit after successful resolution of
the problem showed that a white, crystalline substance later identified as
mannitol occluded the oxygen supply line to a bubble oxygenator. The
management and subsequent investigation of the problem are presented.