Oxygen saturation and lactate concentration gradient from the right atrium to the pulmonary artery in the immediate postoperative following cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective study aimed to characterize the changes in blood lactate concentration and blood oxygen saturation in patients during the immediate postoperative period of cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation.

METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 35 patients in a rapid and random order from the arterial line and from the proximal and distal port of a pulmonary artery catheter.

RESULTS: The results showed no statistically significant differences between the blood oxygen saturation in the right atrium (72% ± 0.11%) and the blood oxygen saturation in the pulmonary artery (71% ± 0.08%). The blood lactate concentration in the right atrium was 1.7mmol/L ± 0.5mmol/L, and the blood lactate concentration in the pulmonary artery was 1.6mmol/L ± 0.5mmol/L (p < 0.0005).

CONCLUSION: The difference between the blood lactate concentration in the right atrium and the blood lactate concentration in the pulmonary artery might be a consequence of the low blood lactate concentration in the blood from the coronary sinus, as it constitutes an important substrate for the myocardium during this period. The lack of differences between the blood oxygen saturation in the right atrium and the percentage of blood oxygen saturation in the pulmonary artery suggests a lower oxygen extraction by the myocardium given a lower oxygen consumption.