Comparison of hollow fibre membrane oxygenators during cardiopulmonary bypass in children: Dideco Masterflo versus Terumo Capiox II.

This prospective study was planned to compare two different (reversed blood and gaseous compartments) hollow fibre membrane oxygenators, Dideco Masterflo and Terumo Capiox II, in order to find out which of these oxygenators was less injurious during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery in small children. Twenty children underwent CPB surgery for complex congenital cardiac malformations. Ten patients were selected for each study group by matching age and weight. Oxygenators were the only variables in the CPB circuit, and special attention was focused on the kinetics of white blood cell count (WBC), complement C3, anaphylatoxin C3a, total haemolytic complement (CH100), C-reactive protein (CRP) and haptoglobin. There were no significant differences between the parameters studied at any sample time. However, there was less intense C3a (peak C3a levels 2506 +/- 1187 SD versus 4302 +/- 3958 SD; p = 0.19) generation, and also less intense CH100 consumption (percentual drop of initial CH100 values was 30% versus 55.2%) in the Dideco Masterflo group of patients. Moreover, postoperative respiratory treatment was somewhat shorter when using Masterflo oxygenators (2.4 +/- 2.41 SD versus 4.0 +/- 2.49 SD days; p = 0.16), although statistical significance was not obtained. These findings may be important in high-risk paediatric patients undergoing open-heart surgery.