Propofol infusion syndrome in adult cardiac surgery.

We report a case of rapid and progressive severe metabolic acidosis in the postoperative period after coronary artery bypass grafting. After exclusion of potential causes for this phenomenon, it was attributed to perioperative intravenous propofol infusion causing propofol infusion syndrome. We discontinued this intravenous agent resulting in a prompt and considerable improvement in the lactic acidosis and clinical condition in the subsequent 6 hours resulting in an uneventful recovery and hospital discharge.