Hazards with electrocautery-induced decomposition of fatty acids--in view of lipid embolization.
Scand Cardiovasc J
; 44(5): 307-12, 2010 Oct.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21080849
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Electrocautery is an appreciated surgical tool, which however, generates immense heat and fat-tissue melting. In cardiac surgery, liquefied fat collects on the surface of blood in the pericardial cavity and becomes aspirated by the heart-lung machine for aortic recycling. Deposits seen in the brain microcirculation after surgery are caused by lipid embolism. This study investigates lipid chemistry, whether heat from electrocautery generates fatty-acid fragmentation and decomposition.DESIGN:
Pericardial fat tissue was sampled from cardiac-surgery patients and from piglets. The human tissue was exposed to electrocautery, or to fixed temperatures in an in vitro model. Fatty-acid decomposition was explored by solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography and the distribution of fatty acids was measured.RESULTS:
Fatty-acid decomposition demonstrated a temperature-effect relationship (p = 0.007). At 350°C the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids became heavily reduced or were abolished (p = 0.016). Electrocautery resulted in similar changes.CONCLUSIONS:
Electrocautery induces a profound fatty-acid fragmentation to form short-chained compounds. The chemical and toxic nature of these compounds remains to be determined, including their clinical implications at blood recycling in cardiac surgery.
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Electrocoagulación
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Embolia Grasa
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Ácidos Grasos
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Calor
Límite:
Aged
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Animals
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Scand Cardiovasc J
Asunto de la revista:
ANGIOLOGIA
/
CARDIOLOGIA
Año:
2010
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Suecia