Abstract
CONTEXT: The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) provokes the inflammatory responses associated with ischemic/reperfusion injury, hemodilution and other agents. Exposure of blood cells to the bypass circuit surface starts a systemic inflammatory reaction that may causes post-CPB organ dysfunction, particularly in lungs, heart and brain. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We investigated in the MEDLINE, PUBMED, and EMBASE databases and Google scholar for every available article in peer reviewed journals between 1987 and 2013, for related subjects to CPB with conventional or modified ultrafiltration (MUF) in pediatrics cardiac surgery patients. RESULTS: MUF following separation from extracorporeal circulation (ECC) provides well known advantages in children with improvements in the hemodynamic, pulmonary, coagulation and other organs functions. Decrease in blood transfusion, reduction of total body water, and blood loss after surgery, are additional benefits of MUF. CONCLUSIONS: Consequently, MUF has been associated with attenuation of morbidity after pediatric cardiac surgery. In this review, we tried to evaluate the current evidence about MUF on the organ performance and its effect on post-CPB morbidity in pediatric patients.