Prolonged oxygen debt after abdominal aortic surgery.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to investigate whether oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production changed in the early postoperative period in the same manner in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery or abdominal aortic surgery (AAS).


METHODS
Prospective clinical study.


METHODS
Single community hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients (ASA II to III) who underwent elective abdominal aortic surgery and 49 patients (NYHA II, III) who underwent elective CABG surgery.


METHODS
In the ICU, oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), and respiratory quotient (RQ) were continuously monitored with an indirect calorimetric device. Hemodynamic and metabolic parameters were measured during the first 3 hours.


RESULTS
In the early postoperative course, VO2 and VCO2 in the AAS group were significantly higher (p < 0.001), and the RQ was significantly lower during the first 90 minutes (p < 0.001). In the AAS patients, VO2 decreased with the postoperative increase of body temperature; whereas in the CABG patients, VO2 slightly increased.


CONCLUSIONS
The high VO2 in the AAS patients observed during the early postoperative course can be explained by an oxygen debt that occurred as a result of clamping the aorta. It was presumed that the repayment of the debt was delayed and extended to the ICU stay because of thermoregulatory vasoconstriction. Abnormally low RQ values are probably a clue to repayment of an oxygen debt.
Hess
W
W
Department of Anesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care Medicine, Allgemeines Krankenhaus St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.
Frank
C
C
Hornburg
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D001831:Body Temperature; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011446:Prospective Studies
D002245:Carbon Dioxide