Plasma cholinesterase levels during cardiopulmonary bypass. A report on 10 cases

Abstract

Plasma cholinesterase levels of 10 male patients were determined before, during and after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. These levels dropped significantly below the pre-anaesthetic values after commencing anaesthesia. In 6 patients levels returned to pre-anaesthetic values before or on the 2nd post-operative day. This could not be explained in terms of enzymic biosynthesis alone, and it is suggested that postoperative fluid readjustments may play an important role in certain cases.