SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATORY REACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH EXTRACORPOREAL CIRCULATION: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW
Keywords:
Extracorporeal Circulation, Systemic Inflammatory Response, Cardiac Surgery, PerfusionAbstract
Extracorporeal circulation (ECC) represents an indispensable life support technology for modern cardiac surgery, enabling the correction of complex defects. However, the interaction of blood with the artificial circuit paradoxically triggers Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), the main vector of postoperative morbidity. This study aims to document, through a literature review, the fundamentals of ECC and its relationship with SIRS. It analyzes the pathophysiology of this inflammatory response, its clinical and laboratory implications, and the role of the biomedical perfusionist, responsible for circuit management, intraoperative laboratory monitoring, and the application of mitigation strategies, such as the use of coated circuits, ultrafiltration, and hypothermia control. It concludes that SIRS is an intrinsic pathophysiological consequence of ECC, mediated by a complex biochemical cascade. A detailed understanding of these mechanisms and active management by the biomedical perfusionist are fundamental to minimizing the inflammatory response and improving the patient's postoperative prognosis.
