Abstract
Postoperative chest radiographs of 70 adults who had undergone cardiopulmonary bypass surgery were evaluated. The distribution of pulmonary collapse/consolidation and pleural effusions, and the pattern of radiopacities related to drainage tubes were considered. Radiologic manifestations related to sternotomy were noted.
Cases with a recorded postoperative blood loss of more than 280 ml/hour and/or an increase in mediastinal width of more than 70% had massive mediastinal hemorrhage that required reoperation. Changes in mediastinal contour were inconsistent, although total loss of mediastinal definition sugested hemorrhage or drainage tube blockage. A left apical extrapleural cap indicated massive mediastinal hemorrhage.
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Katzberg, R.W., Whitehouse, G.H. & deWeese, J.A. The early radiologic findings in the adult chest after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. Cardiovasc Radiol 1, 205–215 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02552045
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02552045