Characterization of lipid particles in shed mediastinal blood.
BACKGROUND: Shed mediastinal blood is known to be a source of microemboli in cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to characterize in detail the lipid particles found in this blood. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 24 patients undergoing routine cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Arterial and shed blood was analyzed using the Coulter counter technique to establish the numb
