Gastrointestinal Complications Post Cardiac Surgery: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Naveen Yadav

Gastrointestinal (GI) complications are one of the most important complications after cardiac surgery which are associated with high mortality and morbidity. The complications can range form benign paralytic ileus to the deadly mesenteric ischemia which has mortality up to 40%. There are several factors which have been associated with these complications. These factors can range from preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative. The most significant of them are chronic renal failure, high baseline serum creatinine, smoking, cardiopulmonary bypass time greater than 120 min. This narrative review will help understand the incidence, characteristics, outcome, and treatment of the GI complications after cardiac surgery. This review will also help understand the risk stratification models and ways to prevent these complications.

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