Prevention of Excess Hemolysis During Cardiopulmonary Bypass by the Use of Mannitol

Abstract

Mannitol infusion has significantly decreased plasma hemoglobin build-up rate in mitral and aortic valvular replacement. This occurred before hemoglobin appeared in the urine, and was unrelated to the binding of hemoglobin by haptoglobin. The mechanism by which mannitol decreases the build-up rate of plasma hemoglobin is unknown, but seems to be other than by renal excretion of hemoglobin.