Predictive Value of Core — Toe Temperature and Mixed Venous Oxygen Saturation After Cardiac Surgery

Some of the patients returning to the surgical intensive care unit resemble a shock like condition. They are pale, cold, have a clammy skin and a low mixed venous oxygen saturation. All their signs point to hypovolemia and require intravenous fluidloading. The hypothesis that a-blockade is useful in such patients was tested in a randomly selected group of patients. Group 1, 43 patients with severe cardiac deformities, received a-blockade (largactil 2.5 to 5 mg i. v.) while group II, 25 patients undergoing similar cardiac surgery did not receive any a-blockade drug. Fluid replacement was similar in both groups.