BALIKESİR ATATURK ŞEHİR HASTANESİ DERGİSİ, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.12-15, 2026 (Hakemli Dergi)
As a surgical approach to coronary artery disease, cardiopulmonary bypass is performed by using the heart-lung machine, which is an extracorporeal circulation system. Among the possible complications of this method, which has become a breakthrough in the medical world, is embolism as a result of which even irreversible neurological damage might be seen. The arterial filter, which is one of the components of the heart-lung machine, is among the most important equipment, especially to prevent complications caused by embolism. In the present study, arterial filters were examined with a scanning electron microscope following coronary artery bypass surgery. When the results were compared with the images of the control group, it was found that there was absolute damage after coronary artery bypass surgery, but the magnitude of the damage and the new complications that the damage might bring was directly proportional to the cardiopulmonary bypass duration. As a result of the study, it is recommended that the arterial filter be disabled in line with the decision taken jointly by the surgical team and the perfusionist to minimize arterial filter damage and possible complications associated with it during unpredictable prolonged periods in the cardiopulmonary bypass period.