Myocardial ischemia is more important than the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass on myocardial water handling and postoperative dysfunction: A pediatric animal model

A temporal association between hemodynamic dysfunction, myocardial edema, and increased aquaporin 1 expression was demonstrated. Cardiopulmonary bypass without ischemia was associated with minimal edema, negligible myocardial dysfunction, and static aquaporin expression. Ischemic reperfusion injury is the main cause of myocardial edema and myocardial dysfunction, but a causal relationship between edema and dysfunction remains to be proved.