Postpump syndrome is a potentially fatal condition that occurs
in only about 1 to 2 percent of people who have had coronary
artery bypass surgery (CABG). It is called “postpump syndrome”
because it becomes manifest after open-heart surgery with use
of the heart-lung machine – a machine that takes over the patient's
 breathing
and heart function when the heart is stopped during CABG or
heart valve surgery . Longer time on the heart-lung machine
has been associated with more serious effects of the disorder.
However, it is unknown why some people show a body-wide inflammatory
response to the heart-lung machine and develop postpump syndrome.
The syndrome can affect various areas of the body, including the lungs . Not only can the syndrome damage the tiny blood vessels in the lungs, but it can also cause pulmonary edema and other signs of adult respiratory distress syndrome . The syndrome can also affect the brain (causing confusion), the kidneys and other areas of the body. Furthermore, it increases the risk of excessive bleeding after surgery. Free radicals have often been cited as the culprit of the inflammatory response. Free radicals are molecules present in the body, typically as byproducts of metabolism. Free radicals do have a beneficial role. For example, they enable some cells to destroy foreign substances. In other situations, however, the release of free radicals can cause cell and tissue damage. In postpump syndrome, it is felt that free radicals can impair heart function, and are the culprit factors in initiating the inflammatory response. The inflammatory response can also be triggered by anesthetics, or even by the physical trauma of the surgery itself. To address the apparent connection between free radicals and postpump syndrome, certain medications and vitamins have been used. Some physicians feel that vitamin E and coenzyme Q10, for example, can help to prevent or reduce the severity of the inflammatory response. Other studies are testing the safety and effectiveness of certain antibiotics in the treatment of postpump syndrome. 
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