How Retained Blood can Trigger Post-op Atrial Fibrillation (POAF)
STEP 1
Retained blood left behind by clogged chest tubes clots in the pericardial space.
STEP 2
Red blood cell hemolysis and pro-inflammatory recruitment of white blood cells leads to free radical release and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS)2.
STEP 3
ROS cause lipid peroxidation, which results in the breakdown of cell membranes, leading to myocardial surface damage, as indicated by increased ltocal biomarkers2.
STEP 4
Myocardial damage from oxidative stress can trigger cardiac arrhythmias such as POAF.
