Direct Observation of Ascorbyl Free Radicals in Whole Blood of Goats During Cardiac Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Real-time assessment of oxidative stress was successfully conducted by ESR spectroscopy of whole blood without a spin trap. The biphasic increase in AFR during the open-heart surgery might reflect the production of free radicals under oxidative stress due to the cardiac surgery. The first phase might be due to inflammatory responses after CPB induction, and the second might reflect production of free radicals after reperfusion. We believe that measuring AFR levels in fresh whole blood would be a simple but informative indicator of oxidative stress during surgery.