[Erythrocyte morphology in anemia after artificial circulation (based on scanning electron microscopic data)].

Erythrocyte stereo-ultrastructure of 58 patients operated under the conditions of extracorporeal circulation was studied by scanning electron microscopy. It is established that after the operation with extracorporeal circulation the hemoglobin level is always decreasing, 3 mg% on the average; hemoglobin decrease up to 10 mg% and less was considered as anemia, this occurring according to the approximate calculations, in 10-11% of cases. The causes of anemia in an early postoperative period are as follows: mechanical trauma of erythrocytes in the system of extracorporeal circulation; disturbance of the osmotic balance; alteration of the erythrocyte membrane plasticity due to the change of its enzyme-lipid component. Anemia in the late postoperative period is due to the purulent inflammatory processes. Morphological substrate of anemia is represented by the iron-deficient, target-like, two-pit erythrocytes, spherocytes, lacerated erythrocytes and other forms.