Abnormal central venous oxygen saturation in cardiac surgery patients: a prospective, observational study

Background Central (ScVO2) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) and blood lactate are useful measurement tools for evaluating the degree of hypoperfusion in patients with different disease processes. The aim was to study incidence of both low as well as high ScvO2 and assessed their relationship to markers of tissue hypoxia, course and outcome in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery.