Simple Pre-Op test could flag High-Risk heart surgery patients

This study aimed to see if measuring the thickness of a thin layer lining blood vessels (called the glycocalyx) before heart surgery could predict which patients might develop serious complications afterwards. Researchers enrolled 130 patients undergoing heart surgery with a heart-lung machine. They used a special device to take a simple, non-invasive measurement under the tongue before the operation to see if it was linked to problems like organ failure or death in the days following surgery.