It is well documented that calcium is essential to cardiac contraction and the amplitude of contractility is proportional to the ionized calcium not to total calcium. Changes of serum ionic calcium before and after extracorporeal circulation were observed in fifty two patients operated on at Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, from May 21st, 1984, to July 6th, 1984. They were 28 males and 24 females including 21 acyanotic congenital heart diseases, 21 cyanotic congenital heart diseases, and 10 acquired valvular heart diseases. In general, preoperative serum ionic calcium was around the normal level, but those of immediate postoperative day and postop-first day were decreased subnormally with significance [P<0.05 vs. preop.]. From postop-third day, serum ionic calcium was returned to normal range. No significant difference was noticed in subgroups divided by 10 Kg of body weight and by the methods of myocardial protection. But the change of serum ionic calcium in the patients with prolonged pump time over 90 minutes was remarkable and the values were as follow; on immediate postop-day 1.780.18 mEq/L vs. 1.970.20 mEq/L [P<0.005],on postop-first day, 1.940.20mEq/L vs. 2.060.12 mEq/L [P<0.025], on postop-third day, 2.030.11mEq/L vs. 2.150.13mEq/L [P<0.01], and on postop-seventh day, 2.030.09mEq/L vs. 2.190.11mEq/L [P<0.005]. In summary, the serum ionic calcium was lowered after extracorporeal circulation and even severer degree according to the prolongation of bypass time. So, after extracorporeal circulation esp. in the cases with prolonged bypass time, early correction of lowered serum ionic calcium would be helpful to the postoperative hemodynamics.