The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 31, 502-511, Copyright © 1981 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Nonrandomized matched pair analysis of intermittent ischemic arrest versus potassium crystalloid cardioplegia during myocardial revascularization
AJ Roberts, JH Sanders Jr, JM Moran, KJ Kaplan, PR Lichtenthal, SM Spies and LL Michaelis
The quest for the ideal method of myocardial preservation during coronary
artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery continues at a rapid pace. Nevertheless,
in the present clinical practice of cardiac surgery, the choice is chiefly
between hypothermic intermittent ischemic arrest and hypothermic potassium
cardioplegia. This study applies newer technics in radionuclear cardiology,
as well as more conventional enzymatic, electrocardiographic, and
hemodynamic determinations, to the evaluation of the effectiveness of the
previously mentioned modes of myocardial protection. Serial assessments are
made preoperatively as well as during the first ten days postoperatively.
We find that the perioperative incidence of myocardial damage and changes
in left ventricular performance are almost identical using either method in
patients with relatively normal preoperative left ventricular performance
who do not have severe preoperative refractory ischemia or necrosis.