Continuous cold blood cardioplegia improves myocardial protection: a prospective randomized study

• Published in: The Annals of thoracic surgery Vol. 77; no. 2; pp. 664 - 671
• Main Authors: Louagie, Yves A.G, Jamart, Jacques, Gonzalez, Manuel, Collard, Edith, Broka, Serge, Galanti, Laurence, Gruslin, André
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-02-2004; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aged; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiopulmonary Bypass; Coronary Disease - physiopathology; Coronary Disease - surgery; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Female; Heart Arrest, Induced - methods; Hemodynamics - physiology; Humans; Lactic Acid - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Myocardial Contraction - physiology; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury - physiopathology; Myocardial Revascularization; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care); Pneumology; Prospective Studies; Ventricular Function, Left - physiology; 31; Heart; Temperature; Cold; Continuous; Environmental factor; Cardioplegia; Blood; Prospective; Randomization; Treatment; Surgery; Myocardium; Anesthesia; Clinical trial; Circulatory system; Cardiology; Protection
• ISSN: 0003-4975; 1552-6259
• DOI: 10.1016/S0003-4975(03)01522-4

To assess the influence on myocardial protection of the rate of infusion (continuous vs intermittent) of cold blood cardioplegia administered retrogradely during prolonged aortic cross-clamping. The end-points were ventricular performance and biochemical markers of ischemia.
Seventy patients undergoing myocardial revascularization for three-vessel disease were prospectively randomized to receive intermittent or continuous retrograde cold blood cardioplegia. Hemodynamic measurements were obtained using a rapid-response thermodilution catheter and included right ventricular ejection fraction, cardiac output, left and right ventricular stroke work index, and systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance. Blood samples were obtained from the coronary sinus before cross-clamp application and immediately after cross-clamp removal for determinations of lactate and hypoxanthine.
The left ventricular stroke work index trend was significantly superior (
p = 0.038) by repeated-measures analysis in continuous cardioplegia. Other hemodynamic measurements revealed a similar trend. The need for postoperative inotropic drugs support was reduced in continuous cardioplegia. The release of lactate in the coronary sinus after unclamping was 2.30 ± 0.12 mmol/L after intermittent cardioplegia and 1.97 ± 0.09 mmol/L after continuous cardioplegia (
p = 0.036). The release of hypoxanthine was 20.47 ± 2.74 μmol/L in intermittent cardioplegia and 11.77 ± 0.69 μmol/L in continuous cardioplegia (
p = 0.002).
Continuous cold blood cardioplegia results in improved ventricular performance and reduced myocardial ischemia in comparison with intermittent administration.