The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 24, 229-306, Copyright © 1977 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Advantages of potassium cardioplegia and perfusion hypothermia in left ventricular hypertrophy
RJ Ellis, W Pryor and A Ebert
An attempt was made to determine the effect of hypothermic potassium
cardioplegia (35 mEq of potassium chloride) on the hypertrophic ventricle.
Puppies with induced left ventricular hypertrophy were divided into four
groups and studied after one hour on global ischemia. Myocardial adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) was best preserved in the hypothermically perfused
groups and correlated well with measurements of coronary sinus creatine
phosphokinase (CPK). In Groups 1 and 2 (anoxic arrest at 37 degrees C and
KC1 perfusion at 37 degrees C), CPK at 30 minutes of reperfusion was 1,031
and 198 IU, respectively, compared to 35 IU in Group 3 (KC1 perfusion at 4
degrees C) and 44 IU in Group 4 (Ringer's lactate at 4 degrees C).
Myocardial injury was milder in Groups 3 and 4 regardless of whether
potassium chloride was added. It is apparent that hypothermic perfusion of
a hypertrophic ventricle was the major factor in myocardial preservation,
as determined by myocardial ATP and coronary sinus CPK.