The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 30, 349-355, Copyright © 1980 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Experimental evaluation of myocardial preservation techniques: V. A. membrane-stabilizing agent, procaine hydrochloride
T Nishi, JE Guilmette and A Wakabayashi
The protective effects of procaine hydrochloride on the anoxic heart were
investigated using the papillary muscle contractility of an isolated,
blood-perfused rabbit heart as an index of myocardial function. Fifty-four
experiments were divided into nine groups of six experiments each, in which
anoxic periods (30, 45, 60 minutes) and concentration of procaine (solution
3, 0.3%) were the variables. The hearts arrested significantly faster with
solution 3 compared with solution 2 or 1 (p < 0.01). After 30 minutes of
anoxia, the recovery of the contractility was 81.1 +/- 4.2% with solution
1, 90.7 +/- 3.4% with solution 2, and 90.6 +/- 3.3% with solution 3. After
45 minutes of anoxia, the recovery was 31.8 +/- 19.0% with control, 67.5
+/- 15.8% with 0.03% procaine, and 58.1 +/- 22.8% with 0.3% procaine. After
60 minutes of anoxia, the recovery was 2.2 +/- 2.7% with control, 18.7 +/-
14.1% with 0.03% procaine, and 5.0 +/- 7.3% with 0.3% procaine. After each
anoxic period, the best recovery occurred with those hearts arrested by
solution 2. Although the difference in recovery between the procaine groups
was not statistically significant, a longer time was required for the
hearts arrested with solution 3 to reach full functional recovery. This
study indicated that procaine per se has a protective effect on the anoxic
hearts and that although high concentration (0.3%) of procaine arrests the
heart rapidly, it delays the recovery of contractions. We recommend the use
of 0.03% procaine in cardioplegic solution.
