The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 34, 278-286, Copyright © 1982 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Comparison of roller pump versus pressurized bag administration of potassium cardioplegic solution
FL Grover, JG Fewel, JJ Ghidoni, EV Bennett Jr and JK Trinkle
We sought to determine the relative efficacy of administering cardioplegia
by the pressurized bag versus roller pump technique. Fourteen dogs were
placed on cardiopulmonary bypass at 30 degrees C and subjected to 2 hours
of cardioplegic arrest. Group 1 (7 dogs) was administered cardioplegic
solution from a plastic bag under pressure into the ascending aorta every
20 minutes for the 2-hour period, and Group 2 (7 dogs) was given
cardioplegia by means of a roller pump. Myocardial temperature decreased in
Group 1 to 13.4 degrees C following administration of the cardioplegic
solution, and to 13.1 degrees C in Group 2 (not significant). These
temperatures were reached in 3.0 minutes in Group 1 and 1.9 minutes in
Group 2 (p less than 0.03). Aortic root pressures during cardioplegic
infusion were 31 +/- 2 mm Hg in Group 1 versus 46 +/- 2 mm Hg in Group 2 (p
less than 0.01). No significant differences between groups were noted in
myocardial distribution of cardioplegia, myocardial blood flow or
metabolism, or left ventricular hemodynamics. We conclude that both methods
of administering cardioplegia lowered myocardial temperature adequately and
protected the myocardium for a period of 2 hours in these normal hearts.
The roller pump method facilitated faster cooling and produced
significantly higher aortic perfusion pressures, however, which may be
important in hearts with coronary stenosis.
