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Ann Thorac Surg 2001;71:243-248
© 2001 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Original article: cardiovascular

Morphometric identification of luminal narrowing of myocardial capillaries after cardioplegic arrest

^a Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
^b Division of Cardiology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
^c Department of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Accepted for publication May 3, 2000.

Address reprint requests to Dr Chen, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100 Shih-Chuan 1st Rd, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
e-mail: yfchen{at}cc.kmu.edu.tw

Background. Because there is no smooth muscle cell surrounding the capillary endothelial cells, the effect of coronary microcirculation at the capillary level following cardioplegic arrest and reperfusion would be much different from that of resistant arterioles. We therefore studied the effect of hypothermic blood cardioplegic arrest and subsequent reperfusion on the myocardial capillaries in cardiac operation patients.

Methods. Twenty-seven patients who underwent cardiac operations were included in this study. Three sequential biopsies (preischemia, ischemia, and reperfusion) were obtained from the right atrium. This study was restricted to blood vessels with a diameter of less than 8 microns. Ten randomly selected capillaries from each biopsy were measured for luminal surface area, endothelial cytoplasmic surface area, and total cross-sectional surface area of capillaries.

Results. From stereologic morphometric studies, the serial changes in total cross-sectional surface area were not statistically significant (p = 0.152). However, there was a significant swelling of endothelial cytoplasm following ischemia and reperfusion (p = 0.0007). Meanwhile, changes in luminal surface area of capillaries following ischemia and reperfusion were also remarkable (p = 0.0008).

Conclusions. The most striking finding of this study was the progressive decrease in capillary lumen during ischemia and after reperfusion. The swelling of endothelial cells is a major determinant of luminal narrowing of capillaries in patients receiving cardioplegic arrest.

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