Myocardial protection by intermittent perfusion with cardioplegic solution versus intermittent coronary perfusion with cold blood.

The myocardial protection provided by cardioplegic solution using buffered, isosmotic potassium (30 mEq. per liter) was compared with intermittent cold coronary perfusion for 2 hours of aortic cross-clamping in dogs. The cardioplegic solution (Group CS) or cold blood (Group CB) was infused every 15 minutes through a cooling coil to reduce the perfusate temperature to 5 degrees C. Myocardial function after 30 minutes of reperfusion and rewarming was reduced in Group CB with a significant reduction in peak systolic pressure at a left ventricular (LV) balloon volume of 20 ml. and a significant reduction of dp/dt. In contrast, in Group CS, LV function was unchanged from the base-line period. LV compliance also was significantly reduced in Group CB while being unchanged in Group CS. Myocardial extravascular water content, obtained by dessication, was significantly higher in Group CB than in Group CS, which may explain the reduction in compliance. Electron microscopy showed normal ultrastructure in Group CS but extracellular edema in Group CB. Total coronary blood flow showed a sustained increase during reperfusion in both groups. Oxygen consumption rose with rewarming to base-line levels in both groups, whereas lactate and pyruvate consumption was reduced in both groups, particularly Group CB. Cardioplegic solution thus appears to be superior to the intermittent perfusion of cold blood for myocardial protection. The addition of potassium arrest, by markedly reducing myocardial metabolism, improves the protection afforded by cold blood perfusion alone.