Myocardial protection of only the left coronary artery perfusion in patients with isolated aortic valve replacement.

Effectiveness of only left coronary perfusion on myocardial protection was assessed by measuring serially cardiac functions such as cardiac index (CI), stroke index (SI), left ventricular minute work index (LVWI) and left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI) in 22 consecutive patients with isolated, scheduled aortic valve replacement. The cardiac functions were determined 2,4 and 6 hours after open heart surgery. Correlation coefficients(r) between coronary perfusion time and the cardiac functions were less than 0.23, such being statistically insignificant. SI and LVSWI were in statistically significant inverse correlation to the preoperative NYHA classification and extracorporeal circulation(ECC) time for 4 hours following open heart surgery, and CI and LVWI for 2 hours. The correlation coefficients were highest at the 2nd postoperative hour and then decreased with passage of time. Therefore, the cardiac dysfunctions occurring in the postoperative period correlated either to the preoperative NYHA classification or ECC time, or both. It does, however, seem likely that the dysfunctions were correlated to ECC time as the recovery time of 4 hours from the dysfunction is too short for preoperatively existing dysfunction. Therefore, it was concluded that the continuous perfusion of only the left coronary artery was not the determinant factor of the postoperative dysfunctions and that the ECC time afforded detrimental effects, although such continued for 4 hours in terms of SI and LVSWI, and 2 hours in term of CI and LVWI.