title: The effect of prolonged cardioplegic arrest on long-term ventricular function.
abstract: Twenty-five patients (15 coronary revascularizations and 10 valve replacements) having ischemic arrest times longer than 120 minutes (121 to 184 min) were studied by scintigraphy 7 to 27 months after operation. We sought to define if prolonged cardioplegic arrest could be correlated with late postoperative ventricular functional deterioration. Each patient had serial enzymes, EKG analyses, and a technetium pyrophosphate (PYP) scan immediately following operation to determine if an intraoperative infarct occurred which could predispose to functional deterioration. One coronary bypass patient (6.7%) suffered a perioperative myocardial infarct. After a follow-up period of 7 to 25 (mean 17.9) months, none of the 15 patients has developed recurrent angina, infarction or congestive heart failure. Comparing preoperative and late postoperative ventricular function, 3 patients (20%) had a greater than 10% fall in ejection fraction (EF) and 3 (20%) a greater than 10% rise. Mean EF (15 patients) prior to operation was 57.8 +/- 4.7% and at restudy 59.0 +/- 4.6%. One valve replacement patient (10%) suffered a perioperative infarction. After a follow-up period of 16 to 27 (mean 19.9) months, all patients continue to do well. Comparing preoperative to late postoperative ventricular function, 3 patients (30%), had a greater than 10% fall in EF and 2 (20%) a greater than 10% rise. Mean EF (10 patients) prior to operation was 60.5 +/- 5.0% and at restudy 60.1% +/- 5.8%. It is concluded that prolongation of cardioplegic arrest beyond 2 hours is well-tolerated in most patients. Routine early postoperative tests were not useful in prognosticating late functional deterioration in 4 of 6 patients not suffering a perioperative infarction, and in these patients depressed function may be secondary to myocardial fibrosis.
mesh_terms: D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000032:analysis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006324:Heart Arrest, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D007527:Isoenzymes; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D003402:Creatine Kinase