A technique of myocardial protection during aorto-coronary bypass in high-risk patients.
In the authors' opinion, profound myocardial hypothermia is imperative in myocardial protection while the aorta is cross-clamped. They based their own protection method, beside using a single dose of crystalloid cardioplegic solution, on very efficient topical cooling, by which myocardial temperature is reduced to below 15 degrees C. Very efficient topical cooling is achieved by a high flow (2 l/min) of continuously cooled fluid (0 degrees C- +2 degrees C). The great temperature-reducing capacity of the cooling system is due to 10-15 metres long metal coil tubing which is immersed in an ice-salt cold bath. The water pump placed in the bath makes heat exchange even more efficient. The described method of myocardial protection with stable profound myocardial hypothermia safely prolongs the ischaemic time during operation to more than two hours.
D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D012306:Risk