title: Low myocardial temperatures are associated with postoperative conduction defects after coronary artery bypass surgery.
abstract: The incidence and significance of postoperative conduction defects after coronary artery bypass surgery were investigated prospectively in 181 patients. Several pre- and perioperative variables, especially the temperature in three regions of the myocardium, were recorded as explanatory variables. The incidence of conduction defect(s) in the immediate postoperative electrocardiogram (ECG) was 55.8%, and 35.9% of the patients had a conduction defect when leaving hospital. Two patients had a permanent third degree atrioventricular (AV) block. Five pacemakers were implanted. Left main coronary artery stenosis was more common (P < 0.01), and the perioperative myocardial temperatures (P < 0.05-0.01) were lower in patients with conduction defects. These patients had also low postoperative cardiac output more often (P < 0.001), their creatine kinase myocardial (MB) fraction values were higher (P < 0.01), and they stayed in hospital longer (P < 0.05). Right bundle branch block had no significant association with the studied variables.
authors: Department of Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland.
authors: P K
authors: PK
authors: Mustonen
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Hippeläinen
authors: L S
authors: LS
authors: Rehnberg
mesh_terms: D002037:Bundle-Branch Block / Q000209:etiology*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D006327:Heart Block / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology*