title: Transmyocardial laser treatment reduces ischemia-induced ventricular fibrillation during the early phase (1a) after coronary artery occlusion in open chest anesthetized pigs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has previously been shown that transmyocardial revascularization with laser (TMR) prior to coronary artery occlusion decreases the occurrence of ischemia-induced arrhythmias. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of TMR on ventricular fibrillation and other arrhythmias during the early (1a) and late phase (1b) of ischemia in pigs.
  
  
  METHODS
  In six pigs TMR was performed in the anterior wall of the left ventricle 60 minutes prior to occlusion of the proximal LAD. Six other pigs were subjected to coronary occlusion without preceding TMR and served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 30 min period with LAD occlusion ventricular fibrillation occurred 22 times in 5 of 6 control animals (20 episodes in phase la, 2 in phase 1b), whereas none of the animals subjected to TMR prior to the coronary artery occlusion developed ventricular fibrillation (p<0.01). The total number of premature beats per animal was lower during the early phase (la) after LAD occlusion in the TMR group than in the control group (18+/-13 vs 248+/-82, p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TMR prior to occlusion of LAD reduced the occurrence of early phase (la) ischemia-induced ventricular fibrillation and premature beats. This anti-fibrillatory effect might explain the improved survival observed in experimental studies after TMR prior to coronary artery occlusion found by others.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ullevaal HospItal, University of Oslo, Norway. mrisberg@ah.telia.no
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tjomsland
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grund
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Kanellopoulos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kvernebo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilebekk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control