Cardioplegia and cardiac surgery: pharmacological arrest and cardioprotection during global ischemia and reperfusion.

Since the start of cardiac surgery in the 1950s, multiple techniques have been used to protect the heart during the surgical requirement for elective global ischemia (and the still, relaxed, bloodless field that this provides the surgeon for repair of the lesion). Most of these techniques have been discarded. The current gold standard, established over 30 years ago, is hyperkalemic (moderately increased extracellular potassium) cardioplegia; this technique revolutionized cardiac surgery, allowing significant surgical advancement with relative safety.

Esmolol cardioplegia: the cellular mechanism of diastolic arrest.

Aims: Esmolol, an ultra-short-acting beta-blocker, acts as a cardioplegic agent at millimolar concentrations. We investigated the mechanism by which esmolol induces diastolic ventricular arrest.

Methods And Results: In unpaced Langendorff-perfused rat hearts, esmolol (0.

Does intermittent cross-clamp fibrillation provide equivalent myocardial protection compared to cardioplegia in patients undergoing bypass graft revascularisation?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: does intermittent cross-clamp fibrillation provide equivalent myocardial protection compared to cardioplegia in patients undergoing bypass graft revascularisation? Altogether, 58 papers were found using the reported search, of which 13 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated.

In patients with acute aortic intramural haematoma is open surgical repair superior to conservative management?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: in patients with acute aortic intramural haematoma (IMH) is open surgical repair superior to conservative management. IMH is defined as a clinical condition related to but pathologically distinct from aortic dissection.

Large subpectoral hematoma: possible complication of sternotomy post-cardiac surgery.

A 62-year-old female patient developed a significantly enlarged left breast 6 hours after sternotomy for a coronary artery bypass graft operation. This was the result of subpectoral bleeding caused by a sternal wire.

Targeting for cardioplegia: arresting agents and their safety.

Elective temporary cardiac arrest (cardioplegia) is often required during cardiac surgery. In the 1970 s, the development of hyperkalaemic cardioplegic solutions revolutionised cardiac surgery by offering effective chemically-induced cardiac arrest and myocardial protection during global ischaemia. Despite remaining the most widely-used cardioplegic technique, hyperkalaemia can have detrimental effects due to the Na and Ca loading of the cardiac cell induced by depolarisation of the cell membrane.

Is blood versus crystalloid cardioplegia relevant? Significantly improved protection may require new cardioplegic concepts!

The predominant method of myocardial protection during cardiac surgery is hyperkalaemic cardioplegia, inducing depolarised arrest. Since its development in the 1970s, the only real change has been to alter the vehicle to blood. Although blood cardioplegia was shown to be 'superior' to crystalloid cardioplegia, this advantage is marginal and might explain the continuous use of crystalloid cardioplegia by some surgeons.