A rat model of cardiopulmonary bypass with cardioplegic arrest and hemodynamic assessment by conductance catheter technique.

Background: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is known to induce systemic inflammation and cardiac dysfunction associated with a significant morbidity. Aim of the study was to develop an in vivo model of rat CPB with hypothermic cardiac arrest and the use of cardioplegia.

Material And Methods: The CPB circuit consisted of a venous reservoir, membrane oxygenator, heat exchanger, and roller pump.

Left ventricular volume measurement by the conductance catheter and variations in the hematocrit in small animals.

Cardiac performance is quantitatively and continuously assessed from pressure-volume signals by using the conductance catheter technique even in small animals. Conductivity of blood, however, is dependent on hematocrit (Hct). Interdependence between hematocrit and volume measurement by the conductance catheter has been evaluated.

Extravasation of albumin after cardiopulmonary bypass in newborns.

Objective: The systemic inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) possibly increases microvascular permeability to plasma proteins, leading to capillary leak syndrome. The study was conducted to elucidate any protein leakage in newborns using Evans blue dye as tracer.

Design: Prospective controlled study.

Effect of the calcium sensitizer levosimendan on the performance of ischaemic myocardium in anaesthetised pigs.

The calcium sensitizer levosimendan (LEV) improves the function of stunned myocardium, cardiac performance in heart failure, and possibly the efficiency of myocardial work. The present experiments investigated the effect of LEV on myocardial contraction and metabolism of acutely ischaemic myocardium distal to a functionally effective coronary artery stenosis. Anaesthetised open chest pigs (n = 14) were instrumented to assess heart rate (HR), aortic pressure (AoP), cardiac output (CO), blood flow in the left descending (QLAD) and circumflex (QLCX) coronary artery, myocardial end-diastolic segment length and systolic shortening (edL, MSS by sonomicrometry) in the LAD- and LCX-territory.

Retrograde autologous priming: is it useful in elective on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery?

Background: The effect of reduced cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) prime volume by retrograde autologous priming (RAP) was studied.

Methods: Twenty patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting were randomized to either standard prime (SP) volume (1,602 +/- 202 mL crystalloid prime, n = 10) or RAP (395 +/- 150 mL). RAP was performed by draining crystalloid prime from the arterial and venous lines into a recirculation bag before CPB.