Development of a porcine beating-heart model of self-myocardial retroperfusion: evaluation of hemodynamic and cardiac responses to ischemia and clinical applications.

Background: Retrograde perfusion into the coronary sinus is used to deliver cardioplegia. We developed an in-vivo porcine beating-heart model of self-myocardial retroperfusion (SMR) using the venous route to supply myocardial oxygenation and sought to assess hemodynamic and cardiac responses triggered by SMR before and after a prolonged occlusion of the LAD.

Methods: A bypass-line between the ascending aorta and the coronary sinus was made to perform a selective retrograde perfusion of the great cardiac vein with oxygenated blood (SMR).