[Protection and reperfusion of the myocardium by cardioplegia with blood enriched in aspartate and glutamate. Technique and initial results. Report of 60 cases].

From 1st November 1987 to 30th September 1988, 27 patients with recent myocardial infarction and 33 patients at high risk of postoperative circulatory failure were operated according to the same protocol. In each case, myocardial protection, at the time of aortic clamping, consisted of an intra-coronary injection of a cardioplegic solution of blood enriched with aspartate and glutamate, administered in 3 phases (normothermic induction, hypothermic induction, normothermic reperfusion) according to the protocol described by Buckberg et al. The operative mortality was 11.6% (7/60) and 46.6% (28/60) of patients did not develop any postoperative complications. It is difficult to draw any conclusions concerning the superiority of the method on the basis of a non-comparative clinical study, but its simple application and its safety appear to be clearly demonstrated.