[Value of the association of blood cardioplegia and energetic warm reperfusion in cardiac transplantation]

Abstract

Blood cardioplegia at 8 degrees C results in cardiac standstill whilst maintaining minimal metabolic functions of the cardiac cell. Reinjection every 20 minutes allows cellular reoxygenation, the delivery of essential elements (Tham, CPD), and the elimination of products of myocardial degradation accumulated during ischemia. Before declamping the aorta, a reperfusion with warm blood (34 degrees C) containing glutamate and GTN enables restocking of the energy reserves (Krebs' cycle) and a lowering of coronary and systemic resistances. This technique used systematically if even more effective when the ischemic time is prolonged as is the case in cardiac transplantation. The 50 transplants performed since January 1989 with this form of myocardial protection were compared with 50 procedures performed in 1988 with crystalloid cardioplegia. There was no significant difference in the duration of ischemia or of cardiopulmonary bypass between the two groups. Patients benefitting from blood cardioplegia defibrillated spontaneously more frequently, required lower doses of Dopamine for shorter periods and were extubated earlier.