Out of 494 patients operated upon using Bretschneider cardioplegia, 8 complicated
surgical procedures (3 cases of single or double valve replacement combined with coronary
bypass grafting, 2 cases of double valve replacement, 2 cases of multiple coronary
bypass procedures and one case of aortic valve replacement with replacement of the
ascending aorta) required a mean aortic cross-clamp time of 164 minutes. Four patients
had a single infusion, and 4 other patients 2 or more infusions, of cold cardioplegic
solution. With the aid of topical cooling, the myocardial temperature was reduced
to a mean value of 12.8°C. Postoperatively the heart in all patients resumed a good
contractile activity. None sustained myocardial infarction during the perioperative
or postoperative period. One patient died on the 19th postoperative day because of
subdural hemorrhage not related to the cardioplegic procedure. All other patients
have survived from 10 to 63 months (mean 23 months).
Myocardial protection - Cardioplegia - Prolonged hypothermic cardiac arrest
