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Moderate hypothermic versus normothermic total cardiopulmonary bypass for coronary artery surgery: a retrospective

R J Massimino1, G T Stearns, J D Gough

  • 1Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Brown University Program in Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island.

Insights

Moderate hypothermic perfusion during coronary artery bypass surgery led to lower cardiac index and oxygen transfer compared to normothermic perfusion. Both methods were comparable in terms of morbidity and mortality outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Cardiopulmonary Bypass
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABS) is a common procedure requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
  • The impact of perfusate temperature during CPB on patient outcomes remains an area of investigation.
  • Normothermia and moderate hypothermia are two common CPB temperature strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing CABS with normothermic versus moderate hypothermic CPB.
  • To evaluate physiological differences, including cardiac index and oxygen transfer, between the two perfusion strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 200 patients who underwent CABS between 1987 and 1990.
  • Patients were divided into two groups: moderate hypothermia (28-32°C, n=100) and normothermia (37°C, n=100).
  • Comparison of demographic data, perfusion time, cardiac index, mean arterial pressure, and oxygen transfer.

Main Results:

  • The moderate hypothermia group (Group H) exhibited a significantly lower cardiac index (2.32 L/m²/min) compared to the normothermic group (Group N) (2.55 L/m²/min) (p<0.001).
  • Oxygen transfer was significantly higher in the normothermic group (159 cc/min) versus the hypothermic group (113 cc/min) (p<0.001).
  • Mean arterial pressure was higher in Group H (69 mmHg) than Group N (63 mmHg) (p<0.001), with Group H requiring vasodilators and Group N requiring vasoconstrictors.

Conclusions:

  • Moderate hypothermic perfusion during CABS was associated with reduced cardiac index and oxygen transfer compared to normothermic perfusion.
  • No metabolic acidosis was observed in either group.
  • Further research is needed to correlate these physiological findings with long-term morbidity and mortality outcomes.

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