Preservation of myocardial function during ischemia with intracoronary perfluoroocytlbromide (Oxygent)

The effects of intracoronary infusion (24 ml/min) of oxygenated perfluoroocytlbromide (PFOB) or autologous blood on regional myocardial function and hemodynamics were studied during a 2 min perfused occlusion in nine open chest dogs to determine if a PFOB infusion could prevent the myocardial dysfunction observed during the balloon occlusion of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Regional myocardial function was measured with sonomicrometers in the ischemic and non-ischemic zone to determine segment length and percent of systolic shortening (% delta L). Without infusion, the ischemic zone in each animal developed akinesis during a 20 sec coronary occlusion. Each animal underwent a 2 min infusion of blood and PFOB at 24 ml/min. During the 2 min perfused occlusion, the blood ischemic zone % delta L of 14.4 +/- 3.1 versus a PFOB % delta L of 23.4 +/- 2.9. % delta L of blood and PFOB were not as significantly different from control (P less than .05 PFOB vs. blood). The bromine ion in PFOB results in a radiodense compound. Adequate images of the canine left ventricle and coronaries were obtained using DSA.

(1) PFOB infusion maintains normal myocardial function during perfused coronary inclusion. (2) PFOB may be used as an oxygen carrying contrast agent to obtain DSA images.