[Recovery from cardiac arrest by prostaglandin E1 infusion during emergency open heart surgery]

A 21 day old infant, diagnosed as ASD, VSD, and PDA, was scheduled for an emergency radical operation. After admission, she fell into cardiac failure and was treated with artificial ventilation and infusion of inotropic agents. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl and maintained with continuous fentanyl infusion and chlorpromazine. Dopamine and dobutamine were administered before she underwent a cor-pulmonary by-pass. At the time of release of aortic clamping, her blood pressure went down and dopamine, dobutamine and isoproterenol were administered. After completion of the cor-pulmonary by-pass, tachy-arrhythmia and hypotension occurred. Digitalis and calcium did not reverse the condition. The thorax was reopened and BP rose. After 15 min, ventricular fibrillation occurred. Defibrillation was carried out, but the heart was arrested. Even with pacing and cardiac massage, cardiac contraction did not resume. However immediately on intravenous administration of PGE1, 40 ng.kg-1.min-1, the heart started to beat. The cause of recovery from cardiac arrest was speculated to be due to reuptake of intracellular Ca2+ by PGE1. We stress therefore, that during and after cor-pulmonary by-pass procedures, PGE1 infusion may be beneficial.