Clinical application of a new vital staining method for the conduction system during heart operations

A new method for vital staining of the conduction system during heart operations, the iodine gas method, was used in 12 patients. The right bundle branch stained well in all cases, and could be confirmed by the naked eye. The conduction system was not damaged by the staining procedure. The iodine gas used in this method had no adverse effects on thyroid function (thyroxine, triiodothyronine, thyroxine binding globulin, protein bound iodine) or liver function (serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, lactic dehydrogenase). This method, therefore, was found to be valuable and without complication for preventing conduction disturbances during cardiac operations.