Single- versus multidose cardioplegia in adult cardiac surgery patients: A meta-analysis

Ivancarmine Gambardella1, Mario F L Gaudino2, George A Antoniou3

  • 1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine-NewYork Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine-NewYork Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY.

Insights

Del Nido cardioplegia significantly reduces operative times and improves outcomes like reperfusion fibrillation and cardiac enzyme levels compared to multidose cardioplegia in adult cardiac surgery. This single-dose approach offers a beneficial alternative for cardiac procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiac Surgery
  • Cardioplegia Solutions

Background:

  • Cardioplegia is crucial for myocardial protection during cardiac surgery.
  • Multidose cardioplegia is standard, but single-dose alternatives are being explored for improved efficiency and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficacy and safety of single-dose cardioplegia (del Nido and histamine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate) versus multidose cardioplegia in adult cardiac surgery patients.
  • To evaluate the impact on primary outcomes (mortality) and secondary outcomes (ischemic and cardiopulmonary bypass times, reperfusion fibrillation, cardiac enzymes, myocardial infarction).

Main Methods:

  • A meta-analysis was performed on randomized controlled trials and propensity-score matched cohorts.
  • Identified studies were searched via medical engines, including 5516 patients.
  • Primary and secondary endpoints were analyzed, with subgroup and meta-regression analyses for moderators like surgery type and ejection fraction.

Main Results:

  • Del Nido cardioplegia significantly reduced ischemic time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, reperfusion fibrillation, and cardiac enzyme levels compared to multidose cardioplegia.
  • Histamine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate did not show these benefits and increased cardiopulmonary bypass time and reperfusion fibrillation.
  • No significant differences in mortality or myocardial infarction were observed between single-dose and multidose cardioplegia.

Conclusions:

  • Del Nido cardioplegia offers significant advantages over multidose cardioplegia by decreasing operative times, reducing reperfusion fibrillation, and lowering cardiac enzyme surges.
  • Histamine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate did not demonstrate comparable benefits.
  • Del Nido cardioplegia represents a promising single-dose strategy for myocardial protection in adult cardiac surgery.
Abstract