Effects of enflurane on myocardial ischaemia in the dog

The effects of experimentally induced, severe coronary artery stenosis on regional changes in myocardial blood supply, cardiac function, and metabolism were studied in 14 dogs. The anterior interventricular branch of the left coronary artery (LAD) was constricted such that arterial inflow was reduced by 80%. Nine dogs were given enflurane in a concentration of 2.2 vol.% (1 MAC) in air, and five animals received no enflurane (controls). Regional myocardial blood supply was measured by the tracer microspheres technique, using 8-micron microspheres labelled with five different radioisotopes. Regional cardiac function (end-diastolic length of the muscle fibres = EDL; segmental shortening during systole = delta L) was estimated with the aid of two ultrasonic crystals which were placed in the subendocardial layer of the myocardium supplied by the LAD. Regional myocardial metabolism (oxygen consumption; lactate extraction) was evaluated from arterial and coronary venous blood samples. The latter were collected selectively from the region supplied by the LAD via the great cardiac vein. The results showed that, during severe coronary artery stenosis comparable to clinical conditions, apart from the known actions on systemic haemodynamics and contractility, enflurane had beneficial effects on regional myocardial variables. This was indicated by reduced regional contraction, measured as EDL and delta L; unchanged subendocardial blood flow without any redistribution; and improved lactate extraction in the ischaemic region.