Myocardial energy depletion during profound hypothermic cardioplegia for cardiac operations

Myocardial biopsy specimens were taken from 10 patients undergoing aortic valve replacement using extracorporeal circulation and continuous perfusion blood cardioplegia at extremely low myocardial temperature (10 degrees C). They were analyzed for adenosine triphosphate, creatine phosphate, creatine, and lactate before, after 10 minutes, and after 60 minutes of cardioplegia. Patient inclusion criteria were heart volume less than 700 ml/m2 body surface area and no significant coronary atherosclerosis as judged from preoperative angiograms. The profound hypothermic cardioplegia resulted in a smaller intramyocardial lactate accumulation but a greater decrease in adenosine triphosphate and creatine phosphate than a moderate reduction of myocardial temperature (15 degrees C) as previously reported in a similar patient group. This suggests that at the lower temperature energy-generating processes are thwarted more than energy consumption. In addition, the profound hypothermic cardioplegia led to a reduction of the myocardial pool of total creatine, which may delay restitution of myocardial high-energy phosphate and function after cardioplegia.