Structural changes in the heart due to mechanical perfusion

Acute myocardial damage such as epicardial, intramural and subendocardial haemorrhages and oedema are known to occur after mechanical perfusion. The results of animal experiments showed that local circulatory disturbances (hypoperfusion, hypoxia) due to mechanical damage of the blood (erythrocyte aggregation, denaturation) and or lasting hypoperfusion (microcirculatory hypoxia) are responsible for the acute lesions. In addition, the results offer a morphological explanation for the postperfusion heart failure.