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Updated: Jun 30, 2026
Evaluation of Cerebral Blood Flow Autoregulation in the Rat Using Laser Doppler Flowmetry
Published on: January 19, 2020
[The effect of isoflurane on coronary autoregulation in hypothermia]
E Tamayo1, J I Gómez, A Fernández
1Servicio de Anestesiología y Reanimación, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valladolid.
Objectives:
To analyze the effect of isoflurane on myocardial metabolism and coronary hemodynamics during the reheating phase after heart surgery.
Patients And Methods:
Sixteen patients (12 women and 4 men), with cardiac output greater than 0.5 undergoing aortic and/or mitral valve surgery, were studied prospectively. A retrograde thermodilution catheter was placed in the heart and a Swan-Ganz catheter was inserted in the pulmonary artery to determine coronary blood flow and pulmonary wedge pressure, respectively, as well as myocardial and systemic parameters. After surgery, and with hemodynamic variables stable and rectal temperature at 34 +/- 0.5 degrees C, 0.4% isoflurane was administered at the end of expiration. Variables were recorded before administering isoflurane and 20 minutes afterwards.
Results:
Isoflurane administration decreased coronary perfusion pressure, coronary vascular resistance, regional myocardial oxygen consumption and myocardial oxygen output. Increases in coronary oxygen saturation and in large coronary vein saturation were also observed. No patient experienced significant changes in ST segment, enzymes or decreased clearance of lactic acid.
Conclusions:
Administering 0.4% isoflurane at the end of expiration effected coronary vasodilation without altering oxygenation or myocardial metabolism. Moreover, no electrocardiographic, enzymatic or metabolic signs of myocardial ischemia were observed.
