Background Additional retrograde cardioplegia infusion in conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was introduced to address the concern of inappropriate cardioplegia delivery through the stenotic coronary artery. However, this method is complex and requires repeated infusions. Therefore, we investigated the surgical outcomes of only antegrade cardioplegia infusion in conventional CABG.
Methods We included 224 patients who underwent isolated CABG between 2017 and 2019. The patients were divided into two groups according to the cardioplegia infusion method: antegrade cardioplegia infusion with del Nido solution (n=111, group I) and antegrade+retrograde cardioplegia infusion with blood cardioplegia solution (n=113, group II).
Results The sinus recovery time after release of the aorta cross-clamp was shorter in group I (3.8±7.1 minutes, n=98) than in group II (5.8±4.1 minutes, n=73) (p=0.033). The total cardioplegia infusion volume was lower in group I (1,998.6±668.6 mL) than in group II (7,321.0±2,865.3 mL) (p<0.001). Creatine kinase-MB levels were significantly lower in group I than in group II (p=0.039). Newly developed regional wall motion abnormalities on follow-up echocardiography were detected in two patients (1.8%) in group I and five patients (4.4%) in group II (p=0.233). There was no significant difference in ejection fraction improvement between the two groups (3.3%±9.3% in group I and 3.3%±8.7% in group II, p=0.990).
Conclusion The only antegrade cardioplegia infusion strategy in conventional CABG is safe and has no harmful effects.
Citations
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Effect of del Nido Cardioplegia on Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Study-level Meta-analysis Yoshiyuki Yamashita, Massimo Baudo, Dimitrios E. Magouliotis, Serge Sicouri, Marry Ann C. Wertan, Danielle D. Spragan, Gianluca Torregrossa, Basel Ramlawi, Francis P. Sutter Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia.2025; 39(6): 1538. CrossRef
Del Nido versus conventional blood cardioplegia in patients with combined aortic root surgery: A retrospective study Yingshan Huang, Xiangni Zhu, Jichang Kong, Ling Zhang, Wenting Gui, Jiao Wang, Yunling Yang, Yan Xie, Dongmei Wang, Xinyue Li, Long Zhou, Yi Song, Xiaoqi Wang Perfusion.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Background Bleeding and thrombosis are major complications associated with high mortality in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) management. Anticoagulant therapy should be adequate to reduce thrombosis. However, related studies are limited.
Methods We retrospectively reviewed all patients supported with ECMO at a single institution between January 2014 and July 2022 and included those on all types of ECMO using the Permanent Life Support System. Patients were classified into two groups according to their measured mean activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) during ECMO management: a high-anticoagulation (AC) group (aPTT, ≥55 seconds; n=52) and a low-AC group (aPTT, <55 seconds; n=79). The primary outcome was thrombotic or bleeding events during ECMO.
Results We identified 10 patients with bleeding; significantly more of these patients were in the high-AC group (n=8) than in the low-AC group (15.4% vs. 2.5%, p=0.01). However, thrombus events and oxygenator change-free times were not significantly different between the two groups. Four patients in the high-AC group died of bleeding complications (brain hemorrhage, two; hemopericardium, one; and gastrointestinal bleeding, one). One patient in the low-AC group developed a thrombus and died of ECMO dysfunction due to circuit thrombosis.
Conclusion Heparin did not significantly improve thrombotic outcomes. However, maintaining an aPTT of ≥55 seconds was a significant risk factor for bleeding events, especially those associated with mortality.