The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 76, 24-27, Copyright © 1978 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Potassium-induced cardioplegia. Additive protection against ischemic myocardial injury during coronary revascularization
JM Craver, AB Sams and CR Hatcher Jr
Potassium-induced cardioplegia during anoxic arrest was utilized in a study
of 190 consecutive patients undergoing revascularization (average 2.8
grafts per patient) from August, 1975, through August, 1976. Surgical
technique, moderate systemic hypothermia with intermittent anoxic arrest,
and the surgeon were the same for all patients. One hundred thirty-five
patients (KC1-treated) received a bolus (150 ml.) of potassium solution
injected into the proximal aortic root whenever the aortic cross-clamp was
applied; 55 others served as control subjects. The mortality rate was 2.2%
(three of 135) in the KCl-treated group and one of 55 in the control group.
New Q waves appeared in 5.9% (eight of 135) of the KCl-treated patients and
11% (6 of 55) of control subjects (p = N.S.). Catecholamine drips were
required after bypass in 4.4% (six of 135) of patients given potassium and
18% (10 of 55) of control patients (p less than 0.05). Profound myocardial
relaxation was of added technical value with potassium. It is our
impression that hearts treated with potassium exhibited more prompt
cardioversion, separated from cardiopulmonary bypass with less need for
inotropic support, and exhibited less myocardial injury during the
revascularization procedure.