Cardiac Preservation
Cardiac Preservation
During cardiac operations, the surgeon needs a bloodless field so she/he can see the heart structures clearly. This means that for a period of time, the heart muscle (‘myocardium’) will not receive blood, which can injure it. To prevent/minimise injury to the myocardium, various techniques were developed along the decades. These are the ‘Myocardial (cardiac) Preservation Strategies”.
The myocardial preservation technique most widely used is injection of a solution called ‘blood cardioplegia’. It is a mixture of the patient’s own blood with salts (mainly potassium and magnesium). This makes the heart muscle relax and arrest. During this time, the myocardium consumes minimal amount of oxygen, allowing enough time for the surgeon to complete the operation.
Once the cardiac problem is fixed, the heart is fed/perfused with blood and resumes beating. At times, abnormal heart rhythm is converted to normal rhythm with a small electrical shock.
Cardioplegia solution can be injected in the coronary arteries (antegrade cardioplegia) or in the coronary veins (retrograde cardioplegia)
Associated Risks
Myocardial preservation strategies are one of the cornerstones in cardiac surgery. It is performed routinely with excellent results, allowing surgeons to perform complex operations with low mortality.
Please refer to the link.
Please talk to your surgeon about your individual condition and circumstances, and about any questions or doubts you may have.
Please speak to Dr. Provenzano regarding your individual circumstances and any questions or doubts you may have.
Dr Sylvio Provenzano
MD, MSc, FRACS
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
For an appointment or seeking a second opinion with Dr Provenzano, please contact:
Gold Coast Private Specialist Suites 14 Hill Street, Southport
P: (07) 5699 8258 F: (07) 5676 6784
Dr Sylvio Provenzano
MD, MSc, FRACS
Opening Hours
Gold Coast Private Specialist Suites