Cardioplegia

Cardioplegia is a method of stopping cardiac activity by injecting special solutions directly into the coronary arteries to protect the myocardium during heart surgery.

The term "cardioplegia" comes from the Greek words "cardio" - heart and "plegia" - stroke, defeat. A cardioplegic solution is administered to stop heart contractions and protect the myocardium from ischemia during aortic cross-clamping and blood flow arrest.

There are different types of cardioplegic solutions - crystalloid, blood, etc. The choice of solution depends on the specific clinical situation. Cardioplegia allows the surgeon to safely manipulate a stationary heart and perform complex operations on the heart valves and coronary arteries. Correct use of cardioplegia is of fundamental importance for the success of the operation and restoration of cardiac function after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Cardioplegia is a procedure used to protect the heart from ischemia during surgery. It involves stopping cardiac activity for a short time using special solutions or gases that prevent blood from flowing to the heart.

Cardioplegia can be performed in several ways. One of them is the use of a cardioplegic solution, which contains components such as potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium. This solution is injected into the heart through a catheter that is placed in the coronary artery. The solution then circulates through the heart, providing it with protection against ischemia.

Another method of cardioplegia is the use of gases such as argon, xenon or krypton. These gases are introduced into the heart through the same catheter as the cardioplegic solution. They also provide cardiac protection against ischemia, but have some advantages over cardioplegic solution. For example, the gases do not contain potassium or sodium, which may reduce the risk of arrhythmias after surgery.

Regardless of the method of cardioplegia, it has a number of advantages. First, it allows the surgeon to perform heart surgery without the risk of ischemia and cardiac arrest. Secondly, cardioplegia allows you to maintain heart function after surgery, which improves the prognosis for the patient.

However, cardioplegia also has some disadvantages. For example, it can cause complications such as arrhythmias, myocardial infarction and thromboembolism. In addition, cardioplegic solutions and gases may cause irritation and inflammation at the injection site.

Overall, cardioplegia is an important tool in cardiac surgery. It allows surgeons to perform heart surgery safely and effectively while maintaining heart function and health after surgery. However, it can also cause some complications, so it should only be used after careful analysis of the risks and benefits.