Cardioplegia Cold

Cold cardioplegia: what is it and how does it work?

Cold cardioplegia is a method of temporary cardiac arrest that is used in cardiac surgery to minimize myocardial damage during open heart surgery. This method is a type of ischemic cardioplegia in which the heart is irrigated with cooled saline, which reduces the damaging effects of hypoxia.

When the cardiovascular system stops during open heart surgery, blood stops circulating through the heart and this can lead to myocardial hypoxia, that is, oxygen deprivation. Myocardial hypoxia can cause serious damage to the heart muscle and lead to the development of heart failure.

However, when using the Cold Cardioplegia method, the heart is irrigated with chilled saline, which leads to a decrease in myocardial metabolism and a decrease in its oxygen demand. This allows you to temporarily stop the heart without damaging the myocardium.

In order to achieve the best effect, the solution is cooled to a temperature of about 4 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, myocardial metabolism decreases so much that the heart can be stopped for several hours without causing serious damage.

However, like any other method, Cold cardioplegia has its limitations and risks. It can lead to heart rhythm disturbances, high blood pressure, kidney dysfunction and other complications.

However, when used correctly, Cold cardioplegia is an effective method of temporary cardiac arrest that allows surgeons to perform complex open-heart surgery with minimal damage to the myocardium.

Cold cardioplegia is a type of anesthesia in which the heart is cooled to reduce its need for oxygen and reduce the risk of possible damage. This is especially important during heart surgery such as valve replacement or coronary artery bypass grafting.

Cold cardioplegia is one of the forms of myocardial protection