European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Vol 6, 377-381, Copyright © 1992 by European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
Evaluation of myocardial protection by combination of lidoflazine pretreatment and St. Thomas' Hospital cardioplegia in aorto-coronary bypass grafting
L Noyez, JT Knape, BJ Arnold, PM Vermeulen, T van der Werf, J Gimbrere, LK Lacquet and W Flameng
Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital St. Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
The concept of pretreatment of the myocardium with a pharmacological agent
protecting the cell against ischemic and reperfusion injury is very
attractive. Lidoflazine, a calcium overload blocker, predominantly membrane
stabilizing, is able to prevent cell damage during ischemic arrest and
reperfusion. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the
combination of lidoflazine pretreatment and St. Thomas' Hospital
cardioplegia can provide, in clinical practice, better myocardial
protection in aorto-coronary bypass grafting than St. Thomas' Hospital
cardioplegia alone. As indices for myocardial protection, recovery of
cardiac function, enzyme release, and clinical outcome were registered.
Ninety-three patients undergoing aorto- coronary bypass surgery were
studied. These patients were randomized into two groups in a double blind
fashion. Patients in group A (n = 48) received lidoflazine 1 mg/kg
intravenously over a period of 20 min before initiation of cardiopulmonary
bypass. Group B (n = 45) receiving placebo, acted as a control group.
Myocardial protection consisted of intermittent infusion of cold 4 degrees
C St. Thomas' Hospital cardioplegia, topical slush ice, and systemic
hypothermia (28 degrees C rectal). No significant differences between the
two groups were noted in terms of recovery of cardiac function, enzyme
release, incidence of myocardial infarction, low cardiac output, rhythm,
and conduction disturbances. In conclusion, our data suggest that the
combination of intravenous pretreatment with lidoflazine and St. Thomas'
Hospital cardioplegia did not provide significant additional myocardial
protection in the clinical situation.