Multidose cardioplegia in a complex arterial switch procedure.

Abstract

Integrated cardioplegia techniques have gained wide acceptance by surgeons performing adult cardiac surgery, because patients being referred are likely to have poor ventricular function and energy-depleted hearts. In addition, the increasing complexity of available procedures has led to an increased threat of reperfusion injury and calcium contracture ("stone heart") after prolonged ischemia. In this report, we describe the case of a newborn with transposition of the great arteries that survived almost 6 hours of ischemic time and has normal ventricular function postoperatively. We attribute this outcome to the myocardial protection employed throughout the procedure which allowed successful correction of a technical problem.