• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.2 s.247
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• pp.101-109
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• 2005

Background: In sudden cardiac arrest, the effective maintenance of coronary artery blood flow is of paramount importance for myocardial preservation as well as cardiac recovery and patient survival. The purpose of this study was to directly compare the effects of pulsatile and non-pulsatile circulation to coronary artery flow and myocardial preservation in cardiac arrest condition. Material and Method: A cardiopulmonary bypass circuit was constructed in a ventricular fibrillation model using fourteen Yorkshire swine weighing $25\~35$ kg each. The animals were randomly assigned to group I (n=7, non-pulsatile centrifugal pump) or group II (n=7, pulsatile T-PLS pump). Extra-corporeal circulation was maintained for two hours at a pump flow of 2 L/min. The left anterior descending coronary artery flow was measured with an ultrasonic coronary artery flow measurement system at baseline (before bypass) and at every 20 minutes after bypass. Serologic parameters were collected simultaneously at baseline, 1 hour, and 2 hours after bypass in the coronary sinus venous blood. The Mann-Whitney U test of STATISTICA 6.0 was used to determine intergroup significances using a p value of < 0.05. Result: The resistance index of the coronary artery was lower in group II and the difference was significant at 40 min, 80 min, 100 min and 120 min (p < 0.05). The mean velocity of the coronary artery was higher in group II throughout the study, and the difference was significant from 20 min after starting the pump (p < 0.05). The coronary artery blood flow was higher in group II throughout the study, and the difference was significant from 40 min to 120 min (p < 0.05) except at 80 min. Serologic parameters showed no differences between the groups at 1 hour and 2 hours after bypass in the coronary sinus blood. Conclusion: In cardiac arrest condition, pulsatile extracorporeal circulation provides more blood flow, higher flow velocity and less resistance to coronary artery than non-pulsatile circulation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.6 s.275
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• pp.407-413
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• 2007

Background: The brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level has been reported in some studies to be associated with the occurrence of atrial fbrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential usefulness of the BNP level as a predictor of the occurrence of postoperative (postop) AF and to assess the relationship of the BNP level with the onset of AF and the restoration of sinus rhythm. Material and Method: From January 1, 2005 to February 28, 2006, 82 patients without a history of atrial arrhythmia that had undergone cardiac surgery were enrolled in the study. Blood samples for plasma BNP were drawn daily for all these patients from the preoperative (preop) day to the 7th postop day. The patient records were reviewed and postop EKGs were checked daily for AF until the time of discharge. Result: Patients were divided into two groups based on development of postop AF. Postoperative AF developed in 26 patients (31.7%). There was no significant statistical difference in age, sex distribution, preop left ventricle ejection fraction, hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, or the use of beta blockers between the non-postop AF and postop AF group. More patients in the AF group had undergone valve surgery (39.3% versus 76.9%, p=0.002). The preop left atrium size was significantly larger in the AF patients ($43.8{\pm}10.3 mm$ versus $49.8{\pm}11.5 mm$, p=0.029). The preop plasma BNP levels were higher in the postop AF patients ($144.1{\pm}20.8 pg/mL$ versus $267.5{\pm}68 pg/mL$, p=0.034). In the postop AF group, the plasma BNP level was the highest on the 3rd postop day. Postop AF developed in most patients by the 3rd postop day; restored sinus rhythm developed by the 7th postop day. Conclusion: Elevated plasma BNP levels may lead to the occurrence of postop AF in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Patients who have a high risk of postop AF should be considered for aggressive prophylactic antiarrhythmic therapy.