Is it possible to augment myocardial protection during cardiopulmonary bypass by administration of inhalational anesthetics?

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the possibility to augment myocardial protection with desflurane and sevoflurane by prolongation of their delivery into the oxygenator of the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) pump during surgical myocardial revascularization.Materials and methods: This randomized prospective study included 75 patients with ischemic heart disease who underwent aortocoronary and mammary coronary bypass grafting with extracorporeal circulation from 2014 to 2017. The patients were allocated into the three study group by means of a random number table generated by Statistica 10.0 software, depending on the anesthetic agent used: group 1, desflurane (n=30), group 2, sevoflurane (n=28), and group 3 (control), propofol (n=17). Desflurane and sevoflurane were delivered into the oxygenator during the artificial circulation. Hemodynamic parameters were assessed, such as cardiac index, total peripheral vascular resistance index, pulmonary artery wedge pressure. Changes in lactate, pyruvate, alanine, glutamate, glutamine, aspartate, asparagine, taurine, leucine, isoleucine and valine levels over time were assessed in blood taken from the heart coronary sinus before aortal clamping, before release of the clamp and after 30 minutes of reperfusion. During the first 24 hours post perfusion, we assessed the incidence of postperfusion heart failure (PPHF), duration of mechanical ventilation and duration of stay in the intensive care unit. Troponin I levels were measured at 12 and 24 hours after the intervention.Results: There were no significant differences in the changes of the hemodynamic parameters over time in all the groups. The PPHF incidence and the course of the postoperative period were similar in all the groups. Irrespective on the type of the anesthesia, lactate and pyruvate levels increased during the CPB, with no significant differences between the groups, as well as the postoperative troponin I levels at 12 and 24 hours after surgery. No differences between the groups were found for the changes of amino acid levels over time, except a significant reduction of alanine levels during the aortal clamp in the group 3.Conclusion: Prolongation of desflurane and sevoflurane delivery into the CPB pump oxygenator does not augment myocardial protection during myocardial revascularization surgery.