Extent Of Myocardial Damage After Open-heart Surgery As Assessed From Serial Plasma Enzyme Levels

Abstract

Open-heart Surgery with all its associated complex equipment, techniques for myocardial preservation and improved surgical technique, is largely still considered to be in its infancy. Morbidity and mortality as a result of this type of surgery are a major deterrent to the success of such operations. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the correlation between the amounts of cardiac enzymes released into the circulation after surgery and, (i) the duration of cardio pulmonary bypass, (CPBP); and (ii) the duration of total aortic cross clamping, (AXC). The null hypothesis will be that the duration of the patient on cardio-pulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamping during open heart surgery DOES NOT lead to post-operative myocardial injury. Out of the 20 subjects studied, 7 were male and 9 were female. Unfortunately 4 patients died of various post-operative complications before all data could be obtained. They were 3 females and a male. The youngest subject was 1 year old while the oldest was 16 years old. The tabulated results and figures showed a positive correlation between the amounts of cardiac enzymes released, and the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, as well as the duration of aortic cross-clamping.