We used
phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance to test the ability of a
perfluorocarbon blood substitute that has been shown in previous studies to improve
oxygen delivery to hypothermic myocardium to maintain aerobic high-energy
phosphate metabolism during total global
ischemia. Twenty-three isolated perfused rabbit hearts were subjected to 180 min of hypothermic (23 degrees C) global
ischemia followed by 45 min of normothermic reperfusion. Hearts received multiple doses of a
cardioplegic solution that contained either oxygenated
perfluorocarbon (
Fluosol O2), nonoxygenated
perfluorocarbon (
Fluosol N2), or standard
crystalloid hyperkalemic
cardioplegic solution (STD-KCl) at 30 min intervals. Recovery of isovolumic left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) was used to assess preservation of contractile function. Recovery of LVDP was 84 +/- 19% of preischemic control values with
Fluosol O2, 68 +/- 16% with
Fluosol N2, and 67 +/- 17% with STD-KCl (p = .058 vs
Fluosol N2 and p = .056 vs STD-KCl). During 3 hr of
ischemia intracellular pH (pHi) fell to 6.68 +/- 0.20 with STD-KCl and to 6.71 +/- 0.14 with
Fluosol N2 but remained above 7.00 throughout the ischemic period with
Fluosol O2 (p less than .0001 vs
Fluosol N2 or STD-KCl). Myocardial
ATP content was better preserved at 107 +/- 14% of control values with
Fluosol O2 compared to 60 +/- 18% of control with
Fluosol N2 and 75 +/- 21% of control with STD-KCl (p less than .001 vs
Fluosol N2, p = .002 vs STD-KCl).
Phosphocreatine (PCr) was also better preserved with
Fluosol O2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)