Abstract
Experiments were carried out in the blood-perfused canine papillary muscle preparation to evaluate the protective effect of a cardioplegic solution, Young's solution (YNG solution), on the myocardial function. Both in spontaneously contracting preparations and in electrically paced (2Hz) preparations, the time to the cardiac arrest and the time to the maximum blood flow were found to be significantly shorter when the cardiac arrest was induced with cardioplegic solutions than when it was induced with the cold modified Krebs-Ringer's solution (cold cardioplegia). The maximum blood flow of the paced preparation tended to be greater with cardioplegic solutions. The time to resumption of regular contractions was significantly shorter with YNG solution as compared with cold cardioplegia. The developed tension and the blood flow at the time of resumption of the regular contractions tended to approach the control value more quickly with YNG solution, as compared with other cardioplegic solutions and cold cardioplegia. It is concluded that YNG solution represents an optimal cardioplegic solution.
