Improvement of myocardial and other vital organ functions and metabolism with a simple method of pulsatile flow (IABP) during clinical cardiopulmonary bypass.

A simple, safe, and effective method of producing pulsatile flow during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) was used in 56 patients. No complications were associated with IABP. Myocardial metabolic studies, including coronary sinus lactates, mycoardial venous-arterial lactate differences, myocardial lactate extraction, and "excess lactate" were determined serially during the first hour of CPB. Changes in myocardial metabolism were statistically less abnormal in pulsatile flow (PF) patients when contrasted with a comparable group of nonpulsatile flow (NPF) patients. The changes were probably myocardial in origin since alterations in arterial lactates and lactate/pyruvate ratios were similar in both groups. In a comparable group of coronary bypass NPF patients, the percentage of left ventricular ejection fractions fell during the immediate postoperative period, whereas it rose in the PF group. Over-all body tissue injury (lactic dehydrogenase) and probably hepatocellular injury (serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase) were less apparent in the PF patients. Postoperative low-cardiac-output syndrome did not occur in the PF patients and supportive drugs and diuretics were not needed. PF does not produce excessive hemolysis. This procedure may improve mortality rates by improving myocardial and other vital organ perfusion and by sustaining their function during weaning from CPB. This technique may prove superior to other forms of PF and is indicated in patients with severe left ventricular or other vital organ dysfunction and/or prolonged CPB.