Mass spectrometry for the measurement of intramyocardial gas tensions: methodology and application to the study of myocardial ischemia.

The methodology for use of the mass spectrometer for the measurement of intramyocardial gas tensions in the canine preparation is described. Baseling studies were carried out initially in 36 animals, and control levels for myocardial oxygen tension and myocardial carbon dioxide tension were 19 mm Hg (S.D. 6 mm Hg) and 43 mm Hg (S.D. 10 mm Hg), respectively. Myocardial oxygen tension was not altered significantly by varying the arterial oxygen tension between 65 and 300 mm Hg. However, myocardial carbon dioxide tension increased linearly with increased arterial carbon dioxide tension. In 15 dogs placed on total cardiopulmonary bypass, a perfusion pressure 40-60 mm lower than the control mean arterial pressure resulted in myocardial ischemia with a decrease in myocardial oxygen tension and an increase in myocardial carbon dioxide tension. A subsequent increase in perfusion pressure to control levels resulted in resolution of ischemia and return of myocardial oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions to their control level. In another series of open-chest dogs on cardiopulmonary bypass, a proximal constriction applied to the left coronary circumflex artery resulted in a marked decrease in myocardial oxygen tensions and a marked increase in myocardial carbon dioxide tensions in the region supplied by the constricted vessel. In yet another series of open-chest dogs, it was found that incremental decreases in coronary flow established by constriction of the circumflex artery resulted in an exponential increase in both myocardial carbon dioxide tensions and ST-segment elevation as determined by a 25-gauge multi-contact plunge electrode placed in the posterior left ventricular wall. It appears that mass spectrometry techniques for evaluating myocardial ischemia have several advantages over myocardial biopsy techniques for assay of ATP and lactate, and also over the technique of coronary sinus lactate determination.