Impact of Delayed Reperfusion of Myocardial Hibernation on Myocardial Ultrastructure and Function and Their Recoveries After Reperfusion in a Pig Model of Myocardial Hibernation

This study examined the effect of delayed reperfusion of myocardial hibernation from 24 hours to 7 days on myocardial ultrastructural and functional changes and their recoveries after reperfusion. Background: We have previously shown in pigs that after reperfusion the functional and structural alterations in short-term myocardial hibernation which was reperfused in 24 hours can recover in 7 days. The effect of delayed reperfusion of hibernating myocardium on the extent and severity of cellular and extracellular structural changes of hibernating myocardium, and their recoveries after reperfusion is not known. Methods and Results: A severe LAD stenosis was created in 27 pigs, reducing resting flow by 30–40% immediately after placement of the stenosis and producing acute ischemia as evidenced by regional lactate production, a decrease in regional coronary venous pH, reduced regional wall thickening (from 38.5 ± 5.1% to 10.4 ± 8.0%) and a 33% reduction of regional oxygen consumption. The stenosis was maintained either for 24 hours in 9 pigs (group 1) with LAD flow of 0.65 ± 0.13 ml/min/g (38% reduction), or for 7 days in 17 pigs (group 2) with LAD flow of 0.67 ± 0.14 ml/min/g (36% reduction). There were no differences (p = NS) in the reduction of wall thickening, rate-pressure product, lactate production, or regional oxygen consumption between group 1 and group 2. Quantitative morphometric evaluation of the ultrastructure on electromicrographs revealed a greater decrease in sarcomere volume and a higher incidence of myocytes with reduced sarcomere volume in 7-day than in 24-hour hibernating regions (53 ± 19% versus 33 ± 14%, p < 0.05). Patchy myocardial necrosis with replacement fibrosis was common, but 6 of the 18 pigs had no myocardial necrosis or replacement fibrosis in the 7-day hibernating group, and 4 of 9 pigs had no patchy myocyte necrosis in the 24 hour hibernating group. In 6 pigs in group 1 in which the stenosis was then released and hibernating myocardium reperfused in 24 hours, regional wall thickening recovered to 30 ± 6% (p = NS compared to baseline) after one week of reperfusion. In 12 pigs in group 2 in which the stenosis was released and hibernating myocardium reperfused in 7 days, regional wall thickening recovered slowly, from 10.1 ± 7.2% to 18.1 ± 8.3% at one week ( n = 5) and to 28.0 ± 3.6% at 3–4 weeks of reperfusion ( n = 7, p < 0.05 compared to baseline). Similarly, the sarcomere volume or myofilament recovered significantly (p < 0.01)