Effect of cardiopulmonary support on regional and global left ventricular function during transient coronary occlusion

The ability of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary support (CPS) to unload the left ventricle and reduce ischemic dysfunction during translent coronary occlusion was studied in 10 anesthetized dogs. Three serial 60-second circumflex coronary artery occlusions were performed with CPS initiated only during the second occlusion. CPS significantly reduced preocclusion systolic blood pressure, blood pressure × heart rate double-product, circumflex blood flow, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), peak negative dP/dt, and left ventricular systolic thickening. Circumflex occlusion caused changes in LVEDP and left ventricular wall thickening that were similar regardiess of the presence or absence of CPS. These data suggest that CPS unloads the left ventricle during myocardial ischemia but does not prevent regional or global myocardial dysfunction.