ABSTRACT
Forty cyanotic infants with age ranging from six to 24 months and body weights ranged from six to 11 kg were included in this study and the surgical correction of their congenital cardiac problems was done under cardiopulmonary bypass. The selected cases were divided into four equal groups according to the concentration of KCl added to the blood cardioplegia and the intravenous administration of aprotinin. In group A, 30 mEq KCl/L was added to the blood cardioplegic solution. In group B, 40 mEq KCl/L was added to the blood cardioplegic solution. In group C, together with blood cardioplegia as group A, the patients received intravenous high dose regimen of aprotinin. In group D, the patients received the same intravenous regimen of aprotinin as group C, but with blood cardioplegia as group B. The serum level of cardiac troponin I [cTnI] was assessed as an index of myocardial injury simultaneously with serum sodium, potassium and calcium. These variables were measured in different periods of the study, starting from period I [baseline value, before induction of anesthesia] and ending by period VII [after the transfer to intensive care unit]. The total dosage of inotropic supporters [adrenaline and dopamine], vasodilators [sodium nitroprusside] and myocardial behavior were monitored in all studied cases. The study concluded that the intravenous administration of the high dose regimen of aprotinin with the addition of 40 mEq/L KCl to the blood cardioplegic solution was one of the best strategies for myocardial protection during cardiopulmonary bypass in cyanotic infants