ABSTRACT
Methods Prospectively collected data concerning all isolated coronary bypass operations from November 2001 to February 2004 at Natural Heart Institute were analyzed to determine the effects of cold blood cardioplegia and warm blood cardioplegia on early outcomes after surgery. Warm blood cardioplegia was used in 200 patients, whereas cold blood cardioplegia was used in 200. The allocation of patients to receive warm blood cardioplegia and cold blood cardioplegia was random in 200 cases and according to surgeon preference in the remainder. Results Perioperative death, myocardial infraction, and death or myocardial infraction were all more common in the cold blood cardioplegia group than in the warm blood cardioplegia group [death 2.5% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.027; myocardial infraction 5.5% vs. 2.5%, P < 0.0001, death or myocardial infraction 7.5% vs. 4.0%, P< 0.0001, Actuarial survival at 36 months was 91% in the warm blood cardioplegia group and 89% in the cold blood cardioplegia group [P = 0.09], whereas freedom from death or myocardial infraction was 85% +/- 1.8% and 83%, respectively [P = 0.16]. Conclusions In 200 patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, warm blood cardioplegia may be associated with better early and late event-free survivals than is cold cardioplegia