This Article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by COOPER, T. Articles by HANLON, C. R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by COOPER, T. Articles by HANLON, C. R.

(Circulation. 1965;31:I-144.)
© 1965 American Heart Association, Inc.

---

Biochemical Studies of Myocardium and Blood During Extracorporeal Circulation in Man

THEODORE COOPER M.D., PH.D.¹; MAX JELLINEK PH.D.¹; VALLEE L. WILLMAN M.D.¹; GEORGE A. GANTNER JR. M.D.¹; C. ROLLINS HANLON M.D.¹

¹ From the Departments of Surgery and Pathology, St. Louis University, and the St. Louis University Surgical Service, Veterans Administration Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri.

We have studied samples of myocardium from 40 patients with congenital heart disease for catecholamine, histamine, and glycogen content. Blood samples obtained before, during, and after cardiopulmonary bypass in 53 patients were assayed for total protein, osmolality, catecholamines, histamine, lactic acid dehydrogenase activity, and cholinesterase activity. The data show that (1) adequate cardiopulmonary bypass is accompanied by increased sympathetic activity, (2) myocardial damage, indicated by elevated plasma lactic acid dehydrogenase activity, may occur during operation, and (3) depletion of myocardial catecholamine content may be a concomitant of heart disease with chronic congestive failure.