Metabolic and ultrastructural changes in the myocardium during heart arrest in patients undergoing surgery for ischemic heart disease

: The authors give an account of metabolic changes in the ultrastructure of the myocardium which develop during cardioplegic arrest of the heart muscle by cold during aortocoronary reconstruction operations. Using the technique of arteriovenous differences before myocardial ischemia and after its termination, the assessed differences in arterial blood and blood from the sinus coronarius as regards the blood sugar level, lactate, pyruvate, potassium, phosphorus, unsaturated fatty acids and triglycerides. The results revealed a marked disorder of the carbohydrate and ion metabolism and severe impairment of the ultrastructure of the heart muscle during cardiac arrest.