Detrimental effects of temperature on the efficacy of the University of Wisconsin solution when used for cardioplegia at moderate hypothermia. Comparison with the St. Thomas Hospital solution at 4 degrees C and 20 degrees C.

Background. We have previously reported the superior protective properties of the University of Wisconsin (UW) solution compared with the St. Thomas solution (ST) in the rat heart subjected to the deep hypothermia (4 o C), thus demonstrating its possible use in cardiac transplantation. We thought it was important to evaluate the potential of the UW solution as a cardioplegic solution under the moderately hypothermic (20 o C) conditions of routine intraoperative myocardial protection