The effects of myocardial perfusion with perfluorochemical substances.

The effects of coronary arterial perfusion with a perfluorochemical substance (perfluorotributylamine) on the segmental myocardium of the beating heart were studied in 12 open chest anesthetized dogs. Following 10 min of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion, perfusion of the coronary artery with the perfluorochemical returned myocardial function and metabolism toward control states, although myocardial diastolic properties as well as coronary venous PCO2 and lactate were not restored completely within 7 min after reperfusion. Perfluorochemicals may be of clinical importance in protecting the ischemic myocardium because of their oxygen carrying capacity together with favorable physiochemical properties for protection of the microcirculation.