Differential effects of synchronized coronary sinus retroperfusion on regional myocardial function during brief occlusion of the left anterior descending and circumflex coronary arteries

To test the hypothesis that coronary sinus retroperfusion would preserve regional myocardial function during either left anterior descending or circumflex occlusion, sonomicrometer crystals were implanted in the midmyocardium of five chronically instrumented dogs. Regional fractional shortening was measured during 5 min of coronary occlusion with and without retroperfusion. Percent fractional shortening in the left anterior descending region fell from 18% at baseline to -4%(dyskinesis) after 3 min of left anterior descending occlusion. With coronary sinus retroperfusion, the percent fractional shortening declined from 16% at baseline to 0 (akinesis) during occlusion. A modest but significant improvement in percent fractional shortening in the ischemic region during left anterior descending occlusion occurred with retroperfusion (p < .05). By contrast, no amelioration of ischemic dysfunction occurred with retroperfusion during circumflex occlusion. Coaxial flow into the great cardiac vein during retroperfusion may provide preferential protection to ischemic myocardium supplied by the left anterior descending coronary artery. However, it is unlikely that the modest degree of improvement in regional function observed during acute left anterior descending occlusion would be mechanically important in the presence of significant ischemic dysfunction.