Dynamic mechanisms of cardiac oxygenation during brief ischemia and reperfusion

Myocardial oxygenation may be altered markedly by changes in tissue blood flow. During brief ischemia and reperfusion produced by transient occlusion of the left anterior descending artery in 10 open-chest dogs, changes in the oxygenation of tissue hemoglobin (Hb) plus myoglobin (Mb) and the oxidation-reduction (redox) state of mitochondrial cytochrome aa3 were monitored continuously using near-infrared spectroscopy. The nondestructive optical technique indicated that coronary occlusion produced an abrupt drop in tissue oxygen stores (tHb02 + Mb02), tissue blood volume (tBV), and the oxidation level of cytochrome aa3. Changes in the cytochrome oxidation state were related inversely to transmural collateral blood flow within the ischemic region (r = 0.77) measured with radiolabeled microspheres. Furthermore, there was a direct relationship (r = 0.91) between collateral blood flow and the tissue level of desaturated Hb and Mb (tHb + Mb). Reperfusion after 2 min of ischemia led to a synchronous overshoot of baseline in coronary flow and tBV followed by supranormal increases in tHb + Mb02 and the oxidation level of cytochrome aa3. The tHb + Mb level increased transiently during reperfusion. This response correlated inversely with collateral flow during ischemia (r = 0.91). Accordingly, the time required to reach peak tHb + Mb levels was shortest in dogs with high collateral flows (r = 0.75). Thus collateral blood flow partially sustains myocardial oxygenation during coronary artery occlusion and influences tissue reoxygenation early during reperfusion.