Beneficial long-term effect of intracoronary perfluorochemical on infarct size and ventricular function in a canine reperfusion model

The administration of a drug soon after reperfusion that could enhance myocardial salvage would have important clinical application. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effect of the perfluorochemical, Fluosol DA 20%, on infarct size, infarct morphology, ventricular ectopic activity and serial regional ventricular function in a 2 week closed chest canine model. After 90 minutes of proximal left anterior descending artery occlusion, animals randomly received either oxygenated Fluosol DA (n = 9) or saline solution (n = 9) intracoronary at 15 ml/kg body weight over 20 to 30 minutes. Hemodynamic variables were similar in the two groups except for transient elevation of left ventricular filling pressure immediately after infusion in the treated group. Infarct size was markedly reduced in the perfluorochemical-treated animals when expressed as a percent of the risk region (10.8 +/- 1.8% versus 28.9 +/- 5.5%, p less than 0.02) or as a percent of the total left ventricle (3.7 +/- 1% versus 10.8 +/- 8%, p less than 0.006). This was associated with greater improvement in radial shortening in the jeopardized zone at 2 weeks after reperfusion (15.3 +/- 2.8% versus 5.2 +/- 2.1%, p less than 0.01). Histologic examination revealed adequate healing in the treated animals with an increased number of swollen mononuclear cells in the border zones. Holter electrocardiographic recordings demonstrated a low frequency of ventricular ectopic beats in both groups. This study suggests that the perfluorochemical, Fluosol DA, may be a potentially useful agent in enhancing myocardial salvage after successful reperfusion.