Comparison of Two Methods of Injecting Cardioplegia Solution (Retrograde-Antegrade and Antegrade Alone) on the Amount of Inotrope Required and Mortality of Patients After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Abstract

Background: One of the major concerns during cardiac surgery is heart protection; in this regard, cardioplegia solution is used by retrograde and antegrade methods or a combination of these two methods. This study was conducted with the aim of comparing the injection of two methods of cardioplegia solution injection (retrograde-antegrade method and antegrade alone) on the need for inotropes and mortality of patients after coronary artery bypass surgery. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 files of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery at Shahid Chamran Hospital, Isfahan during the years 1400-1403. These patients were divided into two groups of 50 and injected cardioplegia solution by two methods: retrograde-antegrade and antegrade alone. Then, the need for inotrope, the need for intra-aortic balloon pump(IABP), and the patient's outcome (death or live) were assessed and recorded. Findings: The results of the present study showed that the need for inotrope in the combined antegrade-retrograde solution injection group and antegrade alone were 8 and 10, respectively, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.727). In addition, none of the patients requiring IABP, and only one patient died in the antegrade cardioplegia solution injection group (P=0.315). Conclusion: According to the results of current study, although the need for inotrope in the combined retrograde-antegrade method was less than the antegrade method alone, there was no significant difference between the two methods of cardioplegia solution injection in terms of inotrope need and outcome of patients undergoing CABG surgery. © 2026, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.