POSTOPERATIVE INFLUENCES OF SURGICAL CRYOABLATION FOR WOLFF-PARKINSON-WHITE-SYNDROME - ANALYSIS OF MYOCARDIAL ENZYMES AND FUNCTION

We evaluated postoperative myocardial enzymes and function associated with cryoablation in 20 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome u ndergoing surgical treatment for a single left-sided accessory conduct ion pathway. Ten patients underwent endocardial atrial incision with c ryoablation using CO2 at -60 degrees C for 120 sec (group A), while th e remaining 10 patients did not receive cryoablation (group B). Levels of aspartate aminotransferase (GOT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine kinase (CK-MB) on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3 were higher in patients in group A than in group B (p<0.05). However, mean values remained low (GOT, 120.5 IU/L; LDH, 1105.1 IU/L; CK-MB, 76.3 IU/L). N o electrocardiographic changes were detected. Parameters of cardiac fu nction, including cardiac index, stroke volume index, systemic vascula r resistance, and ejection fraction, remained unchanged during the pos toperative period in both groups. Furthermore, Tl-201 cardiac scintigr aphy demonstrated no evidence of myocardial perfusion defects due to c ryoablation in group A, In conclusion, myocardial damage induced by cr yoablation is very minor and is not associated with any clinical impai rment of cardiac function.