A New Technique for Measuring Oxygen Saturations of Hemoglobin and Myoglobin and its Application in Open Heart Surgery

Abstract
Light reflected from the human heart surface was used to determine mixed hemoglobin and myoglobin oxygen saturations (O2SAT) in the cardiac tissue. The measurements were performed in 8 patients with coronary heart disease including stenosis of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) who underwent aorto-coronary bypass surgery. At the end of the operation the O2SAT was measured in the supply area of the LAD either with patent or occluded coronary bypass. In 13 experiments occlusion of the bypass resulted in a decrease of O2SAT from 74 +/- 16% to 61 +/- 24% (p less than 0.02). A new technique is introduced and its limitations are discussed. Preliminary results of application in coronary bypass surgery demonstrate an increase in tissue oxygenation following myocardial revascularization.

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