Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Cardiac Surgery

Mitochondria are key to cellular energy production, but are also vital to reactive oxygen species signaling, calcium hemostasis, and regulation of cell death.

Cardiac surgical patients with chronic comorbidities (diabetes, heart failure, advanced age, cardiomyopathies) may have preexisting mitochondrial dysfunction or be more sensitive to perioperative injury.

Mitochondrial dysfunction from ischemia/reperfusion injury and inflammatory responses to cardiopulmonary bypass and surgical tissue trauma impact myocardial contractility and predispose to arrhythmias.

Strategies for perioperative mitochondrial protection or recovery after injury include wellestablished cardioprotective protocols as well as a number of targeted therapies that remain under investigation.