The influence of “hylase” on the ultrastructure of ischaemic heart muscle changes

Abstract

A two-hour acute ischaemia of the myocardium was induced in dogs by ligature of the coronary arteries and the effect produced on the qualitative and quantitative ultrastructure of heart muscle cells by infusing “hylase”, a hyaluronidase preparation, was examined. The changes in both the central and peripheral ischaemic zones following hylase infusion are more severe than after ischaemia alone. Particularly the mitochondria showed an increased dissolution of the outer membrane. In the case of ischaemia the percentage of mitochondria in the peripheral zone is 29.6%, in the central zone 27.6%; after hylase infusion it is 25.9% in the peripheral zone and 32.3% in the central zone. After hylase infusion, the percentage of sarcoplasm in the central zone rises to 120.7 % and to 186.8 % in the peripheral zone.

In view of the fact that macroscopic, histological and histochemical findings also show negative effects, the infusion of hyaluronidase is not recommended.