Sites of injury: Myocyte

Abstract

As a surgeon, it is important to understand the pathophysiology of the disease process that causes the requirement for surgery. The predominant pathophysiologies influencing adult patients to require surgery is ischaemic heart disease, and myocardial hypertrophy as a result of valvular problems such as stenosis and regurgitation. Inevitably, there will be a certain degree of overlap in the effect of these pathophysiologies on the heart as a whole, and also on different components of the heart: the myocyte, the endothelium and the conductance system. This chapter will briefly describe effects of the pathology on the myocyte, how these pathologies may be affected by the additional stresses imposed by the surgery and by the cardioprotective methods used during the surgery. © 2011 Springer-Verlag/Wien.