Adenosine as an Adjunct to Blood Cardioplegia

Myocardial protection is a major issue in cardiac surgery, since inadequate protection increases the risk of postoperative cardiac dysfunction. The main principle of myocardial protection in cardiac surgery is to preserve myocardial function by preventing ischemia with blood cardioplegia . Previous studies have shown that adenosine as an adjunct to blood cardioplegia can be safely used in cardiac surgery. In the Amphia Hospital, adenosine is already used as standard care as an initial cardioplegic bolus in minimally invasive port access operations. Whether, adenosine as an adjunct to intermittent warm blood cardioplegia, has an added value remains unclear. Therefore the investigators would like to investigate the effect of the addition of adenosine to standard intermittent warm blood cardioplegia in patients scheduled for minimally invasive, port access operations (mitral valve surgery). Half of the participants will receive standard intermittent warm blood cardioplegia, while the other half will receive intermittent warm blood cardioplegia enriched with adenosine.