Use of del Nido Cardioplegia for Adult Cardiac Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic: Perfusion Implications.

Cardiac arrest by cardioplegia provides a reproducible and safe method to induce and maintain electromechanical cardiac quiescence. Techniques of intraoperative myocardial protection are constantly evolving. For the past three decades, modified Buckberg cardioplegia solution has been used for adult cardiac surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. This formulation serves as the crystalloid component, which is delivered 4:1 with oxygenated patient's blood to crystalloid. Meanwhile, our use of the del Nido cardioplegia solution in adult patients, heretofore primarily used in pediatric cardiac surgical centers, has been increasing over the past several years. Single-dose, cold blood del Nido cardioplegia can be delivered antegrade if the duration of the operation will be limited and if there is no significant coronary artery disease or aortic insufficiency that would limit the distribution of cardioplegia. The addition of del Nido cardioplegia to our cardioplegia armamentarium allows us to customize our myocardial protection strategies for different surgical needs. This article aims to provide information on technical aspects of del Nido cardioplegia in adult cardiac surgery and its use at the Cleveland Clinic in the adult surgical population.

How computer technologies might be used to foster professional development: a case report of www.perfusionkorea.org.

Advances in the Internet and communication technologies have enabled many perfusion-related websites to provide detailed and reliable information to perfusionists. However, these websites are also faced with various member needs that require updating for fast, flexible responses. Despite the rapid increase in the number of these websites, little is known about the structure, performance, and effective utilization methods of such websites. This case report examines the www.perfusionkorea.org, a virtual organization that works across space and time with links strengthened by webs of communication technologies. In addition, website maintenance and resource management tasks, which are important factors for long-term survival, are discussed using the log analyzer and internet protocol tracing programs. Finally, using www.perfusionkorea.org, as a prototype of virtual organization activities, what we can expect to see more commonly in the near future, is discussed. Although we used a tremendous amount of multimedia techniques to attract members, we found that the significance of the perfusionists' website would come from active participation of members rather than a new, complicated technology or eye-catching graphics. This case report shows the synergistic effects that Korea's application of the Internet to the field of perfusion. It also suggests that new methodological strategies and approaches can be developed and tested to provide perfusionists with a direction for tomorrow's health care system.