Systemic hypothermia and circulatory arrest combined with arterial perfusion of the superior vena cava. Effective intraoperative cerebral protection.

We have used retrograde arterial perfusion of the superior vena cava as an adjunct to deep hypothermia and systemic circulatory arrest for intraoperative cerebral protection in 43 adult patients (18 of whom were 70 years old or older). The indications for the use of circulatory arrest were thoracic aortic operations (37 patients) and atherosclerosis or calcification of the ascending aorta (6 patients) in patients needing aortic valve or coronary operations. In all patients systemic hypothermia (16 degrees to 18 degrees C) was achieved with cardiopulmonary bypass and the systemic arterial circulation was arrested. Retrograde arterial perfusion of the superior vena cava was established through a wire-reinforced venous cannula (with a superior vena cava tourniquet) at a temperature of 15 degrees C. In 36 patients a separate roller pump system was used for the retrograde cerebral perfusion. Central venous pressure was monitored at 25 to 30 mm Hg; mean flow rate was 250 ml/min. Periods of circulatory arrest and retrograde cerebral perfusion ranged from 4 to 110 minutes (mean 38 minutes), and for seven patients the period of circulatory arrest was longer than 60 minutes. Four postoperative deaths occurred, one related to stroke in a patient who had an aortic dissection during coronary surgery and the others related to noncerebral complications. Three nonfatal cerebral complications occurred, although all had completely resolved by late follow-up. Advantages of retrograde cerebral perfusion are (1) simplicity of use and avoidance of vascular trauma, (2) excellent exposure, (3) retrograde flow that minimizes embolization of air and atherosclerotic debris, and (4) effective cerebral oxygen delivery. Retrograde cerebral perfusion appears to be an important adjunct to hypothermia and circulatory arrest not only for patients undergoing operation for ascending aorta and aortic arch disease but also for patients with diffuse aortic atherosclerosis undergoing coronary or valve operations.

Effect of Buckberg cardioplegia and peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass on infarct size in the closed chest dog.

OBJECTIVES: To simulate a human catheterization laboratory setting of controlled reperfusion during myocardial infarction, regional infusion of commercially available Buckberg cardioplegic solution and peripheral vented bypass were administered in the closed chest dog. BACKGROUND: Studies in open-chest dogs have demonstrated a significant reduction in infarct size and improvement in regional wall motion with a similar controlled reperfusion method using infusion of substrate-enriched (Buckberg) cardioplegic solution during cardiopulmonary bypass coupled with left ventricular venting. METHODS: After 100 or 180 min of balloon occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending artery, controlled reperfusion was performed with cardioplegic infusion and vented bypass. Dogs matched for occlusion time underwent balloon deflation without bypass or cardioplegia (uncontrolled reperfusion groups). Microspheres were used to quantify coronary ischemia during balloon inflation. All four groups (n = 8 to 9 per group) were followed up at 1 week to determine regional wall motion and infarct size. RESULTS: Qualitative echocardiographic analysis demonstrated no significant difference among groups in recovery of regional wall motion at 1 week; however, wall motion improved significantly in all groups between the ischemia and 1-week recovery periods. The histologic infarct size compared with the area at risk for dogs with uncontrolled versus controlled reperfusion, respectively, was 17.9 +/- 10.5% versus 31.9 +/- 8.3% (p < 0.05) for dogs with 100 min of occlusion and 40.1 +/- 11.7% versus 46.2 +/- 8.4% (p = NS) for dogs with 180 min of occlusion. A greater rate-pressure product in the dogs with controlled reperfusion after 100 min of occlusion (p < 0.05) may explain the larger infarct size observed for that group. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that regional infusion of substrate-enriched cardioplegic solution in combination with peripheral vented bypass does not further reduce infarct size after prolonged ischemia in the closed chest dog (compared with uncontrolled reperfusion).