Journal of cardiac surgery
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Retrograde cerebral perfusion (RCP) provides better brain protection than hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) alone. The mechanism by which RCP improves brain protection during circulatory arrest remains unknown. The purpose of the study in pigs was to determine if RCP improves brain protection mainly as a result of its ability to maintain cerebral hypothermia. ⋯ In an acute pig model, maintenance of cerebral hypothermia does not appear to be the principal mechanism by which RCP provides better brain protection than HCA alone. Retrograde cerebral perfusion provides nutrient flow/oxygen to brain tissue, leading to better brain protection than HCA alone.
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Approximately 1% of patients require temporary circulatory support due to refractory cardiogenic shock following cardiac surgery. Such patients are at very high risk for subsequent morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the results of temporary extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in patients with postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock. ⋯ ECMO is a suitable technique for short-term treatment of refractory postoperative low cardiac output. Mortality rates are comparable to other cardiac assist devices, with approximately 30% of patients able to be discharged from hospital.
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Thoracic aortic dissections, ruptures, fistulae, and aneurysms pose a unique surgical challenge. Traditional repair of thoracic aortic aneurysms involves thoracotomy with graft interposition. Despite advances in perioperative care and both total and partial cardiopulmonary bypass, conventional surgery carries a significant morbidity and mortality. Principal complications include bleeding, paraplegia, stroke, cardiac events, pulmonary insufficiency, and renal failure. Recent enthusiasm for innovative endovascular therapies to treat aortic disease has spurred many centers to investigate endoluminal grafting of the thoracic aorta. Early reports on endovascular repair using custom made "first generation devices" demonstrated the technique to be feasible with a mortality and morbidity comparable to open repair. ⋯ Thoracic endoluminal grafting is a safe and feasible alternative to open graft repair and can be performed successfully with good results. Early data suggest that an endoluminal approach to these disease entities maybe favorable to open resection and graft replacement. Technical details of Endoluminal stent grafting of the thoracic aorta for different disease entities have been discussed at length.