J Cardiovasc Surg
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Operations on the open heart under perfusionless deep hypothermia were performed in 3,141 patients with congenital cardiac defects. The patients ages ranged from 3 months to 44 years. The body was cooled to 26-24 degrees C by covering with crushed ice. ⋯ The frequencies of neuropsychological complications were not related to the time of circulatory arrest. Unstable hemodynamics after operation was the most contributory factor to the development of neurological complications. Perfusionless deep hypothermia is an efficient method providing conditions for performance of open heart operations, and it can be used in surgical repair of congenital cardiac defects.