The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 1995
Retrograde cerebral perfusion during hypothermic circulatory arrest reduces neurologic morbidity.
Hypothermic circulatory arrest has become an accepted technique for a variety of cardiac and complex aortic operations. However, prolonged periods (> 45 min) of hypothermic circulatory arrest in older patients is associated with marginal cerebral protection and an increased incidence of adverse neurologic events. In an effort to minimize such morbidity, we used a technique of retrograde cerebral perfusion with continuous monitoring of cerebral hemoglobin oxygen saturation during hypothermic circulatory arrest in 35 patients who underwent thoracic aortic operations or resection of intracardiac tumor. ⋯ At a mean follow-up of 6 months all surviving patients (91%) are well. Hypothermic circulatory arrest is a relatively simple technique that provides a bloodless field and good visualization without the need for aortic crossclamps. Moreover, retrograde cerebral perfusion with continuous monitoring of cerebral oxygen saturation extends the "safe" time for hypothermic circulatory arrest, allowing ample opportunity to perform complicated cardiac and aortic operations with reduced risk of adverse neurologic events.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 1995
Repair of the aortic valve in patients with aortic insufficiency and aortic root aneurysm.
Patients with aneurysms of the ascending aorta or aortic root frequently have aortic insufficiency despite normal aortic leaflets. The aortic valve dysfunction is caused by dilatation of the sinotubular junction, distortion or dilatation of the sinuses of Valsalva, annuloaortic ectasia, or a combination of these problems. In the case of annuloaortic ectasia, reconstruction of the aortic root is performed by reimplanting the aortic valve in a tubular Dacron graft (reimplantation). ⋯ No other valve-related complication has occurred. The remaining 41 patients have only mild or no aortic insufficiency, and the repair remains stable from 1 to 58 months, mean 18 months. These two types of aortic valve reconstruction have provided excellent clinical results in carefully selected adult patients.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 1995
Historical ArticleIs there a renaissance in thoracic surgery?