Retrograde cerebral perfusion with pharmacological cerebral protection in the repair of aortic arch aneurysm.

ABSTRACT

Twenty-six patients underwent resection and graft replacement of an aortic arch aneurysm (proximal arch,5; transverse arch2, distal arch,8; and type A dissecting aneurysm. Retrograde cerebral perfusion with pharmacological cerebral protection was carried out during aortic arch aneurysm surgery. Prostaglandin E1, thiopental methylpredonisolone were administered for cerebral protection during core cooling. D-Mannitol and deferoxamine mesylate (radical scavengers) were administered for prevention of reperfusion injury. retrograde cerebral perfusion time was 48 +/- 16 minutes (range 20-80 minutes). Perfusion flow was 288 +/- 93 mL/min (range 150-500 mL/min). Since retrograde cerebral perfusion requires no arterial cannulation or aortic cross clamp, the operative field is simplified, and the risks of air and debris emboli to the brain were minimized. Reconstruction was designed to minimize the circulatory arrest time. Eleven cases underwent emergency surgery due to rupture and acute dissection. Five patients (19.2%) died (three from bleeding from the distal anastomosis, one from postoperative DIC and, one from intraoperative dissection). The remaining 21 patients survived neurologically intact. Retrograde cerebral perfusion with pharmacological cerebral protection is a very simple method to prevent air embolism or thromboembolism in aortic arch aneurysm surgery and allows aortic arch replacement in a bloodless field. In spite of the extended circulatory arrest time, recovery of consciousness was complete.