Clinical Results of Ascending Aorta and Aortic Arch Replacement under Moderate Hypothermia with Right Brachial and Femoral Artery Perfusion

BACKGROUND: Selective antegrade perfusion via axillary artery cannulation along with circulatory arrest under deep hypothermia has became a recent trend for performing surgery on the ascending aorta and aortic arch and when direct aortic cannulation is not feasible. The authors of this study tried using moderate hypothermia with right brachial and femoral artery perfusion to complement the pitfalls of single axillary artery cannulation and deep hypothermia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 36 patients who received ascending aorta or aortic arch replacement between July 2005 and May 2010. The adverse outcomes included operative mortality, permanent neurologic dysfunction and temporary neurologic dysfunction. RESULTS: Of these 36 patients, 32 (88%) were treated as emergencies. The mean age of the patients was 61.9 years (ranging from 29 to 79 years) and there were 19 males and 17 females. The principal diagnoses for the operation were acute type A aortic dissection (31, 86%) and aneurysmal disease without aortic dissection (5, 14%). The performed operations were ascending aorta replacement (9, 25%), ascending aorta and hemiarch replacement (13, 36%), ascending aorta and total arch replacement (13, 36%) and total arch replacement only (1, 3%). The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 209.4±85.1 minutes, and the circulatory arrest with selective antegrade perfusion time was 36.1±24.2 minutes. The lowest core temperature was 24±2.1℃. There were five deaths within 30 post-op days (mortality: 13.8%). Two patients (5.5%) had minor neurologic dysfunction and six patients, including three patients who had preoperative cerebral infarction or unconsciousness, had major neurologic dysfunction (16.6%). CONCLUSION: When direct aortic cannulation is not feasible for ascending aorta and aortic arch replacement, the right brachial and femoral artery can be used as arterial perfusion routes with the patient under moderate hypothermia. This technique resulted in acceptable outcomes.