Safety of perioperative period in robot-assisted atrial septal defect repair under hyperkalemic arrest

BACKGROUND: Various attempts have been made to meet patient desires, especially among younger and otherwise healthy individuals, for cosmetically satisfying incision with atrial septal defect (ASD) repair. One of procedures was a robotic-assisted totally endoscopic ASD repair via only two ports under hyperkalemic arrest without aortic cross-clamping. This study investigated perioperative management and safety for robotic-assisted total endoscopic ASD repair surgery under hyperkalemic arrest. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed perioperative management of thirty patients who underwent total endoscopic robot-assisted ASD repair under hyperkalemic arrest. All procedures were performed under general anesthesia using robotic-assisted total endoscopic for ASD repair via two or three ports under hyperkalemic arrest without aortic cross-clamping. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients (mean age 45 ± 17 years, 8 male, 22 female) underwent successful ASD repair with the total endoscopic robotic-assisted procedures under hyperkalemic arrest. Hyperkalemic arrest was achieved and maintained by intravenous administration of mean potassium dose of 91±32 mEq (1.4±0.6 mEq/kg) with the lowest bladder temperature was 31.9±1.4 °C during hyperkalemic arrest. In all cases, serum potassium concentration was <5.0 mEq/L after weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass, although two cases who developed hyperkalemia >6 mEq/L after operation. At other time points, no patient exceeded 6 mEq/L of serum potassium concentration. At admission to the intensive care unit, mean serum creatine phosphokinase-MB level was 32±7mg/dL. There were no cases of arrhythmia or other cardiac complications during recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative management of robotic-assisted total endoscopic ASD repair under hyperkalemic arrest is safe and is not associated with fatal arrhythmia due to hyperkalemia.