Retrograde cerebral perfusion: anatomic study of the distribution of blood to the brain.
BACKGROUND
Despite apparently good clinical results with retrograde cerebral perfusion during operation on the aortic arch, there is still concern about the real distribution of the blood injected in the superior vena cava to the brain, especially when the internal jugular vein is valvulated (88% of the cases). This anatomic study was carried out to determine how a liquid injected in the superior vena cava reaches the brain.


METHODS
Three groups of adult cadavers (5, 5, and 3 cases, respectively) were injected with latex, colored blue, through a cannula in the superior vena cava. In group I, 600 mL of latex was injected. Group II was identical except that a catheter had been inserted, before the injection, into the internal jugular vein to collapse the internal jugular vein valve, when existing. In group III, the azygos vein was ligated.


RESULTS
The internal jugular vein was not valvulated in 2 cases in group I. In those 2 cases, latex was found up to the jugular foramen. In the other cases in group I, and in all cases in group II, where the internal jugular vein was valvulated, the following veins were injected: internal jugular vein up to the valve (almost no latex beyond), azygos vein, inferior vena cava, renal veins, rachidian and perimedullar venous plexuses, and venous sinuses of the brain. In group III, no opacification was observed beyond ligated azygos vein or valvulated internal jugular vein.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the fact that this study was carried out on cadavers, one can assume that, during retrograde cerebral perfusion, the azygos vein system is a major way to the central nervous system when the internal jugular vein is valvulated.
Service de Chirurgie Cardio-Vasculaire et Thoracique, and Laboratoire d'Anatomie, Faculté de Médecine, Angers, France.
J L
JL
de Brux
J B
JB
Subayi
J D
JD
Pegis
J
J
Pillet
D000328:Adult; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery; D001401:Azygos Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002102:Cadaver; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000033:anatomy & histology