title: A simple technique for the prevention of lower limb ischemia during femoral veno-arterial cardiopulmonary support.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We describe a simple technique to prevent the lower limb ischemia during femoral veno-arterial cardiopulmonary support (CPS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July 1994 and September 1995, five patients underwent the insertion of femoral veno-arterial CPS with distal limb perfusion for the treatment of circulatory collapse after cardiac surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  After CPS is established, the ipsilateral superficial femoral artery (SFA) is punctured downward with a 14-gauge Teflon catheter and connected to the side port of the membrane oxygenator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the patients were complicated by lower limb ischemia for up to 77 hrs on CPS with distal limb perfusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active perfusion through a 14-gauge Teflon catheter downstream to the ipsilateral SFA is effective in preventing lower limb ischemia during prolonged femoral veno-arterial CPS after cardiac surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ataka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakagiri
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Azami
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D005268:Femoral Vein; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010477:Perfusion