Initial experience of an arterial shunt for bilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion during hypothermic circulatory arrest.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to describe an intravessel cerebral shunt that allows perfusion of both cerebral hemispheres through the axillary artery.


METHODS
The cerebral shunt is a 10-cm to 12-cm long cannula with a lumen for blood perfusion and two balloons, one at each distal end. The proximal balloon is adapted for retaining the proximal end of the catheter in the innominate artery; the second inflatable balloon is adapted for retaining the distal end of the catheter into the left common carotid artery.


RESULTS
Three consecutive patients received bilateral brain perfusion through the right axillary artery with the use of this cerebral shunt.


CONCLUSIONS
The cerebral shunt allowed bilateral cerebral perfusion as verified with cerebral oximetry in the absence of any evident neurologic dysfunction.
De Paulis
Ruggero
R
Cardiac Surgery Department, European Hospital, Rome, Italy. depauli@tin.it
Salica
Andrea
A
Maselli
Daniele
D
Scaffa
Raffaele
R
Bellisario
Alessandro
A
Weltert
Luca
L
D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002548:Cerebral Revascularization / Q000379:methods*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006324:Heart Arrest, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010477:Perfusion / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*