A simple and effective technique for left ventricular deairing.
OBJECTIVE
Despite careful deairing procedures, residual air has been found in the left ventricle. For this reason, we created a simple and effective left ventricular deairing technique.


METHODS
Forty patients with pure mitral valve disease were randomly divided into 2 groups. In group 1, deairing was done by filling the left atrium actively by a line coming from the aortic cannula line, and by venting from the antegrade cardioplegia line. In group 2, the air was removed by ventilating the lungs, and venting from the antegrade cardioplegia line, but not active filling of the left atrium. The patients were evaluated with transesophageal echocardiograpy during the procedure.


RESULTS
According to the preoperative data, the groups were similar. After 3 minutes of deairing, 5 patients in group 2 had transesophageal echocardiographical air bubbles. In these patients, after 2 minutes, the air was removed by an active filling technique. None of the patients in group 1 had air bubbles.


CONCLUSIONS
The technique described in this study seems to solve remaining air problems in the cardiac chambers. It can be applied easily, and it is safe and effective.
Yakut
Necmettin
N
Departments of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gazi Hospital, Izmir/Turkey.
Emrecan
Bilgin
B
Tulukoğlu
Engin
E
Gürbüz
Ali
A
D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006324:Heart Arrest, Induced; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome