title: Antegrade versus retrograde cerebral perfusion in relation to postoperative complications following aortic arch surgery for acute aortic dissection type A.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aortic arch surgery is impossible without the temporary interruption of brain perfusion and therefore is associated with high incidence of neurologic injury. The deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA), in combination with antegrade or retrograde cerebral perfusion (RCP), is a well-established method of brain protection in aortic arch surgery. In this retrospective study, we compare the two methods of brain perfusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1998 to 2006, 48 consecutive patients were urgently operated for acute type A aortic dissection and underwent arch replacement under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). All distal anastomoses were performed with open aorta, and the arch was replaced totally in 15 cases and partially in the remaining 33 cases. Our patient cohort is divided into those protected with antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP) (group A, n = 23) and those protected with RCP (group B, n = 25).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was found between groups A and B with respect to cardiopulmonary bypass-time, brain-ischemia time, cerebral-perfusion time, permanent neurologic dysfunction, and mortality. The incidence of temporary neurologic dysfunction was 16.0% for group A and 43.50% for group B (p = 0.04). The mean extubation time was 3.39 +/- 1.40 days for group A and 4.96 +/- 1.83 days for group B (p = 0.0018). The mean ICU-stay was 4.4 +/- 2.3 days for group A and 6.9 +/- 2.84 days for group B (p = 0.0017). The hospital-stay was 14.38 +/- 4.06 days for group A and 19.65 +/- 6.91 days for group B (p = 0.0026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The antegrade perfusion seems to be related with significantly lower incidence of temporary neurological complications, earlier extubation, shorter ICU-stay, and hospitalization, and hence lower total cost.
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Efstratios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Apostolakis
authors.forename: Efstratios N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Koletsis
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dedeilias
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kokotsakis
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sakellaropoulos
authors.forename: Argini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Psevdi
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bolos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dougenis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001015:Aortic Arch Syndromes / Q000601:surgery*; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D050792:Circulatory Arrest, Deep Hypothermia Induced / Q000379:methods*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010477:Perfusion / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors