title: Selective use of left heart bypass for aortic coarctation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We evaluated left heart bypass (LHB) for spinal cord protection during aortic coarctation repair in patients with mild (primary, postsurgical, or intervention) and complex coarctation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1990 and 2008, 19 patients (mean age, 21 years; weight, 70 +/- 16 kg) using LHB were compared with 27 patients (mean age, 16 years; weight, 65 +/- 8 kg) undergoing coarctation repair without LHB (non-LHB). Follow-up was similar (LHB, 5 +/- 4 vs non-LHB 4 +/- 3 years; p = 0.81).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cohorts were similar in age and body surface area. No non-LHB patient lost somatosensory evoked potential or had a femoral artery pressure below 45 mm Hg with test clamping. LHB more often allowed graft interposition (18 of 19 [95%] vs non-LHB, 7 of 27 [26%]; p < 0.003) and a longer clamp time (LHB 44 +/- 16 vs non-LHB 31 +/- 12 minutes p < 0.003) without spinal cord ischemia. Two non-LHB patients had temporary spinal cord paresis. No early or late deaths occurred. Reintervention (LHB, 2 of 19 [11%] vs non-LHB, 2 of 27 [7%]; p = 0.82) and antihypertensive requirements were similar (LHB, 9 of 19 [40%] vs non-LHB, 8 of 27 [30%]; p = 0.35). The late peak transcoarctation gradient was 8 +/- 6 mm Hg in the LBH cohort vs 18 +/- 11 mm Hg in non-LBH patients (p= 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the adequacy of spinal cord collateral assessment in coarctation repair is imperfect, no spinal cord ischemia occurred with coarctation repair and LHB. We recommend LHB in patients with mild or complex coarctation.
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63104, USA. fiorem2@slu.edu
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruzmetov
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rodefeld
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rieger
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Turrentine
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D005260:Female; D018611:Heart Bypass, Left / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply; D055815:Young Adult