Persistent left superior vena cava in right hemiarch replacement under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest:A case report

BACKGROUND Persistent left superior vena cava(PLSVC),a relatively rare thoracic vascular malformation,can inconvenience perfusionists and operators when encountered during deep hypothermic circulatory arrest(DHCA).CASE SUMMARY Herein,we describe the case of a patient with concurrent giant aortic arch aneurysm,aortic stenosis,and PLSVC.To treat these conditions,we performed right hemiarch and aortic valve replacements under DHCA.Notably,we applied“bilateral superior vena cava retrograde cerebral perfusion(RCP)”for cerebral protection,which significantly optimized the surgical procedure and reduced the risk of postoperative complications.The patient was discharged 14 d after surgery with no complications.CONCLUSION Surgical intervention for PLSVC under DHCA can be performed using the bilateral superior vena cava RCP approach.

A novel rat model of cardiopulmonary bypass for deep hypothermic circulatory arrest without blood priming

Background Large animal cardiopulmonary bypass （CPB） models are expensive,and prevent assessment of neurocognitive function,and difficulties with long-term recovery.The purpose of this study was to establish a novel rat model of cardiopulmonary bypass for deep hypothermic circulatory arrest without blood priming.Methods Twenty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 450-560 g were randomized to CPB with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest （DHCA） and control groups,with 10 rats each.The experimental protocols,including blood and crystalloid fluid administration,anesthesia,orotracheal intubation,ventilation,cannulation,and heparinization were identical in both groups.After inducing cardiac arrest,the circuit was turned off and rats were left in a DHCA state for 15 minutes.Rats were rewarmed to 34℃ to 35℃ over a period of 36 to 42 minutes using CPB-assisted rewarming,a heating blanket,and a heating lamp along with administration of 0.1 mEq of sodium bicarbonate and 0.14 mEq of calcium chloride.The remaining priming volume was reinfused and animals were weaned from CPB.Results All CPB with DHCA processes were successfully achieved.Blood gas analysis and hemodynamic parameters were in the normal range.The vital signs of all rats were stable.Conclusions Our CPB circuit has several novel features,including a small priming volume,active cooling/rewarming processes,vacuum-assisted venous drainage,peripheral cannulation without thoracotomy or stemotomy,and an accurate means of monitoring peripheral tissue oxygenation.

Chorea in a Chinese adult after pulmonary endarterectomy with deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest

We report a rare case about chorea in a Chinese adult after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy （PTE） with deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest.A 41-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of breathing difficulties for about three years and intermittent hemoptysis for about two months.Physical examination revealed mild cyanotic lips,lower extremity edema.He was classified as grade III heart failure according the classification system of the New York Heart Association （NYHA）.

A Cardiac Surgical Perspective on Hypothermia for Protection of Neural Tissues

Background: In clinical and basic science medicine, we often isolate ourselves in silos, unaware of developments in other related disciplines. Our team has had substantial experience, both in the operating room and in the laboratory, with protecting the brain and the spinal cord via hypothermia. Herein, we briefly share this experience with our colleagues in Neurology, eager for comments and advice from the neurologic perspective. Methods: 1) Clinical brain protection via deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) for surgery of the aortic arch. For aortic arch replacement (performed for aortic arch aneurysm or aortic dissection), the aortic arch must be opened and native perfusion stopped. We have decades of experience in many hundreds of patients with this technique. This experience is reviewed. 2) Experimental protection of the spinal cord via cooling. We review our laboratory experience with a novel, recirculating cooling catheter for the vulnerable spinal cord. 3) Experimental protection of the brain via an intraventricular cooling catheter. We review our laboratory experience cooling the brain with a balloon-tipped catheter residing the lateral ventricles. Results: 1) Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest for aortic arch surgery provides superb brain protection for periods up to 45 minutes or longer. Clinical neurologic function, and quantitative neurologic tests, show excellent brain preservation. 2) The novel spinal cooling catheter provides excellent cooling of the spinal cord in a large animal model, without apparent injury of any type. 3) The intraventricular brain cooling catheter provides excellent cooling of the brain, documented by both direct temperature probe and high-tech brain imaging. Conclusions: We wish herein (in this article) to share this experience across our disciplines (Cardiac Surgery and Neurology). We welcome advice from the Neurology community on these surgically-directed methods for cooling and protection of neurological tissue in both the brain and the spinal cord.

Pseudoaneurysm of Ascending Aorta with Extrinsic Compression of Left Main Coronary Artery

Pseudoaneurysm of ascending aorta carries high mortality and morbidity due to adhesions and compression over surrounding structures. It occurs either after some form of injury to aorta or after infectious pathology. Spontaneous pseudoaneuryms are very rare as are the extrinsic compression of left main coronary artery. We are presenting a case with both of these rare ties. Patient was a female of middle age presented with cough and a past history of treated pulmonary tuberculosis 12 years before. During evaluation by X-ray, CECT is a large pseudoaneurysm of ascending aorta with oval defect in posterior wall above sinotubular junction. It was compressing 90% of the left main coronary artery, occluding 100% of the right pulmonary artery with formation of collaterals to it from surrounding arteries. Active tuberculosis and syphilis were ruled out. Patient underwent excision of pseudoaneurysm, replacement of ascending aorta by Dacron graft and coronary artery bypass under TRCA and CPB. There was massive intraoperative bleeding, and patient died on the fourth day due to sepsis and ARDS.

Sixty-seven Hours After Cesarean Successfully Redo Prosthetic Mitral Valve Leaflet Replacement at 29 th Gestational Week:A Case Report and Literature Review

On April 3,2020,a 37-year-old woman successfully completed heart valve replacement after cesarean section 67 hours in the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University.The woman underwent the mechanical mitral valve replacement in the same hospital 10 years ago.She used low molecular weight heparin instead of warfarin,when she realized her pregnancy.On March 25,2020(28+5 weeks of gestation),due to New York Heart Association class IV,severe pneumonia,type I respiratory failure,the patient was admitted to the hospital for treatment.Three days later,she discharged herself from hospital by refusing the cesarean section.The next day she was re-admitted to the ward because of the worsen symptoms and oliguria.Cesarean section was performed 50 hours after admission.The neonate was 1400 g;Apgar score was 5 in 1 minute,8 in 5 minutes,transferred to neonatal intensive care unit.Because of the unrecovered heart function,she was confirmed stuck mechanical prosthetic mitral valves.On April 3,2020,through multi-disciplinary cooperation,the patient was safe without any life-threatening emergency.Eleven days after the replacement,the patient was discharged smoothly,so was the neonate 33 days after delivery.