Simultaneous Individually Controlled Upper and Lower Body Perfusion for Valve-Sparing Root and Total Aortic Arch Replacement: A Case Study

Abstract

Optimal perfusion strategies for extensive aortic resection in patients with mega-aortic syndromes include: tailored myocardial preservation, antegrade cerebral perfusion, controlled hypothermia and selective organ perfusion. Typically, the aortic arch resection and elephant trunk procedure are performed under hypothermic circulatory arrest with myocardial and cerebral protection. However, mesenteric and systemic ischemia occur during circulatory arrest and commonly rely upon deep hypothermia alone for metabolic protection. We hypothesized that simultaneously controlled mesenteric and systemic perfusion can attenuate some of the metabolic debt accrued during circulatory arrest, which may help improve perioperative outcomes. The perfusion strategy consisted of delivering a 1 to 3 liter per minute flow at 25°C to the head/upper body via right axillary graft and simultaneous perfusion to the lower body/mesenteric organs of 1 to 3 liters per minute at 30°C via a right femoral arterial graft. We describe our technique of simultaneous mesenteric, systemic, cerebral and myocardial perfusion, and protection utilized for a young male patient with Marfan’s syndrome, while undergoing a valve sparing root replacement, total arch replacement and elephant trunk reconstruction. This perfusion technique allowed us to deliver differential flow rates and temperatures to the upper and lower body (cold head/warm lower body perfusion) to minimize ischemic debt and quickly reverse metabolic derangements.