Totally normothermic aortic arch replacement without circulatory arrest

The authors propose a new strategy of normothermic perfusion for replacement of the aortic arch to avoid the complications of profound hypothermic circulatory arrest. Six patients underwent complete replacement of the aortic arch under normothermia using two pumps for the body (one for the brain and the thoracoabdominal aortic branches) and one for the heart. The surgical procedure was performed with no time limit. There were no operative or late deaths. No patients had neurologic deficit and all were rapidly extubated with uneventful postoperative courses. The method preserves autoregulation of cerebral blood flow and maintains body perfusion without high vascular resistances. (C) 2003 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.