Neonatal aortic arch reconstruction avoiding circulatory arrest and direct arch vessel cannulation.

BACKGROUND: Aortic arch reconstruction in neonates routinely requires deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. We reviewed our experience with techniques of continuous low-flow cerebral perfusion (LFCP) avoiding direct arch vessel cannulation. METHODS: Eighteen patients, with a median age of 11 days (range 1 to 85 days) and a mean weight of 3.2 +/- 0.8 kg, underwent aortic arch reconstruction with LFCP. Seven had biventricular repairs with arch reconstruction, 9 underwent the Norwood operation and 2 had isolated arch repairs. In 1 Norwood and 7 biventricular repair patients, LFCP was maintained by advancing the cannula from the distal ascending aorta into the innominate artery. In 8 of 9 Norwood patients, LFCP was maintained by directing the arterial cannula into the pulmonary artery confluence and perfusing the innominate artery through the right modified Blalock-Taussig shunt fully constructed before cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass. In 2 patients requiring isolated arch reconstruction, the ascending aorta was cannulated and the cross-clamp was applied just distal to the innominate artery. RESULTS: LFCP was maintained at 0.6 +/- 0.2 L x min(-1) x m(-2) for 41.0 +/- 13.9 minutes at 18.5 degrees C +/- 1.1 degrees C. In 10 of the 18 patients, blood pressure during LFCP was 15 +/- 8 mm Hg remote from the innominate artery (left radial, umbilical or femoral arteries). In 8 of the 18 patients, right radial pressure during LFCP was 24 +/- 10 mm Hg. The mean mixed-venous saturation was 79.8% +/- 10% during LFCP. Two patients had preoperative seizures, whereas none had seizures postoperatively. One patient died. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal aortic arch reconstruction is possible without circulatory arrest or direct arch vessel cannulation. These techniques maintained adequate mixed-venous oxygen saturations with no associated adverse neurologic outcomes.