The efficacy of the surgical hemostasis of a chest wall wound during operations on the "dry" heart under perfusion-free deep hypothermia

The methods for reducing the blood loss by means of enhancing the effectiveness of the technique of surgical hemostasis of a thoracic wall wound--the main source of blood loss in operations on "dry" heart under conditions of perfusion-free hypothermia (27-26 degrees C) are considered. Minimal traumatization of the soft tissues of the thoracic wall and adhesions during thoracotomy performance and early wound closure with simultaneous warming of a patient contributes to 2-3 fold reduction in blood loss and shortening of the time of operation by 40-60 min.