Jj. Paul et al., AORTIC DISSECTION IN A NEONATE ASSOCIATED WITH ARTERIAL CANNULATION FOR EXTRACORPOREAL LIFE-SUPPORT, ASAIO journal, 43(1), 1997, pp. 92-94
The purpose of this paper is to describe the authors' approach to the
diagnosis and treatment of aortic intimal dissection encountered as a
complication of the arterial cannulation procedure employed routinely
during neonatal venoarterial ECMO. A case report is provided. Recognit
ion of this entity clinically was based on diminished pulses in the lo
wer extremities with dampening of an umbilical arterial catheter trans
duced pressure wave form one day after decannulation from ECMO. Confir
mation was achieved using a phased array echocardiographic Doppler sys
tem (ECHO). Successful surgical repair was achieved under deep hypothe
rmic circulatory arrest on cardiopulmonary bypass, with partial resect
ion of the affected aorta, and with sutures placed through the intimal
flap and the aortic wall. Aortic continuity was established by end-to
-end anastamosis posteriorly, and the aortic arch was reconstructed an
teriorly with an aortic homograft. To the author's knowledge, this is
the first case of this problem being identified and treated in an ECMO
treated neonate.