AN ADJUNCT TO CEREBRAL PROTECTION DURING CIRCULATORY ARREST

For surgery of dissecting ascending aortic aneurysms we have employed deep hypothermic circulatory arrest to permit construction of the dist al aortic anastomosis in a bloodless field. The cerebral complications of circulatory arrest in deep hypothermia are well recognised [3]. Ma ny methods of cerebral protection have been suggested besides deep hyp othermia including retrograde cerebral perfusion [5], administration o f thiopentone [4] and cerebroplegia [2]. We report a supplementary tec hnique that theoretically may provide improved cerebral protection, an d present the results in four cases.