Retrograde cerebral perfusion in human brains

Retrograde cerebral perfusion via the superior vena cava during deep hypoth ermic circulatory arrest has evolved as a means of cerebral protection in a ortic-arch surgery. We showed, with use of fluorescein retinal angiography, that during retrograde cerebral perfusion, fluorescein injected into the s uperior vena cava entered the retinal venules, flowed to the capillaries, a nd subsequently, to the retinal arterioles. Since the retina is embryologic ally part of the brain, we conclude that this procedure does allow blood to perfuse in a retrograde way through the human brain.