Abstract
Bio-Medicus centrifugal pump was used as an adjunct in operation for 56 cases of thoracic aortic aneurysm. Types of aneurysms were descending thoracic aneurysm in 18 patients, thoracoabdomimal aneurysm in 18 patients and others were aortic dissections. There were 37 men and 19 women whose ages ranged from 17 to 80 years with an average age of 59. We made left heart bypass in 40 patients and direct arterial bypass in 16 patients using Bio-pump with limited systemic heparinization. Operative method was graft replacement in all patients. Mean bypass flow was 2.1l/min and the pressure of femoral artery was maintained at 70% of radial artery during bypass, by which urinary volume could be satisfactorily obtained. Our intraoperative autotransfusion system was used at the same time. 11 cases of renal failure and 5 cases of paraplegia as postoperative complications were encountered. There were 6 hospital deaths. Neither were considered due to the use of Bio-pump. These results have led us to believe that Bio-pump is safe and useful as an adjunct in operation for thoracic aortic aneurysm.
