CLINICAL EVALUATION OF THE BIO-MEDICUS CENTRIFUGAL PUMP IN SURGICAL TREATMENT OF ANEURYSMS OF THE DESCENDING THORACIC AORTA

Abstract

Left heart bypass with the Bio Medicus centrifugal pump was used to treat 14 patients with aneurysms confined to the segment of the descending thoracic aorta. The study included 14 patients ranged 44 to 76 years of ages. The lesion was replaced by a woven Dacron tube in 9 patients, by a woven Dacron tube with Ivaron sponge occulusionmethod in 3, by a woven Dacron patch in 2. Minimal systemic heparinization was used just before aortic cross-clamping. Activated clotting times were maintained on an average of 241.9 s. During repair, the proximal and distal aortic pressures were monitored, and was maintained the systemic pressures at over 100mmHg in the upper extremities and 60mmHg in the lower extremities. The pump flow was adjusted accordingly between 1.65 and 2.68L/min. Urine volume was kept at 5.98ml/min during clamping. An intraoperative autotransfusion system for blood conservation was used in all patients to return the shed blood. Average intraoperative blood loss was 1073ml. The average intraoperative autotransfusion volume was 2191ml. Three patients were treated without blood transfusion. No deaths occurred in this series. One patient developed paraplegia and one renal failure, but both were cured. We believe that the BioMedicus centrifugal pump is a simple and safe method for perfusion of the lower body during surgery on the descending thoracic aorta.