Management of Cardiopulmonary Bypass during Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery

Abstract

From December 1996 to December 1997, 58 patients underwent minimally invasive cardiac surgery in our institute. The operations comprised 10 for atrial septal defect, 26 for ventricular septal defect, 15 for mitral stenosis and insufficiency, 4 for aortic valve insufficiency, 2 for left atrial myxoma, and 1 for right ventricular myxoma. There were 21 men and 37 women with a mean age of 20 years (range, 5 to 46 years) and a mean weight of 35 kg (range, 15 to 68 kg). To establish cardiopulmonary bypass, femorofemoral and superior vena caval cannulation or femoral artery and two-stage cannulation was used. Normothermia with a beating heart or moderate hypothermia with aortic cross-clamping during cardiopulmonary bypass were employed. All patients resumed sinus rhythm spontaneously, except for one who was easily defibrillated. There were no deaths or neurologic complications and no problems with the cannulation sites. We concluded that these techniques of cardiopulmonary bypass were feasible and safe.