Yoshimura N, Ataka K, Nakagiri K, Azami T, Yoshida M, Yamashita C, Okada M
Department of Surgery, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Japan.
J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino). 1996 Dec;37(6):557-9.
We describe a simple technique to prevent the lower limb ischemia during femoral veno-arterial cardiopulmonary support (CPS).
Between July 1994 and September 1995, five patients underwent the insertion of femoral veno-arterial CPS with distal limb perfusion for the treatment of circulatory collapse after cardiac surgery.
After CPS is established, the ipsilateral superficial femoral artery (SFA) is punctured downward with a 14-gauge Teflon catheter and connected to the side port of the membrane oxygenator.
None of the patients were complicated by lower limb ischemia for up to 77 hrs on CPS with distal limb perfusion.
Active perfusion through a 14-gauge Teflon catheter downstream to the ipsilateral SFA is effective in preventing lower limb ischemia during prolonged femoral veno-arterial CPS after cardiac surgery.
