INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy is a well established method to alleviate pulmonary hypertension in cases of chronic pulmonary thromboembolism. It is difficult to balance the relatively short time of total hypothermic circulatory arrest (TCA) and the thorough opening of the pulmonary artery, and there is risk of neurologic damages. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From March 1998 to April 1999 (13 months), 8 patients, 5 male, 1 black with ages ranging from 25 to 56 years (mean: 46.2 years) with angiographic diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism, underwent unilateral or bilateral thromboendarterectomy for chronic pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). Once the extracorporeal circulation is prepared and the pulmonary artery is incised, TCA is carried out and, approximately 20 minutes after thromboendarterectomy blood flow is re-established by ECC at 14º C for a period of 15 minutes for cerebral and corporeal reperfusion. Successive total circulatory arrests are carried out as many times as required until all thrombi are removed from the pulmonary artery. RESULTS: No trans-operative deaths were recorded. One patient died on postoperative (PO) day 30 due to bronchopneumonia which developed into sepsis. The 8 patients underwent hypothermic ECC and TCA, four TCA procedures were required in 5 (62.5%) and, only 3 in three (37.5%) with a mean of 3.6 TCA procedures. Total ECC time ranged from 210 to 255 minutes (mean time 225 minutes). Hypothermic TCA time ranged from 58 to 88 minutes (mean time 76.7 minutes) and the TCA time per patient ranged from 18 to 24 minutes (mean time 20.5 minutes). Skull CT scans were carried out for all patients and did not show any anatomic changes, the physical examination did now show motor deficit or sensorial loss. CONCLUSIONS: We believe this is a very promising technique which provides better operating conditions for the surgeons and central nervous system protection for the patient.
Endarterectomy; Pulmonary embolism; Brain; Central nervous system diseases; Hypothermia, induced; Heart arrest, induced
