Side Graft Axillary Artery Cannulation in Proximal Thoracic Aortic Surgery

Abstract

Objective: The most preferred arterial cannulation region during cardiopulmonary bypass is ascending aorta. However, alternative arterial cannulation regions may be needed in the surgical treatment of pathologies involving proximal thoracic aortic segments. For this purpose, femoral artery is frequently used in the past years, but nowadays axillary artery cannulation is very prevalently used. Axillary artery cannulation can be performed either directly or /indirectly using side graft technique. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the outcomes of our patients who were operated due to proximal thoracic aortic pathology with side graft axillary artery cannulation. Method: Forty-six patients who were operated due to proximal thoracic aortic pathologies with side graft axillary cannulation technique between January 2008 - December 2018 in our hospital were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Side graft axillary cannulation technique was successfully applied in all of these 46 patients. Axillary artery injury did not occur in any patient. No permanent neurological deficit developed at the right upper extremity and there was no infection at cannulation region in any patient. Inpatient mortality. There were 10 (21.7%) patients with hospital mortality. Conclusion: Nowadays, axillary artery cannulation is increasingly preferred peripheral cannulation method for proximal thoracic aortic operations. The most important advantages of this method are achievement of antegrade cerebral/systemic perfusion and absence of retrograde embolization risk. Local complications (e.g. brachial plexus/axillary artery injury) due to axillary artery cannulation may occur. Using side graft axillary cannulation technique can reduce risk of developing these complications. In our study, we did not encounter any local/ systemic complications related to preferred cannulation region in our patients who were operated by side graft axillary artery cannulation technique. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]