Use of A heparin-coated circuit for extracorporeal circulation with selective cerebral perfusion

The use of selective cerebral perfusion with a heparin-coated extracorporeal circuit has not been reported. We developed a unique extracorporeal circulation system that can be used for selective cerebral perfusion based on an existing heparin-coated circuit with a centrifugal pump for general open-heart surgery and a heparin-coated oxygenator without venous drainage by gravity. Between July 1994 and December 1999, this system was used for 12 patients undergoing surgery for true aortic arch aneurysm. The dose of heparin used was reduced to maintain minimum activated clotting time above 300 sec during extracorporeal circulation. One patient suffered a stroke, and one patient had transient postoperative neurologic deficit. One patient died suddenly of ventricular arrhythmia on the 11th postoperative day. The circuit remained thrombus-free. Selective cerebral perfusion with a heparin-coated bypass circuit was safe and very easy to perform after a simple modification of a standard circuit for open-heart surgery.