[Deep hypothermia on the infant: physiopathology and technics of ECC]

In 81 operations for correction of infants's cardiopathies, authors used, associated with E.C.C., a deep hypothermia allowing a circulatory arrest of an average duration of 52 minutes, according to the technics described by BARRAT-BOYES in 1971. From this experience, authors study the modifications brought to the organism by this hypothermia, and discuss the technical aspects in pre, per and post-operative periods. Mortality of this series is of 13,5 p. 100. It is in relation with the cardiopathy or it's correction, without anu possibility or directly charge the technique of hypothermia in its determinism. The early mortality includes a bilateral phrenic paralysis, an air embolism, three septic complications and two neurologic complications probably related to a poor thermic repartition. Advantages of this technique concern the possibility to operate in a bloodless field and a diminution of E.C.C. time.