Initial experiences with a centrifugal-pump based minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation system in pediatric...

Minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation (MiECC) circuits are an established alternative to conventional extracorporeal circulation (CECC). Based on the positive effects and improved perioperative outcomes of MiECC in adult cardiac surgery, this perfusion concept appears particularly attractive to pediatric cardiac surgery. So far, there are no reports on the clinical application of a MiECC system for corrective surgery in neonates and children. We report our initial experiences by using a MiECC system in pediatric cardiac surgery.

A total of 38 pediatric patients underwent surgical interventions for a variety of congenital heart disease from March 2017 until August 2018 with a MiECC. Following the classification of MiECC circuits by the Minimal invasive Extra-Corporeal Technologies International Society (MiECTIS), type I and type III perfusion circuits were assembled depending on the planned intervention: type I for closed heart interventions and type III for open heart procedures. Primary outcome was conversion to CECC, secondary endpoints included major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE).

MiECC perfusion was successfully performed in all patients (100%). Median patient age was 9.5 months (range, 0.2-176 months) with a median weight of 8.1 kg (range, 2.3-49 kg). For both MiECC types no system related technical complications were encountered. Beating heart procedures were performed in 23 cases (60%) at normothermia, while in 15 (40%) interventions cardioplegic cardiac arrest was induced at mild hypothermia. All patients had an uneventful perioperative course with no in-hospital mortality. MACCE did not occur during the hospitalization period.

MiECC can be performed by using standard techniques for closed and open cardiac procedures for the correction of a variety of malformations in neonates and children with good results and uneventful postoperative course.