Authors

J Bennett¹;  ¹ Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, UK

Discusssion

Left Heart Bypass (LHB) is a beating-heart perfusion strategy that generates an active shunt of oxygenated blood from the left side of the heart to the descending aorta. LHB is used at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (LHCH) to perfuse the visceral organs during the surgical repair of descending aortic aneurysms. Many adjunctive techniques have been developed for use alongside LHB to improve patient outcomes, specifically during complex surgery on the thoracoabdominal region of the aorta. Techniques used at LHCH, and elsewhere around the world, are discussed in order to establish the advantages and disadvantages of using certain strategies. Techniques such as selective organ perfusion, regional hypothermia, Motor-Evoked Potential (MEP) monitoring, and cerebrospinal fluid drainage are discussed. Strategies are evaluated based on the findings of scientific research, and novel techniques are highlighted as potential future sources of benefit.