Cannulation of the axillary artery for cardiopulmonary bypass: safeguards and pitfalls.

Background: The ascending aorta is the customary site for arterial cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass. Favorable experience at our institution and elsewhere using axillary artery cannulation in treating type A aortic dissections has caused us to broaden our indications for using this site for arterial cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods: Medical records, operative notes, and perfusion records were reviewed in all patients in whom the axillary artery was cannulated directly or by a graft for cardiopulmonary bypass from January 1, 2000 through August 30, 2002.

Conventional approach to glucose management for diabetic patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Continuous insulin infusion was not an effective mode of treatment in maintaining safe blood glucose levels (<200 mg/dl) during the intraoperative period of diabetic patients requiring open-heart surgery. The two modifications investigated to gain better control of the blood glucose were a change in the base solution of the cardioplegia and the use of a sliding insulin scale. Fifty patients including Type I and Type II diabetics were selected for the purpose of this study.

A comparison of several variables of off-pump coronary artery bypass procedures versus myocardial revascularization utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass.

An investigation was conducted to compare several variables of off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) procedures with those using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for myocardial revascularization by two surgeons. The patients were divided into four groups: group 1 patients received CPB for their myocardial revascularization performed by surgeon A; group 2 patients received the OPCAB procedure performed by surgeon A; group 3 patients received CPB for their myocardial revascularization performed by surgeon B; and group 4 received the OPCAB procedure performed by surgeon B. The same anesthesia technique and postoperative management were employed for all patients in this study.