Cerebral and Systemic Perfusion
Extracorporeal circulation and cerebral antegrade perfusion are
performed using a homemade, 4-branched perfusion circuit (Figure 2). It
consists of four branches of the same diameter driven by a single pump
LSA, LCA, brachiocephalic artery and prosthetic branch for systemic
perfusion. Perfusion is kept at full flow for CPB and it redistributes
depending on physiological systemic resistance. When the brachiocephalic
artery is clamped, the flow is lowered to 10—12 mL/Kg/min for isolated
cerebral perfusion. After the circulatory arrest time the full flow was
restarted via prosthetic side branch and single cerebral vessels.