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Ann Thorac Surg 2000;70:1761
© 2000 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Correspondence

Reply

^a Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Glenfield Hospital, Groby Rd, Leicester LE3 9QP, United Kingdom

e-mail: mark.hickey{at}uhl-tr.nhs.uk

To the Editor

We have read with interest the responses by Massetti and associates and Liotta to our article describing a simple technique for the treatment of coronary air embolism [1].

Liotta describes another simple technique, which has been described by the author before [2]. We must bear in mind that although the technique may be very effective, it does carry the additional risk of occluding the flow beyond the aortic cannula. This might also raise the pressure in the ascending aorta, excessively if one is not careful.

Massetti and associates describe a technique that involves retrograde coronary perfusion by clamping of the pulmonary artery and manually compressing the right heart. It is also less complex than that described by authors elsewhere [3].

From time to time, various techniques to treat this common yet essentially iatrogenic condition appear in the published literature. That there are so many alternative methods in use is proof that no one method is universally successful or fully safe. Ours is a simple technique that had not been described previously. It requires a syringe only and can be used in any patient without a significantly calcified and atheromatous aorta. In our practice, we have not had any complications arising from this procedure and have found it very effective.

We would like to thank Massetti and associates and Liotta for sharing their methods to treat coronary air embolism with the rest of the cardiac surgical community.

References

1. Chaudhuri N., Hickey M.S.J. A simple method of treating coronary air embolism after cardiopulmonary bypass. Ann Thorac Surg 1999;68:1867-1868.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
2. Liotta D. Induced selective coronary hypertension during partial cardiopulmonary bypass. Chest 1973;64:673.
3. Massetti M., Babatasi G., Khayat A. Enhanced air removal from coronary circulation during cardiac operations. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1998;115:264.[Free Full Text]

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				M. M. Demirtas Reply Ann. Thorac. Surg., November 1, 2000; 70(5): 1762 - 1763. [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Mark St J. Hickey Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chaudhuri, N. Articles by Hickey, M. S. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Chaudhuri, N. Articles by Hickey, M. S. J.