Comparison of pH-stat and alpha-stat cardiopulmonary bypass on cerebral oxygenation and blood flow in relation to hypothermic circulatory arrest in piglets.

Abstract

Congenital Heart Surgery Service; Texas Children's Hospital; Houston, Texas; Cullen Cardiovascular Surgery Research Laboratories; Texas Heart Institute; Houston, Texas; Department of Surgery; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, Texas;aundar@bcm.tmc.edu(Undar)Departments of Pediatrics and Anesthesiology; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, Texas (Andropoulos)Congenital Heart Surgery Service; Texas Children's Hospital; Houston, Texas; Departments of Surgery and Pediatrics; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, Texas (Fraser)To the Editor:-We read with interest the study by Kurth and associates [1]relating to the comparison of pH-stat and alpha-stat strategies for cardiopulmonary bypass on cerebral blood flow and oxygenation using near-infrared spectroscopy and laser Doppler flowmetry in piglets. Kurth et al. [1]concluded that the use of pH-stat acid-base management compared to alpha-stat improved cortical physiologic recovery after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.There are significant differences between their experimental design and clinical protocols for pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass. Mean arterial pressures immediately before deep hypothermic circulatory arrest were 74 +/− 11 mmHg and 72 +/− 8 mmHg in the alpha-stat and pH-stat groups, respectively. These pressures are extremely high for 2- to 3-kg piglets at pre- deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. In the clinical setting, mean arterial pressures are typically kept below 40 mmHg.A bubble oxygenator was used in their study. According to the 1994 pediatric survey, 93.5% of all pediatric centers use membrane oxygenators exclusively in the United States. [2]Only 6.5% of all centers use membrane and bubble oxygenators. Bubble oxygenators are used only for short, uncomplicated cases, not with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. It has been clearly documented that the use of membrane oxygenators significantly reduces gaseous and particulate microemboli. [3,4]Despite these concerns, it is interesting that pH-stat management significantly improved cortical recovery with high mean arterial pressures in their experimental setup.Akif Undar, Ph.D.Congenital Heart Surgery Service; Texas Children's Hospital; Houston, Texas; Cullen Cardiovascular Surgery Research Laboratories; Texas Heart Institute; Houston, Texas; Department of Surgery; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, Texas;aundar@bcm.tmc.eduDean B. Andropoulos, M.D.Departments of Pediatrics and Anesthesiology; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, TexasCharles D. Fraser, Jr., M.D.Congenital Heart Surgery Service; Texas Children's Hospital; Houston, Texas; Departments of Surgery and Pediatrics; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, Texas(Accepted for publication November 17, 1998.)