Treatment of Massive Air Embolism on CPB
from Tom VerLee's site
A= Anesthesiologist; P= Perfusionist; S= Surgeon
P 1. Stop the Pump
S 2. Clamp the arterial and venous lines (to isolate the patient from the circuit)
A 3. Steep Trendelenburg position
S 4. Make a stab wound or exit wound in the aorta
A 5. Bilateral carotid compression
S / P 6.Temporary retrograde perfusion
a. Remove the aortic cannula and purge arterial circuit of air
b. Place aortic cannula in SVC
  c. Decrease perfusate temp to 20o C.
d. Perfuse slowly 1-2 LPM until all air is expelled from the aortic stab wound.
e. place aortic cannula to ascending aorta. Start CPB
P 7. Cool to a core temperature of 20-22o C.
S 8. Massage the coronary arteries and vent all 4 chambers of the heart
P 9. Elevate the mean arterial pressure to 65 mmHg or greater.
P 10. Set Fi02 at 100% (decreases the nitrogen content between the lungs and blood)
P 11, Maintain Arterial pC02's in the low 30's
P 12. Maintain high blood flow rates (CI >2.6L/Min/M2)
A 13. Steroids ( 2 grams Methyprednisolone +/or 20 mg. Dexamethosone) + Mannitol (25g)
P / A 14. Come off bypass with arterial systolic pressure>100 mmHg and low filling pressures.
A / C 15. Contact Hyperbaric Facility
A / C 16. Arrange for patient Transport.

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