Introduction:
CPB circuits are frequently necessary in the repair of congenital heart defects in neonates and children.Single stage cannulae are used during most open-heart surgeries, where two Cannulae are inserted in SVCand IVC and connected by Y-piece to establish CPB to divert the deoxygenated venous blood to the heart-lung machine for oxygenation and then back via the arterial cannula intothe ascending aorta. Displacement of the venous cannulae can obstruct venous blood flow andmay result with SVC and IVC syndrome. [1]Conversely, the aortic cannulation can cause complications like aortic dissection, aortic rupture, profuse bleeding,and dislodgement of aortic atheroma resulting in systemic embolization.[2]we report a rarer consequence of aortic cannulation asa severe aortic blood flow obstructionresulting in repeated cardiac arrests in a child after successful VSDrepair under CPB.
Key words : congenital heart disease, CPB, aortic cannulation, aortic obstruction, cardiac arrest, TEE