Retrograde cerebral perfusion for treatment of air embolism after valve surgery.

Air embolism occurred after termination of cardiopulmonary bypass in a 22-year-old man undergoing aortic valve replacement for rheumatic aortic insufficiency. Normothermic retrograde cerebral perfusion was instituted for 5 min at a flow rate of 300-500 mL.min(-1), maintaining internal jugular vein pressure < 25 mmHg. The aortic cannula was declamped intermittently for 5-10 seconds. Mean arterial pressure was kept at 60-70 mmHg. The patient recovered without any neurological deficit.