A simple method for cardioplegia administration and suture control using foley catheter during ascending aorta replacement and aortic root surgery.

There is no standardised approach for cardioplegia administration during ascending aorta replacement (AAR) and the techniques used so far are quite variable and show important limitations. In order to overcome these limitations, we propose a simple and inexpensive technique using a Foley catheter for cardioplegia administration and bleeding control in case of AAR or aortic root surgery. The benefits of our technique are the technical simplicity and the low cost that makes this approach an ideal solution for cardioplegia administration in all cases of AAR. 2010 Australasian Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.