Time limitation of postural retrograde cerebral perfusion during cerebral hypothermic circulatory arrest. A report of an unsuccessful case.

We report an unsuccessful case with ruptured aortic arch aneurysm using deep hypothermia with postural retrograde cerebral perfusion by simply elevating central venous pressure in the Trendelenburg position. Ninety-three minutes of cerebral circulatory arrest by this method caused irreversible global cerebral damage. Ninety minutes may be over the time limit of this method.