[Descending aorta perfusion through median sternotomy in primary repair of aortic interruption complex].

Circulatory arrest is frequently used in aortic arch reconstruction in pediatric cardiac surgery. However, risks of postoperative acute renal failure and neurological deficit can not be ignored. We performed primary repair of aortic interruption in one-month old girl. After commencing extracorporeal circulation with bicaval venous cannulae and with arterial cannulae into the pulmonary trunk and the innominate artery, the descending aorta was cannulated just superior to the diaphragm. The cannula in the pulmonary trunk was then removed. Arch reconstruction and closure of the ventricular septal defect were performed with continuous perfusion to the brain and the lower body. The extracorporeal circulation time and the aortic cross-clamp time were 117 min and 21 min, respectively. Postoperative renal function was excellent, and there was no finding of neurological deficit. Cannulation of the descending aorta is a simple and useful technique with safety, in arch reconstruction in infants.