Experience with deep hypothermia and elective circulatory arrest for cardiac surgery in infants.

During hypothermic circulatory arrest (19 C nasal) averaging 55 minutes in 25 infants, the mean increase in base deficit was only --3.95 mEq/liter, when arterial gases before circulatory arrest were compared with samples ten minutes after perfusion had been resumed. Few significant arrhythmias occurred, and all survivors appeared neurologically normal at discharge.