A simple and effective technique for left ventricular deairing

Despite careful deairing procedures, residual air has been found in the left ventricle. For this reason, we created a simple and effective left ventricular deairing technique. Forty patients with pure mitral valve disease were randomly divided into 2 groups. In group 1, deairing was done by filling the left atrium actively by a line coming from the aortic cannula line, and by venting from the antegrade cardioplegia line. In group 2, the air was removed by ventilating the lungs, and venting from the antegrade cardioplegia line, but not active filling of the left atrium. The patients were evaluated with transesophageal echocardiograpy during the procedure. According to the preoperative data, the groups were similar. After 3 minutes of deairing, 5 patients in group 2 had transesophageal echocardiographical air bubbles. In these patients, after 2 minutes, the air was removed by an active filling technique. None of the patients in group 1 had air bubbles. The technique described in this study seems to solve remaining air problems in the cardiac chambers. It can be applied easily, and it is safe and effective.