• Intraoperative measurement of flank and quadriceps near-infrared spectroscopy [ Time Frame: Intraoperative ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein and C-reactive Protein [ Time Frame: Baseline and 0, 3, 12, and 24 hours after surgery ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Creatinine and Blood Urea Nitrogen Levels [ Time Frame: Before and After Surgery ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Urine Output and Creatinine Clearance [ Time Frame: Daily for first 3 days after surgery ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Incidence of documented or suspected necrotizing enterocolitis [ Time Frame: Prior to hospital discharge ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Total Diuretic Dose and Time to reach full enteral feeds [ Time Frame: After surgery until discharge ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

As the aorta is repaired, the child has no circulation to the body or brain. While short periods of circulatory arrest were well tolerated, a modified technique called selective cerebral perfusion was developed to maintain blood flow to the brain during aortic repairs so as to allow for less hurried repairs with less concern over brain ischemia and injury.

Selective cerebral perfusion is designed to provide flow to the brain via the right carotid artery and collateral intracranial vessels while the aortic arch is isolated for repair. It is felt that collateral vessels also allow some perfusion of the lower body, but the adequacy of lower body perfusion during selective cerebral perfusion has not been well documented. While it is clear that some blood reaches the lower body, the incidence of renal and gastrointestinal complications following cardiac repairs involving aortic arch reconstructions remains significant.

The goal of this proposal is to evaluate a simple modification of the standard selective cerebral perfusion protocol designed to increase perfusion to the lower body during aortic arch reconstructions. Essentially all children who undergo aortic arch reconstruction at Egleston hospital have either a femoral or umbilical artery catheter in place for routine monitoring. During selective cerebral perfusion, the descending thoracic aorta is clamped, so the lower body arterial line is not a useful monitor at that point. We propose to connect a pressure line from the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit to the lower body arterial catheter, allowing for increased perfusion of the lower body through the femoral/umbilical arterial catheter during selective cerebral perfusion We will monitor simultaneous near infra-red spectroscopy of the brain, flank, and thigh to determine the adequacy of oxygen delivery to the brain, kidney, and lower body musculature during the procedure. Near infra-red spectroscopy provides a measure of the oxygenation of hemoglobin in arterial, capillary, and venous blood within the path of an infra-red sensor. Blood samples will be collected before skin incision, at the end of the procedure, and at 3, 12, and 24 hours after arrival to the intensive care unit. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (i-FABP) and c-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels will be measured at each timepoint as markers of intestinal ischemia and generalized inflammation respectively. The incidence of documented or suspected necrotizing enterocolitis prior to hospital discharge and the time required to achieve full enteral feeds will be recorded. Renal function will be assayed by the maximal change from preoperative to postoperative serum creatinine, normalized urine output per 12 hour period following surgery, total diuretic dose per day, and daily creatinine clearance for the first 3 days after surgery.