Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe an intravessel cerebral shunt that allows perfusion of both cerebral hemispheres through the axillary artery.
Description: The cerebral shunt is a 10-cm to 12-cm long cannula with a lumen for blood perfusion and two balloons, one at each distal end. The proximal balloon is adapted for retaining the proximal end of the catheter in the innominate artery; the second inflatable balloon is adapted for retaining the distal end of the catheter into the left common carotid artery.
Evaluation: Three consecutive patients received bilateral brain perfusion through the right axillary artery with the use of this cerebral shunt.
Conclusions: The cerebral shunt allowed bilateral cerebral perfusion as verified with cerebral oximetry in the absence of any evident neurologic dysfunction.