Factors Responsible for the Effectiveness of the Lund De-airing Technique

After completion of the left heart surgery, the heart will be actively filled with blood from the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit and lungs fully ventilated with positive end-expiratory pressure to flush out all air trapped in the lung veins and left heart. When there is no more visible air seen on Trans-esophageal echocardiography, the patient is weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass.

After the end of the left heart surgery, the heart is gradually filled with blood from the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit. Cardiac contractions fill the lungs with blood til no more air is seen in left heart on Trans-esophageal Echocardiography. Thereafter the lungs are ventilated with 50% of the estimated lung minute volume and 5 cm positive end-expiratory pressure and cardiac filling and de-airing continued. If no air is seen in the left heart full ventilation is started and the patient is weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass.