Use of del nido cardioplegia solution and a low-prime recirculating cardioplegia circuit in pediatrics

The evolution of myocardial protection techniques has been both the source of milestone advancements and controversial debate in cardiac surgery. Our institution has modified a low-prime cardioplegia system (CPS) and adopted a single-dose cardioplegia solution (del Nido cardioplegia) for our congenital heart disease population. The goal of this article is to describe our CPS and outline our myocardial protection protocol. These techniques have allowed us to minimize circuit surface area, operate uninterrupted, and safely protect the myocardium during extended ischemic periods.