Is a left ventricular vent necessary for coronary artery bypass operations performed with cardioplegic arrest?

Gravity Venting of the Left Ventricle: A Useful Adjunct

“…These factors assume importance with increasing use of normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass using warm blood cardioplegia. Distention occurring in the absence of venting is perhaps not of great importance when cold cardioplegic arrest is employed (6).…”

Strategies for Left Ventricular Decompression During Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation - A Narrative Review

“…This results in a detrimental increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume and pressure, which reduces transmural myocardial perfusion, and impairs myocardial recovery and function. [7][8][9][10][11][12] Other complications may include intracardiac thrombosis, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary edema, and reduced likelihood of biventricular recovery and successful weaning from VA-ECMO. [13][14][15][16][17] In order to maximize the likelihood of cardiac recovery, some authors recommend routine left ventricular decompression 18 during VA-ECMO, whereas others propose a more selective approach.…”