Neuromonitoring and Cerebral Morbidity Associated with Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Neurological complications after a cardiac surgery are common and have a large impact on patient outcomes. They are the result of a combination of numerous factors, many of them associated with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Blood pressure control is essential to reduce the incidence of cerebral hypoperfusion and ischemic stroke during and after cardiac surgery. Cerebral oxygen saturation can be tracked using near infrared spectroscopy to assess cerebral perfusion and oxygenation. Careful temperature management plays a key role in preventing cerebral morbidity. Despite multiple attempts to find pharmacologic strategies to prevent neurologic injury, no such solution has been found to reduce the burden of neurologic complications associated with cardiac surgery.