Your browser version may not work well with NCBI's Web applications. More information here...
Related Articles, Links

Comment in:
Jugular bulb saturation and cognitive dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Croughwell ND, Newman MF, Blumenthal JA, White WD, Lewis JB, Frasco PE, Smith LR, Thyrum EA, Hurwitz BJ, Leone BJ, et al.

Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina 27710.

Inadequate cerebral oxygenation during cardiopulmonary bypass may lead to postoperative cognitive dysfunction in patients undergoing cardiac operations. A psychological test battery was administered to 255 patients before cardiac operation and just before hospital discharge. Postoperative impairment was defined as a decline of more than one standard deviation in 20% of tests. Variables significantly (p < 0.05) associated with postoperative cognitive impairment are baseline psychometric scores, largest arterial-venous oxygen difference, and years of education. Jugular bulb hemoglobin saturation is significant if it replaces arterial-venous oxygen difference in the model. Factors correlated with jugular bulb saturation at normothermia were cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption (r = -0.6; p < 0.0005), cerebral blood flow (r = 0.4; p < 0.0005), oxygen delivery (r = 0.4; p < 0.0005), and mean arterial pressure (r = 0.15; p < 0.05). Three measures were significantly related to desaturation at normothermia and at hypothermia as well: greater cerebral oxygen extraction, greater arterial-venous oxygen difference, and lower ratio of cerebral blood flow to arterial-venous oxygen difference. We conclude that cerebral venous desaturation occurs during cardiopulmonary bypass in 17% to 23% of people and is associated with impaired postoperative cognitive test performance.

Publication Types:
PMID: 7979740 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]