Effects on the brain of extracorporeal circulation in open heart surgery

Abstract

Cerebral involvement was noted in 8 of 24 consecutive patients who underwent cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation. The evidence for brain involvement was established on clinical grounds alone in 1 patient, by neuropathologic changes alone in 3, by both clinical and pathologic abnormalities in 2 patients, and by EEG changes in 2 others. No significant differences were noted between pre- and postoperative psychologic testing. The observed incidence of neurologic complications after cardiopulmonary bypass may be high; a number of possible complications of open heart surgery exist which may affect the brain.