Summary

Background and objectives: The aim of this prospective, observational study was to evaluate changes in regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) and incidence of intraoperative cerebral desaturation in a cohort of elderly patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. Methods: rSO2 was continuously monitored on the left and right sides of the forehead in 60 patients older than 65 yr (35 males and 25 females; ASA II–III; age: 72 ± 5 yr; without pre-existing cerebral pathology, and baseline Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score >23) undergoing sevoflurane anaesthesia for major abdominal, non-vascular surgery >2 h. Results: Baseline rSO2 was 63 ± 8%; cerebral desaturation (rSO2 decrease <75% of baseline or <80% in case of baseline rSO2 <50%) occurred in 16 patients (26%). The MMSE decreased from 28 ± 1 before surgery to 27 ± 2 on 7th postoperative day (P = 0.05). A decline in cognitive function (decrease in MMSE score ≥ 2 points one week after surgery as compared to baseline value) was observed in six patients without intraoperative cerebral desaturation (13.6%) and six patients who had intraoperative cerebral desaturation (40%) (P = 0.057) (odds ratio: 4.22; CI95%: 1.1–16). Median (range) hospital stay was 14 (5–41) days in patients with an area under the curve of rSO2 <50% (AUCrSO2<50%) >10 min%, and 10 (4–30) days in those with an AUCrSO2<50% <10 min% (P = 0.0005). Conclusions: In a population of healthy elderly patients, undergoing non-vascular abdominal surgery cerebral desaturation can occur in up to one in every four patients, and the occurrence of cerebral desaturation is associated with a higher incidence of early postoperative cognitive decline and longer hospital stay.

Summary

Background and objectives: This study was undertaken to compare the effect of alpha-stat vs. pH-stat strategies for acid–base management on regional cerebral oxygen saturation (RsO2) in patients undergoing moderate hypothermic haemodilution cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods: In 14 adult patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting, an awake RsO2 baseline value was monitored using a cerebral oximeter (INVOS 5100). Cerebral oximetry was then monitored continuously following anaesthesia and during the whole period of CPB. Mean ± SD of RsO2, CO2, mean arterial pressure and haematocrit were determined before bypass and during the moderate hypothermic phase of the CPB using the alpha-stat followed by pH-stat strategies of acid–base management. Alpha-stat was then maintained throughout the whole period of CPB. Results: The mean baseline RsO2 in the awake patient breathing room air was 59.6 ± 5.3%. Following anaesthesia and ventilation with 100% oxygen, RsO2 increased up to 75.9 ± 6.7%. Going on bypass, RsO2 significantly decreased from a pre-bypass value of 75.9 ± 6.7% to 62.9 ± 6.3% during the initial phase of alpha-stat strategy. Shifting to pH-stat strategy resulted in a significant increase of RsO2 from 62.9 ± 6.3% to 72.1 ± 6.6%. Resuming the alpha-stat strategy resulted in a significant decrease of RsO2 to 62.9 ± 7.8% which was similar to the RsO2 value during the initial phase of alpha-stat. Conclusion: During moderate hypothermic haemodilutional CPB, the RsO2 was significantly higher during the pH-stat than during the alpha-stat strategy. However, the RsO2 during pH-stat management was significantly higher than the baseline RsO2 value in the awake patient breathing room air, denoting luxury cerebral perfusion. In contrast, the RsO2 during alpha-stat was only slightly higher than the baseline RsO2, suggesting that the alpha-stat strategy avoids luxury perfusion, but can maintain adequate cerebral oxygen supply-demand balance during moderate hypothermic haemodilutional CPB.