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Survey of the Clinical Assessment and Utility of Near-Infrared Cerebral Oximetry in Cardiac Surgery
Near-infrared cerebral oximetry increasingly is used for monitoring during cardiac surgery. Nonetheless, the scientific basis for incorporating this technology into clinical practice, the indications for when to do so, and standard diagnostic and treatment algorithms for defining abnormal values are yet to be rigorously defined. The authors hypothesized that there would be (1) variation in clinical use and practices for near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and (2) variation in management of patients when clinicians are provided with NIRS information.Early Diagnosis of Superior Vena Cava Obstruction Facilitated by the Use of Cerebral Oximetry
OCCLUSION OR SIGNIFICANT narrowing of the superior vena cava (SVC) leading to SVC syndrome is an uncommon event after cardiac surgery. Unrecognized SVC syndrome may progress to catastrophic airway swelling and cerebral injury. This case describes the occurrence of cerebral venous hypertension and congestion as a consequence of SVC narrowing after an aortic valve replacement (AVR), mitral valve repair, and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, which was rapidly recognized and subsequently repaired because of an acute bilateral significant decrease in cerebral oxygen saturation detected by cerebral oximetry (Invos 5100; Somanetics Corp, Troy, MI).
