title: A prototype retractor system designed to minimize ischemic brain retractor injury: initial observations.
abstract: The authors have developed and patented a neurosurgical retractor system incorporating an infrared emitter and detector that allows detection of cerebral pulsations. Gentle contact with the surface of cat brains shows cerebral pulsations that correlate with arterial pulse as well as mechanical ventilation. The amplitude of cerebral pulsations decreases with higher retraction pressure and disappears at approximately 20 mmHg. The pressure on the surface of the brain decreased 50% in 5 minutes even though the position of the retractor was maintained constant. The authors postulate that monitoring cerebral pulsation may prove useful in clinical neurosurgery with respect to avoiding excessive retraction, which causes brain damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ochsner Clinic, New Orleans, Louisiana 70121.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Waring
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Housworth
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Voorhies
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Connolly
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002415:Cats; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013525:Surgical Instruments