Cerebrovascular carbon dioxide reactivity in carotid artery disease. Relation to intraoperative cerebral monitoring results in 100 carotid endarterectomies.
BACKGROUND
In patients with carotid artery disease, poor intracerebral collateralization is reflected by impaired cerebrovascular reactivity to carbon dioxide inhalation, which will improve after endarterectomy. The relationship between preoperative reactivity to carbon dioxide using transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) and intraoperative changes of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and TCD parameters were investigated.


METHODS
In 94 patients, preoperative carbon dioxide reactivity was examined and defined impaired if mean blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (Vm-MCA) increased less than 1.5% mmHg during carbon dioxide challenge. Patients then underwent 100 carotid operations under general anesthesia with both SEP and TCD monitoring. Shunts were placed if SEP amplitude decreased to less then 50% of control or central conduction time increased by 20% after clamping (critical SEP changes). TCD changes were defined as critical in case of a postclamping/preclamping Vm-MCA ratio < or = 0.4. The incidence of critical SEP and TCD changes was compared to preoperative carbon dioxide testing using Fisher's exact test with P < 0.05 considered significant. Postoperatively, neurologic state and carbon dioxide responsiveness were re-examined.


RESULTS
Twelve patients showed impaired preoperative carbon dioxide reactivity on the side of operation, which improved markedly after surgery. The incidence of critical SEP changes in these cases (8.3%) was not significantly different from that in the remaining patients (14.8%). Critical SEP changes were significantly correlated with critical TCD changes (P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with poor carbon dioxide reactivity (preoperative TCD testing) did not have an increased risk of cerebral ischemia during carotid surgery, as assessed by intraoperative SEP recording.
Thiel
A
A
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Zickmann
B
B
Stertmann
W A
WA
Wyderka
T
T
Hempelmann
G
G
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
D002245:Carbon Dioxide