title: Cerebral protection during surgery of the thoracic aorta: a review.
abstract: Operations on the aortic arch remain a major challenge for the cardiac surgeon and neurologic injuries represent the most feared complication. During the last decades, different cerebral protection techniques, including deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, and retrograde and antegrade cerebral perfusion have been introduced into clinical practice to reduce the incidence of such complications. All three methods present advantages and disadvantages. In this review, the theoretical impact of the current methods of brain protection is reported and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, St. Maria Hospital, Bari, Italy. m_dieus@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Eusanio
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Eusanio
mesh_terms: D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery*; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D010477:Perfusion; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*