Neurological complications of cardiac surgery.
As increasing numbers of elderly people undergo cardiac surgery, neurologists are frequently called upon to assess patients with neurological complications from the procedure. Some complications mandate acute intervention, whereas others need longer term observation and management. A large amount of published literature exists about these complications and guidance on best practice is constantly changing. Similarly, despite technological advances in surgical intervention and modifications in surgical technique to make cardiac procedures safer, these advances often create new avenues for neurological injury. Accordingly, rapid and precise neurological assessment and therapeutic intervention rests on a solid understanding of the evidence base and procedural variables.
Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. Electronic address: david.mcdonagh@duke.edu.
David L
DL
McDonagh
Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Miles
M
Berger
Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Joseph P
JP
Mathew
Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Carmelo
C
Graffagnino
Department of Surgery (Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Carmelo A
CA
Milano
Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Mark F
MF
Newman
D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000145:classification; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012307:Risk Factors