title: Impact of perioperative infarcts after cardiac surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Brain injury after cardiac surgery is a serious concern for patients and their families. The purpose of this study was to use 3-T fluid attenuated inversion recovery MRI to characterize new and preexisting cerebral ischemic lesions in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and to test whether the accumulation of new ischemic lesions adversely affects cognition.
  
  
  METHODS
  Digital comparison of before and after fluid attenuated inversion recovery MRI images was performed for 77 cardiac surgery patients. The burden of preexisting versus new ischemic lesions was quantified and compared with the results of baseline and postoperative neuropsychological testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After surgery, new lesions were identified in 31% of patients, averaging 0.5 lesions per patient (67 mm(3) [0.004%] of brain tissue). Patients with preexisting lesions were 10× more likely to receive new lesions after surgery than patients without preexisting lesions. Preexisting ischemic lesions were observed in 64% of patients, averaging 19.4 lesions (1542 mm(3) [0.1%] of brain tissue). New lesions in the left hemisphere were significantly smaller and more numerous (29 lesions; median volume, 44 mm(3); volume range, 5-404 mm(3)) than those on the right (10 lesions; median volume, 128 mm(3); volume range, 13-1383 mm(3)), which is consistent with a cardioembolic source of particulate emboli. Overall, the incidence of postoperative cognitive decline was 46% and was independent of whether new lesions were present.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New lesions after cardiac surgery added a small (≈4%) contribution to the burden of preexisting cerebrovascular disease and did not seem to affect cognitive function.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  http://public.ukcrn.org.uk. Unique identifier:
  11702.
authors: From the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., M.A.H., C.B., J.J., K.M., E.C.); Leicester NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., E.C.); University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom (M.A.H., C.B., J.M., E.C.); and Faculty of Psychology and Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (V.E.).
authors: Nikil
authors: N
authors: Patel
authors: From the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., M.A.H., C.B., J.J., K.M., E.C.); Leicester NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., E.C.); University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom (M.A.H., C.B., J.M., E.C.); and Faculty of Psychology and Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (V.E.).
authors: Mark A
authors: MA
authors: Horsfield
authors: From the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., M.A.H., C.B., J.J., K.M., E.C.); Leicester NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., E.C.); University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom (M.A.H., C.B., J.M., E.C.); and Faculty of Psychology and Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (V.E.).
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Banahan
authors: From the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., M.A.H., C.B., J.J., K.M., E.C.); Leicester NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., E.C.); University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom (M.A.H., C.B., J.M., E.C.); and Faculty of Psychology and Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (V.E.).
authors: Justyna
authors: J
authors: Janus
authors: From the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., M.A.H., C.B., J.J., K.M., E.C.); Leicester NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., E.C.); University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom (M.A.H., C.B., J.M., E.C.); and Faculty of Psychology and Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (V.E.).
authors: Katie
authors: K
authors: Masters
authors: From the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., M.A.H., C.B., J.J., K.M., E.C.); Leicester NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., E.C.); University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom (M.A.H., C.B., J.M., E.C.); and Faculty of Psychology and Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (V.E.).
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Morlese
authors: From the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., M.A.H., C.B., J.J., K.M., E.C.); Leicester NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., E.C.); University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom (M.A.H., C.B., J.M., E.C.); and Faculty of Psychology and Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (V.E.).
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Egan
authors: From the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., M.A.H., C.B., J.J., K.M., E.C.); Leicester NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom (N.P., E.C.); University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom (M.A.H., C.B., J.M., E.C.); and Faculty of Psychology and Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (V.E.). emlc1@le.ac.uk.
authors: Emma M L
authors: EM
authors: Chung
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015331:Cohort Studies; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics
keywords: cerebral infarction; magnetic resonance imaging; neuropsychology; thoracic surgery