CEREBRAL EFFECTS IN SUPERIOR VENA-CAVAL CANNULA OBSTRUCTION - THE ROLE OF BRAIN MONITORING

A pediatric cardiac case of transient obstruction of the superior vena cava by the venous cannula before cardiopulmonary bypass is presented . With venous obstruction and increase in central venous pressure, red uced cerebral blood flow velocities and absence of diastolic Doppler n ow were detected. This was followed by regional cerebral venous oxygen desaturation and global electroencephalographic slowing. Reposition o f the venous cannula led to the recovery of these physiologic indicato rs and a noncomplicated clinical outcome. (C) 1997 by The Society of T horacic Surgeons.