Effect of intraoperative insufflation of carbon dioxide on the neurologic complications in the early postoperative period after open cardiac surgery.

Arterial air embolism in cardiac surgery is not a rare complication, leading to neurological damage in the early postoperative period of 3-5%. Insufflation of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the operative field to prevent cerebral or myocardial damage by air embolism is reported since 1967 in open heart surgery (Selman MW et al. 1967).

Carbon dioxide fills the thoracic cavity by gravity and replaces air if adequately insufflated. Because solubility of CO2 is better than that of air, occlusion or flow disruption in arteries of the brain or the heart is thought to be diminished. Despite carefully performed deairing procedures as puncturing of the ascending aorta and cardiac massage, transcranial Doppler studies revealed large amounts of emboli during the first ejections of the beating heart (van der Linden J et al. 1991). In patiens with minimally invasive approach and redo valve surgery, deairing of the cardiac chambers has become more difficult.

Although the use of carbon dioxide when filling in the surgical field, as the prevention of air embolism reduces the number of intracardiac emboli according to transesophageal echocardiography there is no evidence of a sustained reduction in cerebrovascular events (G. Salvatore al. 2009).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Able to sign Informed Consent and Release of Medical Information forms
• Age 18 - 70 years
• Patients scheduled on cardiac surgery with opening cavities

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of stroke and TIA
• Significant carotid artery stenosis
• Presence of initial severe encephalopathy
• Re-clamping of the aorta
• Emergency surgery