The assessment of neural injury following open heart surgery by physiological tremor analysis.

Introduction: The appearance of post-operative cognitive dysfunction as a result of open heart surgery has been proven by several studies. Focal and/or sporadic neuron damage emerging in the central nervous system may not only appear as cognitive dysfunction, but might strongly influence features of physiological tremor.

Material And Methods: We investigated 110 patients (age: 34-73 years; 76 male, 34 female; 51 coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), 25 valve replacement, 25 combined open heart surgery, 9 off-pump CABG) before surgery and after open-heart surgery on the 3(rd) to 5(th) post-operative day.

Simple and choice reaction times are prolonged following extracorporeal circulation: a potential method for the assessment of acute neurocognitive deficit.

Background: Cognitive deficit related to open heart surgery came into the focus of interest according to professional and social expectations. The negative effects on quality of life and the large number of involved patients emphasize the need its investigation.

Material/methods: The bedside measurement of simple and choice reaction times (sRT and cRT) has the objectivity of cortical evoked potential analysis without the need for EEG instrumentation and laboratory.