Introduction: Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) is used in corrective cardiac surgery for complex congenital heart disease. Endogenous protective mechanisms may be responsible for the prevention of brain damage after hypothermic ischemia. Neuroglobin and cytoglobin are expressed in brain cells and appear to modulate hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConflicting results have been reported with regard to the neuroprotective effects of steroid treatment with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). We evaluated the mode and severity of neuronal cell injury in neonatal piglets after prolonged DHCA and the possible neuroprotective effect of systemic pretreatment (>6 h before surgery) with large-dose methylprednisolone (MP). Nineteen neonatal piglets (age, <10 days; weight, 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Brain injury and altered psychomotor development in infants, children and adults after cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) is still a matter of concern. Early diagnosis and identification of brain injury that has occurred or is ongoing by measurement of biochemical markers in serum may have diagnostic and prognostic value. The aim of the experimental studies in an animal model was therefore to investigate the release patterns of astroglial and neuronal markers in serum and to determine the morphological and immunohistochemical changes in the brain of animals undergoing similar perfusion conditions of CPB and a period of DHCA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF