The detection of cerebral hypoperfusion with bispectral index monitoring during general anesthesia.

We describe a patient in whom the bispectral index (BIS) decreased to 0 during surgery. A 42-yr-old man with chronic renal failure was scheduled to undergo construction of an arteriovenous shunt. He had a history of acute cerebral hemorrhage.

Is intrathecal magnesium sulfate safe and protective against ischemic spinal cord injury in rabbits?

We performed three sets of experiments to investigate the safety of intrathecal magnesium and to determine its optimal dose for protection, if any, against ischemic spinal cord injury in rabbits. First, we examined neurotoxicity of 0.3, 1, 2, or 3 mg/kg of magnesium sulfate (n = 6 each).

The temporal profile of the reaction of microglia, astrocytes, and macrophages in the delayed onset paraplegia after transient spinal cord ischemia in rabbits.

Unlabelled: In the present study, we sought to elucidate the temporal profile of the reaction of microglia, astrocytes, and macrophages in the progression of delayed onset motor dysfunction after spinal cord ischemia (15 min) in rabbits. At 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h after reperfusion (9 animals in each), hind limb motor function was assessed, and the lumbar spinal cord was histologically examined. Delayed motor dysfunction was observed in most animals at 48 h after ischemia, which could be predicted by a poor recovery of segmental spinal cord evoked potentials at 15 min of reperfusion.

Are serum S100beta proteins and neuron-specific enolase predictors of cerebral damage in cardiovascular surgery?

Objective: To examine whether serum concentrations of S100beta protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) are predictors of cerebral damage in cardiovascular surgery.

Design: Prospective clinical study.

Setting: University hospital.