Cerebral complications of cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass

The cerebral complications of cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass are of increasing importance in the practice of cardiac surgery. These complications may be manifested neurologically or neuropsychologically. Cerebral damage may be investigated using pathological, physiological, biochemical or imaging techniques. Attention is currently being focussed on interventions to reduce not only the severe neurological sequelae seen rarely after cardiopulmonary bypass but also to reduce the more widespread neuropsychological or intellectual deficit seen. Interventions may be primarily either in the equipment used such as with the use of membrane as opposed to bubble oxygenators or with new pharmacological agents such as aspartate receptor antagonists.