ABSTRACT
The brain is the most complex organ system to understand and monitor. Since neuropsychologic outcome is the most important measure of successful brain protection, these measures must be linked with the immediate results of CNS monitoring. Cerebral blood flow monitors use either a direct tracer methodology based on the Fick principle or infer cerebral blood flow from Doppler measurements of cerebral blood velocity. Transcranial Doppler is another method currently being used to monitor cerebral blood flow during pediatric cardiac surgery. The most important measurement of brain function is metabolism. The capability exists of measuring cerebral metabolic activity during cardiac surgery. Measurements of jugular venous lactate or jugular venous saturation are easily obtained in the clinical setting through the use of a jugular venous bulb catheter. Measurements of jugular venous lactate or jugular venous saturation are easily obtained in the clinical setting through the use of a jugular venous bulb catheter.
