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Cardiac Surgical Complications pp 69–80Cite as

Neurologic Complications

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Abstract

Neurologic complications, which do not directly involve the heart and great vessels, are difficult problems in cardiac surgery. Even if the cardiac portion of the surgery proceeds smoothly, and the outcome is good from a technical point of view, neurologic injuries can occur. This chapter reviews well-described post-surgical peripheral neuropathies involving the brachial plexus, phrenic nerve, and recurrent laryngeal nerve. Other neurologic events associated with cardiopulmonary bypass, including stroke and ischemic optic neuropathy, are also reviewed. Chronic sternal pain, an unusual but potential problem after any sternotomy, is another topic addressed in this chapter. Based on minimal treatment options and unknown variations in patient anatomy, the best methods of addressing neurologic complications are standardized prevention techniques.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Sandhya K. Balaram

  2. Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, NSW, Australia

    Levi Bassin

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  1. Sandhya K. Balaram
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Balaram, S.K., Bassin, L. (2023). Neurologic Complications. In: Cardiac Surgical Complications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71563-2_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71563-2_6

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