Clinical outcome of a branch-first approach with a novel continuous whole-brain perfusion strategy for total arch surgery.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral protection strategies have been investigated since the introduction of aortic arch surgery and have been modified over the centuries. However, the cerebral protective effects of unilateral and bilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion are similar, with opportunities for further improvement. METHODS: A total of 30 patients who underwent total arch surgery were enrolled in this study. Patients were assigned to the novel continuous whole-brain or unilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion group according to the cerebral perfusion technique used. Preoperative clinical data and 1-year postoperative follow-up data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the incidence of permanent neurological deficit, mortality, or therapeutic efficacy. However, the incidence of temporary neurological dysfunction in the novel whole-brain perfusion group was significantly lower than that in the unilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion group. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the branch-first approach with a novel whole-brain perfusion strategy had no obvious disadvantages compared with unilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion in terms of cerebral protection and surgical safety. These findings suggest that this new technique is feasible and has application value for total arch surgery.

Relationship between consciousness level and perfusion computed tomography in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness.

PURPOSE: We assessed the relationship between consciousness level and values of cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT), and time to peak (TTP) obtained by whole-brain perfusion computed tomography (pCT) in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDOC). METHODS: This study included 29 patients in vegetative state (VS), 34 with minimally consciousness state minus (MCS-), and 13 with minimally consciousness state plus (MCS+). All patients were evaluated using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R), the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and the Full Outline of UnResponsiveness (FOUR). The values of CBF, CBV, MTT, and TTP were obtained from patients who underwent pCT. Differences in CBF, CBV, MTT, and TTP were compared between the three types of pDOC. Correlations between the CRS-R, GCS, and FOUR scores and the pCT results were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the three groups, patients in VS showed a significantly decreased CBF in the bilateral frontal lobe, thalamus, temporal lobe, occipital lobe, brainstem, and damaged part. CBV was significantly reduced in patients with VS in the bilateral frontal lobe, thalamus, temporal lobe, brainstem, and damaged part. The total CRS-R, GCS, and FOUR scores were positively correlated with CBF, CBV, and TTP in almost all regions of interest. CONCLUSION: Reductions in CBF and CBV calculated with pCT are associated with impaired consciousness and perfusion CT could be a promising tool in evaluating the conscious level in patients with pDOC.

Clinical experience of off-pump arch branches preferential reconstruction and whole brain perfusion in the treatment of type A / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To introduce the early results of total aortic arch replacement (TAA) without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and without interruption of cerebral blood supply, using the technique of arch branches preferential reconstruction and whole brain perfusion for brain protection.Methods:Between June 2020 and March 2021, a total of 9 Stanford type A aortic dissection patients we performed total arch replacement by using the technique of arch branches preferential reconstruction and whole brain perfusion without cardiopulmonary bypass and without interruption of blood supply to the brain. The method of this reconstruction technique is as follows: A 24F aortic cannula was inserted into the true lumen at the root of the transverse innominate artery (IA) to connect one end of the artery for cardiopulmonary bypass. The access was connected to 14F artery via Y-connector and inserted into IA cavity to maintain blood supply to brain. Without cardiopulmonary bypass, the 10 mm branch of the four branch artificial blood vessel was anastomosed with the innominate artery IA. The perfusion collateral was connected to the second end of the artery of CPB (single pump and double tubes) to continue to supply blood for IA. The left common carotid artery (LCA) and left subclavian artery (LSCA) were reconstructed by the same method. When IA and LCA were anastomosed, the distal blood supply was not interrupted. After the three branches of the aortic arch were anastomosed, we started to turn the machine, then cooled down and blocked the ascending aorta to further complete the operation of the aortic root and arch. During the period of lower body circulatory arrest, the whole brain was perfused with low flow.Results:No intraoperative death or perioperative complications occurred in all patients, and they were discharged smoothly. The cardiopulmonary bypass time was (192.4±58.1) min, the aortic clamping time was (128.3±52.4) min, the lower body circulatory arrest time was (29.1±1.3) min, and the postoperative awake time was (8.2±3.7) h.Conclusion:Off-pump arch branches preferential reconstruction can provide physiological whole brain perfusion, shorten the cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic occlusion time, and the operation is safe and effective.

The Value of Whole-Brain Perfusion Parameters Combined with Multiphase Computed Tomography Angiography in Predicting Hemorrhagic Transformation in Ischemic Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of whole-brain perfusion parameters combined with multiphase computed tomography angiography (MP-CTA) in predicting the hemorrhagic transformation (HT) of ischemic stroke. METHODS: A total of 64 patients with ischemic stroke who underwent noncontrast computed tomography, computed tomography perfusion imaging, and computed tomography angiography before treatment from August 2017 to June 2019 were included retrospectively. The perfusion parameters cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), time to peak (TTP), mean transit time (MTT), time to maximum (Tmax), and permeability surface (PS) were measured by postprocessing software (Advantage Workstation 4.7 (Revolution, GE Healthcare, USA)), and their ratios between the healthy and affect side relative CBV, relative CBF, relative time to peak (rTTP), relative mean transit time (rMTT), relative Tmax, and relative permeability surface (rPS) were calculated. The differences in perfusion parameters between the HT group and the non-HT group were evaluated. The collateral circulation scores and HT rates were assessed by MP-CTA. Receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn to analyze the diagnostic efficiency of valuable parameters and their correlations with HT. The rate of HT in different treatments were compared. RESULTS: The CBV values in the HT group were lower than those in the non-HT group (P < .05), while the TTP, MTT, Tmax, PS, rTTP, rMTT, and rPS values in the HT group were higher than those in the non-HT group (P < .05). PS (r = .63, area under curve = .881) and rPS (r = .52, area under curve = .814) were significantly correlated with HT. The combination of perfusion parameters and the MP-CTA scores can improve the diagnostic efficiency (area under curve = .891). The HT rate in the group with poor collateral (64.29%) was higher than that in the group with good collateral (11.11%). CONCLUSIONS: Whole-brain perfusion parameters and MP-CTA scores have important application value in assessing the HT risk of ischemic stroke patients before treatment.

Total cerebrovascular blood flow and whole brain perfusion in children sedated using propofol with or without ketamine at induction: An investigation with 2D-Cine PC and ASL.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sedation regimes may be used to facilitate pediatric MRI scans. These regimes might affect cerebral blood flow and hemodynamics to varying degrees, particularly in children who may be vulnerable to anesthetic side effects. PURPOSE: To compare the effects of propofol monosedation solely (Pm group) vs. a combination of propofol and ketamine (KP group) on brain hemodynamics and perfusion. STUDY TYPE: Prospective double-blind randomized trial. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCES: 1.5T and 3T. 2D-Cine phase contrast (2D-Cine PC) and pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (ASL). POPULATION: Children aged from 3 months to 10 years referred for MRI with deep sedation were randomized into either the KP or the Pm group. Perfusion images were acquired with ASL followed by single-slice 2D-Cine PC acquired between the cervical vertebra C2 and C3. ASSESSMENT: Average whole-brain perfusion (WBP ml.min-1 .100 ml-1 ) was extracted from the ASL perfusion maps and total cerebrovascular blood flow (CVF) was quantified by bilaterally summing the flow in the vertebral and the internal carotid arteries. The CVF values were converted to units of ml.min-1 .100 g-1 to calculate the tissue CVF100g (ml.min-1 .100 g-1 ). Images were assessed by a neuroradiologist and data from n = 81 (ASL) and n = 55 (PC) cases with no apparent pathology were entered into the analysis. STATISTICAL TESTS: Multivariate analysis of covariance was performed to compare drug sedation effects on WBP, CVF, and CVF100g . RESULTS: No significant difference in arterial flow was observed (P = 0.57), but the KP group showed significantly higher WBP than the Pm group, covarying for scanner and age (P = 0.003). A correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between mean WBP (ml.min-1 .100 g-1 ) and mean CVF100g . DATA CONCLUSION: The KP group showed higher perfusion but no significant difference in vascular flow compared with the Pm group. WBP and CVF100g correlated significantly, but ASL appeared to have more susceptibility to perfusion differences arising from the different sedation regimes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 4 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1433-1440.