Are femoral artery pressures more reliable than radial artery pressures on initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass?
Although radial artery pressures are more commonly monitored during cardiac surgery, femoral artery perfusion pressures are more reliable during the initial part of CPB, and routine monitoring of femoral artery pressures may prevent vasoconstrictor use on initiation of CPB.
Continuous electroencephalographic monitoring identified seizures in 8% of neonates after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. The majority of seizures had no clinical correlate and would not have been otherwise identified. Seizure occurrence is a marker of greater illness severity and increased mortality. Further study is needed to determine whether seizure identification and management lead to improved outcomes.