Article description

To assess the effect of targeted mild hypercapnia on cerebral oxygen saturation in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Summary:

• In a single-center prospective randomized controlled pilot trial the authors assed the effect of targeted mild hypercapnia on cerebral oxygen saturation in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting at U. N. Mehta Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
• In total 100 patients were randomized 1:1 to either mild hypercapnia or normocapnia group
• The primary outcome was cerebral oxygen saturation measured intraoperatively
• Secondary outcomes included the standardized minimental-state examination postoperatively
• The mild hypercapnia group had a higher cerebral oxygen saturation intraoperatively, as compared to the normocapnia group.
• Compared to preoperative values, minimental-state scores of the normocapnia group were significantly lower 12 and 24 hours postextubation; which was not the case for the mild hypercapnia group
• The authors conclude that mild hypercapnia during grafting can increase cerebral oxygen saturation and may help maintaining cognition postoperatively.