Cerebral Oxymetry and Neuronal Markers in Newborns and Infants Undergoing Surgery

Retrospective studies have shown that surgery in infancy is associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcome, compared to general population. The reasons may be complex, and patients at risk are unknown. Brain growth and central nervous system formation are extremely active in neonates and infants. Metabolic or circulatory derangement may have negative influence on the developing brain. Disease and perioperative period, both may further put this population at risk for physiological abnormalities. Near infrared spectroscopy was shown to be a convenient method for monitoring of cerebral tissue oxygenation during surgery.

The great majority of anesthetics and sedative drugs, used in perioperative period, were shown to cause neuronal apoptosis in experimental animals. Some studies found that neurological marker S-100B increased in cerebrospinal fluid and blood immediately following anesthesia in animals. Several clinical studies supported this founding in children following cardiac and general surgery.

The aim of this study is to assess the dynamics of S-100B protein pre- and during 72 hours after surgery in neonates and infants aged 1-93 days, operated for abdominal/thoracic/urologic malformations/disease. As S-100B in blood may have extracranial sources, we simultaneously assess other neuronal marker Neuron-specific Enolase.

Inclusion criteria

• patients, undergoing general, thoracic, urological surgery for congenital anomalies or disease
• signed written informed consent by parents/official caregivers

Exclusion criteria

• cardiac surgery
• any evidence of neurological disease
• sepsis
• limited ability to obtain blood samples
• clinically significant anemia
• physical status of the patients corresponding to American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class 4 and 5.