Evaluation of VEP Parameters in Patients Before and After Cardiopulmonary By-Pass Surgery

Introduction: Coronary bypass surgery is emphasized in aetiology of ischemic optic neuropathy. Our aim in this study was to investigate the pattern visual evoked potentials (PVEP) in patients before and after coronary bypass surgery.Methods: Thirty-one patients were included in the study. After a full ophthalmological evaluation, PVEP was assesed in the pre and postoperative periods. Operative times, hematological parameters, blood pressures, number of transfusions, body temperatures, anaesthetic drugs and systemic illnesses were recorded for each patient. Results: The mean age of the patients were 59±10.4 years. There was 22 men and 9 women in the study. Only 3 of them needed transfusion during the surgery. The mean duration of the surgery was 3.2±0.7 hours. None of the patients had a history of visual disturbance or postoperative ischemic optic neuropathy. The mean VEP P100 amplitude was not statistically significantly different but the mean VEP P100 latency showed statistically significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative periods. (p=0.014) This significance was more appereant in patients with systemic illnesses. (p= 0.023) There was a positive correlation between the age and VEP P100 latency. (r = 0.402, p< 0.05) Conclusions: Although surgical techniques and equipments are developing each day in the field of cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, the contributing factors such as hypothermia, anemia and diabetes still seem to affect neurophysiological functions even after a noncomplicated surgery.

Causes affecting the working capacity of patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery (systematic review)

A review of the available domestic and foreign literary sources is presented concerning factors affecting the working capacity of persons after coronary artery bypass grafting. It was found that in Russia, after surgical treatment of coronary heart disease, there is an increase in the number of disabled people compared to foreign data. In recent years, there has been an increase in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery. However, this did not reduce the increasing number of disabled people after coronary artery bypass grafting, which does not correspond to the initial expectations about the cost-effectiveness of this type of surgery. According to Russian researchers, the proportion of persons with disabilities referred for surgical myocardial revascularization was 39.0-42.5%. Subsequently, this indicator increased to 64.0%. In other countries, the dynamics are different. Among patients under 60 years of age who underwent surgical treatment of coronary artery disease, more than half returned to work. In general, labour activity was restored by 67.5%, and the number of disabled persons decreased from 56.0 to 42.0%. Social and medical factors were assessed to establish the causes of disability after coronary artery bypass grafting. World experience testifies to the critical role of state social support in preserving the labour status of patients, which ultimately justifies the economic costs of surgical treatment. To assess the degree of disability after coronary artery bypass grafting, social status before surgical treatment of coronary heart disease, and the severity of comorbid pathology. To increase the economic efficiency of coronary bypass surgery, it is necessary to organize an affordable and effective rehabilitation program, uniform criteria for referring patients to medical and social expertise.