Postoperative neurological complications in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass

Introduction: Neurological dysfunction in the postoperative period of cardiovascular surgery is one of the leading causes of disability, for the possible sequels after the onset of this complication. Objective: To characterize the behavior of neurological complications in the postoperative period of patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Method: A descriptive, longitudinal, retrospective study was conducted with 39 patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit of the Cardiocentro Ernesto Che Guevara in Santa Clara, Cuba, who presented with neurological dysfunction in the immediate postoperative period, from January 2011 to December 2013. Results: Neurological dysfunction was more frequent in males (74.3%) and the age group from 64 to 74 years. Myocardial revascularization was the most prevalent surgery. Smoking was present in 51.3% of patients and 92.3% suffered from hypertension. Most patients remained for more than 120 minutes with cardiopulmonary bypass. Type II neurological complications predominated, mainly disorientation in 35.9% of cases. Conclusions: There was a predominance of males of advanced age, smokers, with hypertension, who underwent myocardial revascularization with prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass. Disorientation was the most common neurological complication.