Editorial Commentary: "A Rush of Blood From the Head"-Predicting and Preventing Cerebral Deoxygenation During Beach-Chair Shoulder Surgery.

Abstract

Orthopaedic surgeons and anesthesiologists need to work together to avoid catastrophic cerebral ischemic injuries when surgery is performed with patients in the beach-chair position. Patient risk factors include body mass index but are not strongly predictive. Anesthetic management choices, such as regional anesthesia with sedation or normotensive general anesthesia with gradual and limited head elevation and hypercapnia, can significantly decrease the risk of cerebral deoxygenation.