Noninvasive brain monitoring to protect you during aortic arch surgery
Noninvasive optical assessment of neuroprotection in deep hypothermic circulatory arrest procedures
This project uses a noninvasive optical sensor to watch brain blood flow and oxygen in people having deep hypothermic circulatory arrest for aortic arch surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11330262 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you need aortic arch surgery that requires stopping blood flow to the brain, researchers will place a safe, noninvasive optical sensor on your head to monitor cerebral blood flow and oxygen in real time during the operation. The team will compare common brain-protection methods—such as cooling and antegrade versus retrograde cerebral perfusion—to see how each approach affects oxygen delivery and warning signs of injury. The goal is to detect overload, poor perfusion, or embolic signals during surgery so the surgical team can adjust perfusion strategies immediately. Researchers will link these intraoperative measurements with outcomes like stroke, delirium, and postoperative cognitive changes to identify patterns that predict better recovery.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults scheduled for aortic arch replacement who will undergo deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and cardiopulmonary bypass.
Not a fit: People having other types of heart surgery that do not require circulatory arrest, or those with scalp wounds or devices that prevent optical monitoring, are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help surgeons tailor brain protection during aortic surgery to reduce stroke, delirium, and long-term cognitive problems.
How similar studies have performed: Cerebral oximetry and related optical monitoring have been used in cardiac surgery with mixed results, so applying these techniques specifically to deep hypothermic circulatory arrest is relatively new and promising but not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Carp, Stefan Alexandru — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Carp, Stefan Alexandru
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.