[Protection of the central nervous system during thoracic aortic surgery].

Cardiovascular surgery is constantly progressing. However, the prevalence of central nervous system injury is greater after operations on the aortic arch than after other types of aortic or cardiac surgery. The central nervous system injury is a frequent cause of death or complications after such operations and is likely to occur as a result of the embolization of particulate matter or severe global ischemia during the interval of circulatory arrest. Several different methods are currently being used to protect them during operations on the aortic arch. This thesis is organized about the protection methods for these procedures.