[Monitoring of cerebral electrical activity during cardiac surgery (author's transl)]

Continuous recording of cerebral activity by the Cerebral Function Monitor is a useful supplementation to anaesthetic monitoring in cardiac surgery. It is a simple and reliable method for early detection of cerebral damage during heart surgery and in other situations with possible cerebral impairment. The operating principles of the Cerebral Function Monitor and the interpretation of the electrical activity tracings are presented. Therapeutic considerations to minimize or to prevent anoxic brain damage are offered.