Intraoperative measurement of cortical blood flow adjacent to cerebral AVM using laser Doppler velocimetry.

Standard methods for measurement of cerebral blood flow (CBF) are not optimal for continuous intraoperative recording. Laser Doppler velocimetry has been used for evaluation of microcirculatory flow in a variety of human tissues, including skin, muscle, and retina. The authors report the use of this technique for measuring flow in human cerebral cortex. The physiological changes associated with excision of a cerebral arteriovenous malformation are interpreted using CBF recorded intraoperatively with the laser Doppler probe.