Effect of temperature and cardiopulmonary bypass on the auditory evoked response.

We have recorded auditory evoked potentials before and during cardiopulmonary bypass in 10 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery under moderate hypothermia to 27-28 degrees C. The immediate effect of bypass was a small decrease in latency and increase in amplitude of the early cortical response. We also studied two adults and two children during profound hypothermia with circulatory arrest during cardiopulmonary bypass. Reduction in core temperature to 25 degrees C resulted in an increase in latency and amplitude of the brain stem responses; below this temperature the amplitude decreased but latency continued to increase until the auditory evoked response trace became completely flat between 21 and 19 degrees C. These changes were reversible on rewarming.