The incidence of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing cardiac surgery is very high and increases morbidity and mortality. The possibility of pharmacological means to reduce its incidence is ...very attractive. At present, there is still no clear demonstration that any drug can prevent postoperative delirium in these patients. The aim of this Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) was to evaluate whether there is evidence that a drug is effective in reducing the incidence of POD in cardiac surgical patients. Our NMA showed that preoperative ketamine at subanesthetic doses can significantly reduce the incidence of POD. Risperidone also decreases the incidence of POD, but not significantly.
Background
Aortic stenosis is the most common valvular disease and has a dismal prognosis without surgical treatment. The aim of this meta‐analysis was to quantitatively assess the comparative ...effectiveness of the Perceval (LivaNova) valve versus conventional aortic bioprostheses.
Methods and Results
A total of 6 comparative studies were identified, including 639 and 760 patients who underwent, respectively, aortic valve replacement with the Perceval sutureless valve (P group) and with a conventional bioprosthesis (C group). Aortic cross‐clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass duration were significantly lower in the P group. No difference in postoperative mortality was shown for the P and C groups (2.8% versus 2.7%, respectively; odds ratio OR: 0.99 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.52–1.88; P=0.98). Incidence of postoperative renal failure was lower in the P group compared with the C group (2.7% versus 5.5%; OR: 0.45 95% CI, 0.25–0.80; P=0.007). Incidence of stroke (2.3% versus 1.7%; OR: 1.34 95% CI, 0.56–3.21; P=0.51) and paravalvular leak (3.1% versus 1.6%; OR: 2.52 95% CI, 0.60–1.06; P=0.21) was similar, whereas P group patients received fewer blood transfusions than C group patients (1.16±1.2 versus 2.13±2.2; mean difference: 0.99 95% CI, −1.22 to −0.75; P=0.001). The incidence of pacemaker implantation was higher in the P than the C group (7.9% versus 3.1%; OR: 2.45 95% CI, 1.44–4.17; P=0.001), whereas hemodynamic Perceval performance was better (transvalvular gradient 23.42±1.73 versus 22.8±1.86; mean difference: 0.90 95% CI, 0.62–1.18; P=0.001), even during follow‐up (10.98±5.7 versus 13.06±6.2; mean difference: −2.08 95% CI, −3.96 to −0.21; P=0.030). We found no difference in 1‐year mortality.
Conclusions
The Perceval bioprosthesis improves the postoperative course compared with conventional bioprostheses and is an option for high‐risk patients.
In critically ill patients, standard transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) generally does not facilitate good image quality during mechanical ventilation. We propose a prone-TTE in prone positioned ...patients, which allows clinicians to obtain a complete apical four-chamber (A-4-C) view. A basic cardiac assessment can be performed in order to evaluate right ventricle function and left ventricle performance, even measuring objective parameters, i.e., tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE); pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PAP), from the tricuspid regurgitation peak Doppler velocity; RV end-diastolic diameter and its ratio to left ventricular end-diastolic diameter; the S’ wave peak velocity with tissue Doppler imaging; the ejection fraction (EF); the mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE); diastolic function evaluation by the mitral valve; and annular Doppler velocities. Furthermore, by tilting the probe, we can obtain the apical-five-chamber (A-5-C) view, which facilitates the analysis of blood flow at the level of the output tract of the left ventricle (LVOT) and then the estimation of stroke volume. Useful applications of this technique are hemodynamic assessment, titration of fluids, vasoactive drugs therapy, and evaluation of the impact of prone positioning on right ventricle performance and right pulmonary resistances. We believe that considerable information can be drawn from a single view and hope this may be helpful to emergency and critical care clinicians whenever invasive hemodynamic monitoring tools are not available or are simply inconvenient due to clinical reasons.
Background: The Cardiac Power Index (CPI) measures the rate of energy output generated by the heart and correlates this with in-hospital mortality due to cardiogenic shock. In open aortic surgery, ...both aortic clamping and unclamping expose the heart to abrupt variations of the left ventricle afterload, preload, and contractility, with possible hemodynamic impairment. We investigated how aortic-cross clamping (Ao-XC) and unclamping (Ao-UC) procedures affect the CPI during open aortic surgery. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed our surgical database of 67 patients submitted to open surgical aortic repair at Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan. Patients were monitored by an EV1000-FloTrac SystemTM (Edwards Lifescience, Irvine, CA, USA) beyond the standard intra-operative hemodynamic monitoring. The primary outcome was the variation of basal CPI after aortic clamping and unclamping. Secondary outcomes were variations of the cardiac index (CI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, and lactate during aortic clamping and after unclamping. The CPI was computed as: (CI × MAP)/451. Results: The CPI changed significantly after aortic unclamping. CPI: basal = 0.39 ± 0.1 W/m2, after Ao-XC = 0.39 ± 0.1 W/m2, and after Ao-UC = 0.44 ± 0.2 W/m2, p < 0.05. The CI changed during both cross-clamping and unclamping (p < 0.0001), whilst the MAP and heart rate did not during any phase of the surgery. Five subjects (8.3%) needed inotropic support after cross-clamping. Their basal CPI was lower than the general population: 0.31 ± 0.11 W/m2 vs. 0.39 ± 0.1 W/m2. Conclusions: The CPI describes the adaptation of the cardiac function to the changes in preload, contractility, and afterload occurring during aortic cross-clamping and unclamping. It may be used to explore the cardiac performance in real-time and predict cardiac impairment in the intraoperative period in a minimally invasive way, similar to ventriculo-arterial coupling parameters.
Background The hypothesis that fenoldopam mesylate, by increasing renal flow, could reduce renal damage in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass has gained great interest. ...The aim of the current study was to quantify the relationship of the increase of the renal blood flow as a function of the fenoldopam dose in these patients and to evaluate renal flow distribution within the renal parenchyma using Doppler. Methods Twenty-five patients admitted to cardiac surgery have been enrolled. We used the Doppler technique to measure renal blood flow at the level of the renal, segmental, interlobar, and interlobular arteries. We calculated both the resistive and pulsatility indexes in all the renal segments. Moreover, we calculated echographically all the variables of preload, afterload, and cardiac index. Measurements were performed at baseline and after the infusion of fenoldopam mesylate at the doses of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 μg · kg−1 · min−1. Results Fenoldopam infusion at doses more than 0.1 μg · kg−1 · min−1 significantly increases blood flow in all renal compartments, thus improving the resistive and pulsatility indexes starting at a dose of 0.1 μg · kg−1 · min−1 . The highest renal flow increase is observed with 0.3 μg · kg−1 · min−1 . Fenoldopam seems to increase the renal flow directed to the most external kidney areas. Systemic hemodynamically significant changes are observed only in patients receiving doses more than 0.1 μg · kg−1 · min−1. Conclusions In hemodynamically stable patients undergoing cardiac surgery with preserved renal function, fenoldopam shows a pharmacodynamic dose-dependent profile: it significantly increases renal flow and reduces the resistances of the renal circulation starting at a dose of 0.1 μg · kg−1 · min−1.
Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 0.1 μg/kg/min of fenoldopam mesylate on renal flow and central hemodynamics measured by echocardiography in hemodynamically stable ...patients with preserved renal function undergoing cardiac surgery. Design Experimental observational study. Setting Single-institutional community hospital study. Participants Thirty patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Intervention Fenoldopam mesylate infusion (0.1 μg/kg/min) in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. Measurements and Main Results Doppler measurements of renal blood flow and echocardiographic hemodynamic determinations after Doppler echocardiography measured flux velocities of the main, segmental, and interlobar and interlobular right renal arteries. The authors calculated the resistive index of all the renal segments studied. Moreover, the authors measured the flux of the main renal artery and its diameter as well as the main hemodynamic variables. All the measurements were performed in the intensive care unit setting at baseline and 20 minutes after the infusion of 0.1 μg/kg/min of fenoldopam mesylate. Fenoldopam mesylate infusion significantly increased blood flow in all renal compartments, thus improving the resistive index. The study showed that fenoldopam mesylate infusion does not induce any significant change of the heart rate or arterial pressure, cardiac output, preload, or wall stress. Conclusions In hemodynamically stable cardiac surgery patients with preserved renal function, an infusion of 0.1 μg/kg/min of fenoldopam mesylate has no influence on systemic hemodynamics while increasing renal blood flow.
Objectives To measure the effects of fenoldopam mesylate infusion on splanchnic blood flow in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization with cardiopulmonary bypass. Design An experimental ...observational study. Setting A single-institution community hospital. Participants Eighteen patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Interventions Fenoldopam mesylate infusion (0.1 μg/kg/min). Measurements and Main Results Blood flow through the celiac artery, superior mesenteric artery, portal vein and hepatic artery were assessed by means of Doppler measurements. The main hemodynamic variables were measured using echocardiography. The infusion of fenoldopam significantly increased the blood flow through both celiac and superior mesenteric arteries by decreasing vascular resistance. The percentage of cardiac output directed to these 2 vessels increased significantly; the increase through the superior mesenteric artery was greater compared with the celiac artery. Portal vein and hepatic artery blood flow also consistently increased. No significant variations were observed with respect to hemodynamic variables. Conclusions The infusion of fenoldopam increased the flow through the celiac artery and superior mesenteric artery; the effect was higher for the latter. These changes did not affect the hemodynamic variables.
Postoperative hemorrhage in cardiac surgery is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Standard laboratory tests fail as predictors for bleeding in the surgical setting. The use of ...viscoelastic (VE) hemostatic assays thromboelastography (TEG) and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) could be an advantage in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The objective of this meta-analysis was to analyze the effects (benefits and harms) of VE-guided transfusion practice in cardiac surgery patients.
A meta-analysis of randomized trials.
For this study, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Collaboration database were searched, and only randomized controlled trials were included. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed in accordance with the standards set forth by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement, using a random-effects model.
The study comprised adult cardiac surgery patients.
VE-hemostatic assays transfusion algorithm compared with transfusion algorithms based on clinicians’ discretion.
Seven comparative randomized controlled trials were considered, including a total of 1,035 patients (522 patients in whom a TEG- or ROTEM-based transfusion algorithm was used). In patients treated according to VE-guided algorithms, red blood cell (odds ratio 0.61; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.37-0.99; p: 0.04; I2: 66%) and fresh frozen plasma transfusions (risk difference 0.22; 95% CI: 0.11-0.33; p < 0.0001; I2: 79%) use was reduced; platelets transfusion was not reduced (odds ratio 0.61; 95% CI: 0.32-1.15; p: 0.12; I2 74%).
This study demonstrated that the use of VE assays in cardiac surgical patients is effective in reducing allogenic blood products exposure, postoperative bleeding at 12 and 24 hours after surgery, and the need for redo surgery unrelated to surgical bleeding.
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