Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2012
Efficacy of intraoperative, single-bolus corticosteroid administration to prevent postoperative acute respiratory failure after oesophageal cancer surgery.
Respiratory failure from acute lung injury (ALI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and pneumonia are the major cause of morbidity and mortality following an oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer. This study was performed to investigate whether an intraoperative corticosteroid can attenuate postoperative respiratory failure. ⋯ Intraoperative corticosteroid administration was associated with a decreased risk of acute respiratory failure following an oesophagectomy. The laboratory data suggest that corticosteroids may attenuate the stress-induced inflammatory responses after surgery.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2012
ReviewWhat is the optimal anticoagulation in patients with a left ventricular assist device?
A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether there is an optimal antithrombotic management for patients supported with axial-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Altogether, more than 758 papers were found using the reported search, of which 17 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. ⋯ All patients with axial-flow LVAD, showed severely impaired platelet function at point of care tests. The use of warfarin (INR target 2.5), in association with aspirin at 100 mg/day, or with point-of-care tests titrated antiplatelet therapy to inhibit 70%, seems to have the best bleeding-thrombosis, and in many cases a very small dose of aspirin of 25 mg twice a day and a dose of clopidogrel of 35 mg/day, were sufficient to achieve a reduction of the maximum aggregation to less than 30%. Finally, we would like to emphasize that such recommendations are addressed only to patients with axial-flow LVAD.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2012
ReviewIs recombinant activated factor VII effective in the treatment of excessive bleeding after paediatric cardiac surgery?
A best evidence topic in paediatric cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether recombinant activated factor VII was effective for the treatment of excessive bleeding after paediatric cardiac surgery. Altogether 150 papers were found using the reported search; 13 papers were identified that provided the best evidence to answer the question. ⋯ However, the rFVIIa was used prophylactically. The other observed that there were no increase in thromboembolic events rather rFVIIa was effective in decreasing excessive bleeding that may complicate cardiac surgery in children. In conclusion, the studies were in support of the notion that the use of rFVIIa was effective in decreasing excessive bleeding which may complicate paediatric cardiac surgery, and care should be exercised when using it in the children on ECMO circuit.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2012
ReviewIs there benefit in smoking cessation prior to cardiac surgery?
A best evidence topic was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether smoking cessation prior to cardiac surgery would result in a greater freedom from postoperative complications. A total of 564 papers were found using the reported searches, of which five represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. ⋯ There were also reductions in duration of intubation (P < 0.0001), intensive care unit stay (P < 0.0001) and hospital stay (P < 0.0013). Another small cohort study reporting outcomes of heart transplantation demonstrated significant improvement in non-smokers in terms of survival (P = 0.031), duration of intubation (P = 0.05) and intensive care unit stay (P = 0.021). We conclude that there is strong evidence demonstrating superior outcomes in non-smokers following cardiac surgery and advocate the necessity of smoking cessation as soon as possible prior to cardiac surgery.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2012
ReviewIs routine postoperative enteral feeding after oesophagectomy worthwhile?
A best evidence topic in surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether, in patients undergoing an oesophagectomy for cancer, immediate postoperative enteral feeding (via percutaneous jejunostomy or nasojejunostomy) provides better patient outcomes as compared to waiting until oral feeding can be instituted. Four randomized controlled trials represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. ⋯ Mortality was higher in the jejunostomy group, although the team did not attribute the deaths to the catheter. They found both methods equally effective in providing postoperative nutrition. In summary, all the trials concluded that routine postoperative enteral nutrition was feasible, but there was no evidence suggesting that it conferred any clinical benefits.