Anesthesia and analgesia
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2018
Case ReportsAcute Intracardiac Thrombosis and Pulmonary Thromboembolism After Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Systematic Review of Reported Cases.
Intracardiac thrombosis (ICT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are life-threatening events, but pathological mechanisms are not yet well defined. The aim of this review is to provide an update of case literature of a postbypass hypercoagulable state. Case commonalities among 48 ICT/PE events included congestive heart failure (50%), platelet transfusion (37.5%), CPB duration greater than 3 hours (37.5%), and aortic injury (27.1%). ⋯ Thrombolytic therapy was infrequently used (5 of 48 times), but its efficacy is questionable due to common use of antifibrinolytic therapy (77.1% of cases). Acute ICT/PE events appear to rarely occur, but common features include prolonged CPB, depressed myocardial function, major vascular injury, and hemostatic interventions. Further efforts to elucidate pathomechanisms and optimize anticoagulation during CPB and hemostatic interventions after CPB are warranted.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2018
Improving Performance by Monitoring the Success Rate of Peripheral Nerve Blocks.
In our hospital, we introduced a system to measure the collective and individual efficacy of brachial plexus and popliteal nerve blocks with the objective to create transparency as an instrument for monitoring and improvement. Initially, individual results were anonymous, but after 1 year anonymity was lifted within the team of anesthesiologists and results are now discussed quarterly. Collective performance of interscalene, supraclavicular, and popliteal blocks improved significantly over time. Sharing and discussing collective and individual performance has resulted in critical self-appraisal and increased willingness to learn from each other and strengthened the team's ambition for further improvement.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2018
Tranexamic Acid Does Not Influence Cardioprotection by Ischemic Preconditioning and Remote Ischemic Preconditioning.
Prior studies have suggested that the antifibrinolytic drug aprotinin increases the infarct size after ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) and attenuates the effect of ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Aprotinin was replaced by tranexamic acid (TXA) in clinical practice. Here, we investigated whether TXA influences I/R injury and/or cardioprotection initiated by IPC and/or remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC). ⋯ Compared to control group (56% ± 11%), IPC reduced infarct size by 46% (30% ± 6%; mean difference, 26%; 95% confidence interval, 19-33; P < .0001), and RIPC reduced infarct size by 29% (40% ± 8%; mean difference, 16%; 95% confidence interval, 9-24; P < .011). Additional application of TXA had no effect on I/R injury and cardioprotection by IPC or RIPC. TXA does not abolish infarct size reduction by IPC or RIPC.
-
Hemodynamic monitoring is essential for prompt and effective interventions in intensive care unit patients. We developed a custom-made transthoracic echocardiography transducer holder consisting of transducer holder and skin patch attachment. This holder allowed continuous transthoracic echocardiography monitoring in 5 adult patients with circulatory failure due to shock, and 6 pediatric patients after successful percutaneous closure of a ventricular septal defect. One case of an unexpected hemopericardium was promptly diagnosed and pericardiocentesis was performed, and 1 patient required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.