The Journal of extra-corporeal technology
-
J Extra Corpor Technol · Mar 2010
ReviewManagement and monitoring of anticoagulation for children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass in cardiac surgery.
Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) creates a pro-coagulant state by causing platelet activation and inflammation leading to thrombin generation and platelet dysfunction. It is associated with severe derangements in normal homeostasis resulting in both thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications. This derangement is greater in children with congenital heart disease than in adults because of the immaturity of the coagulation system, hemodilution of coagulation factors, hyperreactive platelets, and in some patients, physiologic changes associated with cyanosis. ⋯ In addition, recent studies suggest that children need larger doses of heparin than adults, because they have lower antithrombin levels, and they metabolize heparin more rapidly. Preliminary studies demonstrated that the use of individualized heparin and protamine monitoring and management in children is associated with reduced platelet activation and dysfunction and improved clinical outcomes. However, this review article clearly establishes that further studies are necessary to obtain evidence-based protocols for the proper management of anticoagulation of children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.
-
J Extra Corpor Technol · Dec 2009
Clinical gaseous microemboli assessment of an oxygenator with integral arterial filter in the pediatric population.
The use of an arterial line filter (ALF) within the pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit is not a new concept. It has always presented the perfusionist with a circuit component that while valuable, increased prime volume. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the change in prime volume and emboli between a conventional oxygenator with separate ALF and a new generation oxygenator with integral arterial filter (AF). ⋯ Removal of the separate ALF led to the removal of several, now unnecessary, arterial connectors and additional tubing (arterial line filter bypass). Removal of these components led to a reduction in prime volume and decreased the hemodilutional effect. The FX15 provided a safe, simplified pediatric CPB circuit and was as effective in gaseous microemboli removal as was the more traditional RX15 with separate ALF during this review.
-
J Extra Corpor Technol · Dec 2009
Defining the late implementation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) by identifying increased mortality risk using specific physiologic cut-points in neonatal and pediatric respiratory patients.
There is no reliable clinical indicator showing how long extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) implementation can be delayed before the risk of death becomes unacceptably high in neonatal and pediatric respiratory patients. However, the late use of ECMO may be defined by the elevation of specific physiologic markers separate from pulmonary function and hemodynamic assessments that indicate when the optimal time for implementation of ECMO has past, resulting in a higher than normal mortality, possibly due to reperfusion injury. Neonatal patients were reviewed retrospectively to determine if later implementation of ECMO correlated to increased mortality. ⋯ Starting ECMO too late may cause reperfusion injury that reduces survival. This study describes specific physiologic markers taken soon after ECMO initiation that correlate with mortality. These markers, if assessed earlier, may allow for a more timely ECMO implementation and higher survival.
-
Neurological deficits such as stroke and subtle psychological, cognitive, and behavioral changes are known risks associated with cardiac surgery. These altered neurologic outcomes have a significant impact on patients and their quality of life postoperatively. Perioperative events, such as cerebral embolism and decrease in cerebral oxygenation and hypoperfusion have been identified as factors causal in producing adverse neurologic outcomes. ⋯ To date, the evaluation of this methodology in a rigorous, prospective manner has not been reported. Our aim is to conduct a randomised clinical trial to evaluate the influence of continuous quality improvement in cardiac surgery using biofeedback (i.e., real time information on physiologic functioning from an integrated monitoring system) to reduce the incidence of potentially adverse events during surgery. By achieving the outcomes of this project, we plan to be able to not only introduce change in our own practice, but provide a framework for other units to introduce change.
-
J Extra Corpor Technol · Sep 2009
Gaseous microemboli in a pediatric bypass circuit with an unprimed venous line: an in vitro study.
Miniaturizing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits to reduce hemodilution and allogenic blood product administration is common in cardiac surgery. One major concern associated with smaller CPB circuits is a possible increase in gaseous microemboli (GME) sent to the cerebral vasculature, which is exacerbated by vacuum-assisted venous drainage (VAVD). The use of VAVD has increased with smaller venous line diameter and venous cannulae. ⋯ Group 2 (57.33 +/- 25.01, p < .05) had significantly more microemboli than group 1 (5.33 +/- 3.21) at the post-oxygenator sensor. No other findings were statistically significant. The results suggest that, if an oxygenator and arterial filter with sufficient air handling capabilities are used, this method to reduce prime volume may not increase GME in the arterial line distal to the arterial filter.