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Lung ultrasound (LU) has a multitude of features and capacities that make it a useful medical tool to assist physicians contending with the pandemic spread of novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Thus, an LU approach to patients with suspected COVID-19 is being implemented worldwide. In noncritical COVID-19 patients, 2 new LU signs have been described and proposed, the “waterfall” and the “light beam” signs. Both signs have been hypothesized to increase the diagnostic accuracy of LU for COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia. In critically ill patients, a distinct pattern of LU changes seems to follow the disease's progression, and this information can be used to guide decisions about when a patient needs to be ventilated, as occurs in other disease states similar to COVID-19. Furthermore, a new algorithm has been published, which enables the automatic detection of B-lines as well as quantification of the percentage of the pleural line associated with lung disease. In COVID-19 patients, a direct involvement of cardiac function has been demonstrated, and ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction might be present due to the prolonged mechanical ventilation often involved, as reported for similar diseases. For this reason, cardiac and diaphragm ultrasound evaluation are highly important. Last but not least, due to the thrombotic tendency of COVID-19 patients, particular attention also should be paid to vascular ultrasound. This review is primarily devoted to the study of LU in COVID-19 patients. The authors explain the significance of its “light and shadows,” bearing in mind the context in which LU is being used—the emergency department and the intensive care setting. The use of cardiac, vascular, and diaphragm ultrasound is also discussed, as a comprehensive approach to patient care.

The shortage of organs and the growing need for them over recent years have led to the adoption of less stringent donor acceptance criteria, resulting in the approval of marginal organs for transplant, especially from elderly donors. This implies a higher risk of graft dysfunction, a higher frequency of immunological and vascular complications, and shorter graft survival. Several strategies have been implemented in clinical practice to assess graft quality and suitability for transplantation. We have started to test the prospective intraoperative use of thermo-vision cameras during graft reperfusion. Images were acquired using the FLIR One Pro thermo-vision camera for android devices. We hypothesized that thermal images would give a better perspective about the quality of arterial perfusion and graft revascularization of the renal cortex. Thermo-vision cameras provide an easy-to-use, noninvasive, cost-effective tool for the global assessment of kidney graft cortical microcirculation in the immediate post-reperfusion period, providing additional data on the immediate viability and function of a graft.

At the end of 2019, a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was identified as the cause of a cluster of pneumonia cases, with high needs of mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients. It is still unclear whether different types of COVID-19 pneumonia require different ventilator strategies. With electrical impedance tomography (EIT) we evaluated, in real time and bedside, the distribution of ventilation in the different pulmonary regions before, during, and after pronation in COVID-19 respiratory failure. We present a brief literature review of EIT in non-COVID-19 patients and a report of 2 COVID-19 patients: one that did not respond well and another one that improved during and after pronation. EIT might be a useful tool to decide whether prone positioning should or should not be used in COVID-19 pneumonia.

Purpose. Cardiac surgery is characterized by a high risk of complications related to perioperative bleeding. Guidelines suggest the use of local algorithms based on perioperative point-of-care tests to assess and manage potential coagulation abnormalities. We investigated whether heparin reversal administration affects the adenosine-5-diphosphate (ADP) test values, thus identifying the earliest time point following cardio-pulmonary bypass that permits the promptest detection and treatment of potential platelet dysfunctions. Methods. This was a retrospective, single-center, observational study enrolling cardiac surgery patients requiring cardiac bypass. ADP-tests at 4 different time-points during surgery (T0: baseline, T1: at aortic de-clamping, T2: 10 minutes after protamine administration, and T3: at the end of surgery) were performed. Results. 63 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery were studied. Baseline ADP-test values were almost constantly greater than intraoperative values, and end of surgery values were often greater than previous intraoperative values. The only difference that proved to be not statistically significant was between T1 and T2, with a clinically insignificant mean difference of −.2 U (95%CI of difference: −6.9 - 6.5 U). There was no correlation between the variation in ADP-test values pre- and post-protamine administration and the protamine-to-heparin ratio. Conclusion. The results of the present study support the hypothesis that the ADP-test could be performed early, at aortic de-clamping before protamine administration. This approach allows for the promptest assessment of a potential impairment in platelet function, and its timely correction.

Italy adopted a law on chronic pain in March 2010, which focused on detection and management of this symptom, that affects approximately 25% of the population. The aim of this study is to analyze the interest of the Italian population in palliative care and chronic pain and to understand whether the Law 38/2010 made an impact on the internet search on chronic pain. Five research parameters were included using Google Trends (chronic pain, anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, fibromyalgia, medical cannabis) from 2004 to 2019 using "joint point regression analysis." Comparisons of annual relative search volume (ARSV), average annual percentage change (AAPC), and temporal patterns were analyzed to assess loss or gain of interest in research of all the terms after adopting Law 38/2010; collected data were analyzed using Kruskall-Wallis test. The research trend of almost every word increased in time (AAPC > 0) with significant inflexion points after issuing law on chronic pain management in March 2010. Our results suggest the relevance of internet search engines, like "Doctor Google," to translate and share knowledge about specific conditions, diseases, and treatment alternatives, with a call to a raise in authoritative scientific voices on the topic, especially when it comes to widespread conditions like chronic pains.

Background Pharmacological treatments for critical processes in patients need to be initiated as rapidly as possible; for this reason, it is a standard of care to prepare the main anesthesia and emergency drugs in advance. As a result, 20%-50% of the prepared drugs remain unused and are then discarded. Decreasing waste by optimizing drug use is an attractive strategy for meeting both cost containment and environmental sustainability. The primary end point of this study was to measure the actual amount of drug wastage in the operating rooms (ORs) and intensive care units (ICUs) of a Regional Health Service (RHS). The secondary end point was to analyze and estimate the economic implications of this waste for the Health Service and to suggest possible measures to reduce it. Methods This prospective observational multicenter study was conducted across 12 hospitals, all of which belong to the same RHS in the north-east of Italy. Data collection took place in March 2018 and included patients admitted to ICUs, emergency areas, and ORs of the participating hospitals. Data concerning drug preparation and administration were collected for all consecutive patients, independent of case types and of whether operations were scheduled or unscheduled. Drug wastage was defined as follows: drugs prepared in ready-to-use syringes but not administered at all and discarded untouched. We then estimated the costs of wasted drugs for a 1-year period using the data from this study and the yearly regional pharmacy orders of drugs provided to the ORs and ICUs. We also performed a sensitivity analysis to validate the robustness of our assumptions and qualitative conclusions. Results We collected data for a total of 13,078 prepared drug syringes. Drug wastage varied from 7.8% (Urapidil, an alpha-1 antagonist antihypertensive) to 85.7% (epinephrine) of prepared syringes, with an overall mean wastage rate of 38%. The estimated yearly waste was 139,531 syringes, for a total estimated financial cost of €78,060 ($92,569), and an additional quantity of medical waste amounting to 4968 kg per year. The total provider time dedicated to the preparation of unused drugs was predicted to be 1512 working hours per year. Conclusions The overall extent of drug wastage in ORs and ICUs is concerning. Interventions aimed at minimizing waste-related costs and improving the environmental sustainability of our practice are paramount. Effort should be put into designing a more efficient workflow that reduces this waste while providing for the emergency availability of these medications in the OR and ICU.

Novel coronavirus spread rapidly around the world infecting millions of people. It was thus declared a pandemic. This new virus damages the lungs. In the most severe cases, it leads to acute respiratory failure that requires intensive care treatment. However, many clinical reports have listed different neurological symptoms, leading to increased interest in the neurological involvement of COVID-19. Various pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed to explain these neurological aspects. Direct viral invasion of the nervous system, systemic cytokine storm and severe hypoxemia are key factors in the development of symptoms. Critically ill patients present several additional risk factors for nervous system damage. Reasons for these include deep sedation and extended muscular paralysis, bed rest for several days, and the inability to receive proper physical rehabilitation. After ICU treatment, COVID-19 patients generally require an extensive rehabilitation program. However, distancing restrictions mean that in many cases physiotherapists are unable to enter ICUs, delaying the process of rehabilitation. The role of telemedicine should be considered as an adjunctive tool in the rehabilitation of critically ill COVID-19 patients.

A patient with coronary artery fistula should be considered as high risk for intraoperative hemodynamic decompensation. In this article, we report the case of a 70-year-old man affected by a complex congenital coronary artery fistula defect. The patient underwent general anesthesia for spine surgery with permissive hypotension. The development of sudden intraoperative tachyarrhythmia with hemodynamic instability required immediate resuscitation and interruption of surgery. The claim advanced is that in patients with a coronary artery fistula permissive hypotension might be considered an option only if strictly necessary and real-time cardiac monitoring including transesophageal echocardiography is available to immediately detect and treat acute cardiac impairment.

Early allograft dysfunction (EAD) can be a serious complication in the immediate postoperative period following liver transplantation. Our aim was to study the prognostic role of the indocyanine green plasma disappearance rate (ICG-PDR) in predicting early and late EAD and mortality at 3 and 12 months and 5 years after liver transplantation. ICG-PDR values were also assessed for association with the Donor Risk Index (DRI). 220 patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. In 77 patients, ICG-PDR was assessed on the 1st post-operative (PO) day. ICG, a water-soluble dye almost entirely excreted into the bile, was measured by spectrophotometry to evaluate graft (dys)-function. DRI was calculated in all patients. The primary study outcomes were the presence (or absence) of EAD after transplant and the results of mortality risk factor analysis. EAD occurred in 18 patients. 1st PO day ICG-PDR was significantly associated with EAD (p

Cardiac surgery patients have a high risk of postoperative bleeding. Historically, the platelet count has been one of the main parameters used to establish the need for platelet transfusions, and the recent introduction of point-of-care tests for platelet function has allowed clinicians to rationalize platelet transfusion needs by assessing the platelet (dys-)function of the patient. For the present study, the authors evaluated how the introduction of one of these systems-the adenosine diphosphate (ADP) test, performed using a Multiplate electrode analyzer (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland)-into their clinical practice had modified their platelet transfusion practice. The relationship between the platelet count and the functional evaluation of platelet aggregation (via the ADP test) also was examined.This was a retrospective, single-center, observational study.Cardiac surgery department of a tertiary care center in North-east Italy.Cardiac surgery patients requiring cardiac bypass in 2017 and 2019.The primary outcome was to compare platelet transfusion practice before and after the implementation of a platelet function test (the ADP test) into the institution's transfusion algorithm, which replaced the platelet count as the trigger. Secondary outcomes were assessing whether the incorporation of the ADP test into their transfusion algorithm brought about a reduction in the frequency of platelet transfusions compared with previous rates (when only platelets counts were used); assessing patient blood loss in the first 12 postoperative hours; and ascertaining the percentage of patients requiring surgical reexplorations.The study comprised 110 patients undergoing cardiac surgery from the platelet count period (2017) and 110 patients from the ADP test period (2019). Agreement between platelet counts versus ADP tests in determining the need for platelet transfusion was moderate (κ = 0.483; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.239-0.728), and the general linear regression relationship between platelet counts and the ADP test (Akaike information criterion = 2536; p0.001) was determined. Since the introduction of ADP testing, a highly significant reduction in platelet transfusions has occurred: 41.82% (platelet count period) versus 13.64% (ADP test period) (p0.001); average blood loss in the 12 hours postsurgery also was less in the ADP test period (p0.001) at 300 mL (95% CI 150-730) compared with 440 mL in the platelet count period (95% CI 135-900). Furthermore, a decreasing trend was observed in the number of patients requiring reexploration to optimize hemostasis in the first 12 hours postsurgery (6.36% v 2.73%); however, this trend did not achieve statistical significance (p = 0.195).The application of new Multiplate analyzer technologies, like the ADP test, have the potential to reduce platelet transfusion rates in cardiac surgery patients compared with the use of platelet counts alone; this point-of-care test may constitute an important strategy to help spare the use of allogeneic blood products. Additional studies are needed to confirm this trend and establish the best cutoff values to apply.

Background Pectus Excavatum is the most common deformation of the skeletal chest wall, and the Nuss procedure is used to correct this deformation. Residual pneumothorax is a frequent postoperative complication after thoracoscopy. Primary aim of this prospective observational study was to compare the level of agreement among readers using lung ultrasound and chest X-ray. Methods This was an inter-reader single-center prospective observational agreement study for lung ultrasound and chest X-ray. Three lung ultrasound evaluations were performed at the end of surgery in the operating room by two Consultant Anesthesiologist (A1 and A2) and by a medical student (A3). Chest X-ray was interpreted by a consultant Radiologist (R1) and a pool of 11 radiologists (collectively named R2). Cohen's kappa was used to evaluate the level of agreement between the two imaging techniques. Results Sixty-eight pediatric patients were included in the study. The overall agreement among (A = Anesthesiologist) A1, A2, A3, (R = Radiologist) R1, and R2 in assessing pneumothorax was fair (k = 0.32; 95% CI 0.21-0.40). The stratified analysis showed moderate inter-reader agreement among lung ultrasound readers A1, A2, and A3 (k 0.58; 95% CI 0.44-0.71), as opposed to the fair agreement found among chest X-ray readers R1 and R2 (k = 0.39; 95% CI 0.18-0.60). Conclusions Our results support the use of lung ultrasound to diagnose pneumothorax after Nuss procedure. We found that the inter-reader accuracy was better with ultrasound compared to X-ray at our institution.

Background Hemostasis is the dynamic equilibrium between coagulation and fibrinolysis. During pregnancy, the balance shifts toward a hypercoagulative state; however placental abruption and abnormal placentations may lead to rapidly evolving coagulopathy characterized by the increased activation of procoagulant pathways. These processes can result in hypofibrinogenemia, with fibrinogen levels dropping to 2 g/L or less and an associated increased risk of post-partum hemorrhage. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concordance between two methods of functional fibrinogen measurement: the Thromboelastography (TEG) method (also known as FLEV) vs. the Clauss method. Three patient groups were considered: healthy volunteers; non-pathological pregnant patients; and pregnant patients who went on to develop postpartum hemorrhage. Methods A prospective observational study. Inclusion criteria were: healthy volunteer women of childbearing age, non-pathological pregnant women at term, and pregnant hemorrhagic patients subjected to elective or urgent caesarean section (CS), with blood loss exceeding 1000 mL. Exclusion criteria were age

We conducted a systematic review of the literature to better understand whether preoxygenation in non-critically ill patients (i.e. elective surgery patients) should be recommended, as it lengthens safe apnea time (the time required to reach oxygen saturation 90% in an apneic patient). Furthermore, we looked for the most efficient technique amongst those currently employed in clinical practice. We searched Scopus, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, PubMed and MeSH using various combinations of the words "preoxygenation", "general anesthesia", "induction", "operating room" and "oxygen". RCTs conducted on adult (18 years) and non-emergent patients between 2008 and 2017 were deemed eligible. A total of 11 papers were included. Our review suggests that preoxygenation is a safe and efficient technique that allows for longer safe apneic periods in obese (BMI 30) non-critically ill patients. Non-obese (30 BMI) patients do not seem to benefit as much from this procedure. However, there is insufficient evidence in the literature to provide a clear recommendation. For all patients, the procedure was safe and well tolerated with no harm reported. The best technique for preoxygenation appears to be pressure support ventilation plus positive end-expiratory pressure. In conclusion, preoxygenation should be employed during the induction of general anesthesia in obese patients as it allows for a longer safe apnea time and causes no harm. Although data regarding efficacy is limited for the non-obese population, the procedure was still harmless and should continue to be performed pending more robust RCTs. We believe there is sufficient evidence to support a RCT that could offer better evidence for this subset of patients undergoing non-emergent procedures.

Of the various muscles that make up the respiratory system, the diaphragm is the prima donna. In the past, only specialist research centers were able to estimate and challenge the effort of this muscle; this was achieved by measuring transdiaphragmatic pressure-an invasive technique involving a double-balloon probe inserted through the esophagus-or by measuring twitch pressure (ie, the pressure generated at the outside tip of the endotracheal tube). However, the prevalence of diaphragm dysfunction in critically ill patients requiring intubation can exceed 60% (at the time of hospital admission) and may rise to as high as 80% in patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation and experiencing difficult weaning. Although still in its infancy, modern ultrasound (US) provides a fascinating way to study the diaphragm, permitting the assessment of its excursion, thickness, and thickening. Furthermore, US enables the course of diaphragmatic function to be followed on a day-to-day basis, from intensive care admission to discharge, and it can help us understand the different causes of underlying disease: trauma, infection (eg, sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction), cancer, weaning problems (eg, ventilation-induced diaphragm dysfunction), etc. Today, the assessment of diaphragm dysfunction with US provides an important first step toward improving the detection of diaphragm dysfunction and as a protective and supportive strategy for its management. The purposes of this review are as follows: (1) to explore which US method is best for evaluating diaphragm function in the intensive care unit and how and when it should be used, and (2) to discuss which diseases may involve the diaphragm, and what therapies should be used.

BACKGROUND While interscalenic nerve block (INB) is still considered the gold standard for shoulder arthroscopy, its postoperative analgesic effectiveness has recently been called into question. Meanwhile, in light of its high-quality postoperative pain relief, a renewed interest has emerged in suprascapular nerve block (SNB). The first aim of our study was to compare the postoperative analgesia effects of these two types of block at two, four and six hours after surgery. We also assessed shoulder functional recovery over a 6-month follow-up period. METHODS All patients requiring arthroscopic shoulder surgery for rotator cuff repair during the study period were enrolled. INB or SNB was performed under ultrasound guidance. The patients underwent general anaesthesia. Numerical rate scores (NRS) at rest and in motion at two, four and six postoperative hours were recorded. RESULTS Over two years, 280 patients were screened. Of these, 136 were excluded. Pain scores after surgery were lower at two hours in INB at rest (0.70±1.50 versus 2.1±2.2; P

Perioperative risk scores for patients undergoing noncardiac surgery are generally considered inaccurate, poor, or, at best, modest. We propose estimating a patient’s pretest and posttest probability of cardiac morbidity and death using the preoperative scoring system plus the negative likelihood ratio from brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) plasma levels. Our clinical challenge scenario showed a pretest probability of postoperative major cardiac complications with the patient risk factor as 6.6% for the Revised Cardiac Risk Index and between 1% and 5% (intermediate risk) per the recent European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Anesthesiologist guidelines for surgical risk estimation. In fact, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association guidelines consider the same surgical procedure for elevated risk. The posttest probability takes advantage of a negative likelihood ratio from BNP plasma levels, with patient risk factor reduced to 0.8% and surgical risk to 1.1%. In the same way, the pretest American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program score decreased from 18.8% to 3.5% for severe complications and from 0.9% to 0.1% for death at ≤90 days. Following noncardiac surgery, postoperative complications and mortality are often cardiac in nature. The negative likelihood ratio of BNP and NT-proBNP plasma levels provides a quick, low-cost tool for recognizing and reclassifying the cardiovascular risk of those undergoing noncardiac surgery, thereby singling out low- versus moderate-high-risk surgical patients.

Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs frequently after cardiac surgery. Levosimendan might reduce the incidence of AKI in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The authors investigated whether levosimendan administration could reduce AKI incidence in a high-risk cardiac surgical population. Design: Post hoc analysis of a multicenter randomized trial. Setting: Cardiac surgery operating rooms and intensive care units of 14 centers in 3 countries. Participants: The study comprised 90 patients who underwent mitral valve surgery with an estimated glomerular filtration rate

"OBJECTIVE: To identify all interventions that increase or reduce mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and to establish the agreement between stated beliefs and actual practice in this setting.. . DESIGN AND SETTING: Systematic literature review and international web-based survey.. . PARTICIPANTS: More than 300 physicians from 62 countries.. . INTERVENTIONS: Several databases, including MEDLINE/PubMed, were searched with no time limits (updated February 14, 2012) to identify all the drugs/techniques/strategies that fulfilled all the following criteria: (a) published in a peer-reviewed journal, (b) dealing with critically ill adult patients with or at risk for acute kidney injury, and (c) reporting a statistically significant reduction or increase in mortality.. . MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 18 identified interventions, 15 reduced mortality and 3 increased mortality. Perioperative hemodynamic optimization, albumin in cirrhotic patients, terlipressin for hepatorenal syndrome type 1, human immunoglobulin, peri-angiography hemofiltration, fenoldopam, plasma exchange in multiple-myeloma-associated AKI, increased intensity of renal replacement therapy (RRT), CVVH in severely burned patients, vasopressin in septic shock, furosemide by continuous infusion, citrate in continuous RRT, N-acetylcysteine, continuous and early RRT might reduce mortality in critically ill patients with or at risk for AKI; positive fluid balance, hydroxyethyl starch and loop diuretics might increase mortality in critically ill patients with or at risk for AKI. Web-based opinion differed from consensus opinion for 30% of interventions and self-reported practice for 3 interventions.. . CONCLUSION: The authors identified all interventions with at least 1 study suggesting a significant effect on mortality in patients with or at risk of AKI and found that there is discordance between participant stated beliefs and actual practice regarding these topics.. . "

Objectives Methylene blue commonly is used as a dye or an antidote, but also can be used off label as a vasopressor. Serotonin toxicity is a potentially lethal and often misdiagnosed condition that can result from drug interaction. Mild serotonin toxicity previously was reported in settings in which methylene blue was used as a dye. The authors report 3 cases of life-threatening serotonin toxicity in patients undergoing chronic selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy who also underwent cardiac surgery and received methylene blue to treat vasoplegic syndrome. Design An observational study. Setting A cardiothoracic intensive care unit (ICU) in a teaching hospital. Participants Three patients who received methylene blue after cardiac surgery, later discovered to be undergoing chronic SSRI therapy. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results All 3 patients received high doses of fentanyl during general anesthesia. They all developed vasoplegic syndrome and consequently were given methylene blue in the ICU. All 3 patients developed serotonin toxicity, including coma, after this administration and diagnostic tests were negative for acute intracranial pathology. Coma lasted between 1 and 5 days. Two patients were discharged from the ICU shortly after awakening, whereas the third patient experienced a complicated postoperative course for concomitant refractory low-cardiac-output syndrome. Conclusions Patients undergoing chronic SSRI therapy should not be administered methylene blue to treat vasoplegic syndrome.

Aims: To determine if percutaneous tracheostomy is safe in critically ill patients treated with anticoagulant therapies. Settings and Design: Single-center retrospective study including all the patients who underwent percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) placement over a 1-year period in a 14-bed, cardiothoracic and vascular Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Materials and Methods: Patients demographics and characteristics, anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies, coagulation profile, performed technique and use of bronchoscopic guidance were retrieved. Results: Thirty-six patients (2.7% of the overall ICU population) underwent PDT over the study period. Twenty-six (72%) patients were on anticoagulation therapy, 1 patient was on antiplatelet therapy and 2 further patients received prophylactic doses of low molecular weight heparin. Only 4 patients had normal coagulation profile and were not receiving anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapies. Overall, bleeding of any severity complicated 19% of PDT. No procedure-related deaths occurred. Conclusions: PDT was proved to be safe even in critically ill-patients treated with anticoagulant therapies. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Objective To investigate the ability of early urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin to predict postoperative complications in adult patients with ventricular dysfunction undergoing cardiac surgery. Design Prospective observational study. Setting Single-center study, university hospital. Participants Fifty-six adult high-risk cardiac surgical patients with preoperative cardiac failure. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin was measured at baseline and at several time points after surgery. Patient characteristics and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin levels were related to renal and patient outcome. On multivariate analyses, preoperative urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin was an independent predictor of length of intensive care stay (p = 0.004) and in-hospital stay (p = 0.04), but not of acute kidney injury or renal replacement therapy and was not associated with baseline renal function. Conclusions In a cohort of high-risk cardiac surgery patients, preoperative urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin value provided prognostic information that was independent of the onset of acute kidney injury or of preoperative renal function.

"OBJECTIVE: With more than 220 million major surgical procedures performed annually, perioperative interventions leading to even minor mortality reductions would save thousands of lives per year. This international consensus conference aimed to identify all nonsurgical interventions that increase or reduce perioperative mortality as suggested by randomized evidence.. . DESIGN AND SETTING: A web-based international consensus conference.. . PARTICIPANTS: More than 1,000 physicians from 77 countries participated in this web-based consensus conference.. . INTERVENTIONS: Systematic literature searches (MEDLINE\/PubMed, June 8, 2011) were used to identify the papers with a statistically significant effect on mortality together with contacts with experts. Interventions were considered eligible for evaluation if they (1) were published in peer-reviewed journals, (2) dealt with a nonsurgical intervention (drug\/technique\/strategy) in adult patients undergoing surgery, and (3) provided a statistically significant mortality increase or reduction as suggested by a randomized trial or meta-analysis of randomized trials.. . MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Fourteen interventions that might change perioperative mortality in adult surgery were identified. Interventions that might reduce mortality include chlorhexidine oral rinse, clonidine, insulin, intra-aortic balloon pump, leukodepletion, levosimendan, neuraxial anesthesia, noninvasive respiratory support, hemodynamic optimization, oxygen, selective decontamination of the digestive tract, and volatile anesthetics. In contrast, aprotinin and extended-release metoprolol might increase mortality.. . CONCLUSIONS: Future research and health care funding should be directed toward studying and evaluating these interventions.. . "

"OBJECTIVE: Because at present no pharmacologic prevention or treatment of acute kidney injury seems to be available, the authors updated a meta-analysis to investigate the effects of fenoldopam in reducing acute kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, focusing on randomized placebo-controlled studies only.. . DESIGN: A meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials.. . SETTING: Hospitals.. . PARTICIPANTS: A total of 440 patients from 6 studies were included in the analysis.. . INTERVENTIONS: None. The ability of fenoldopam to reduce acute kidney injury in the perioperative period when compared with placebo was investigated.. . MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Google Scholar and PubMed were searched (updated January 1, 2012). Authors and external experts were contacted. Pooled estimates showed that fenoldopam consistently and significantly reduced the risk of acute kidney injury (odds ratio [OR] = 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-0.74; p = 0.003), with a higher rate of hypotensive episodes and\/or use of vasopressors (30\/109 [27.5%] v 21\/112 [18.8%]; OR = 2.09; 95% CI, 0.98-4.47; p = 0.06) and no effect on renal replacement therapy, survival, and length of intensive care unit or hospital stay.. . CONCLUSIONS: This analysis suggests that fenoldopam reduces acute kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Because the number of the enrolled patients was small and there was no effect on renal replacement therapy or survival, a large, multicenter, and appropriately powered trial is needed to confirm these promising results.. . "

36-YEAR-OLD woman, scheduled to undergo surgical correction of severe mitral and moderate tricuspidal regurgitation, whose surgical plan switched from a minithoracotomy to midsternotomy after an unexpected transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) finding, is presented. After induction of general anesthesia, the patient was intubated with a doublelumen endotracheal tube, and a TEE probe was inserted to perform a baseline examination (the preoperative diagnosis was made only by transthoracic echocardiography because the patient refused TEE examination) and to supervise the insertion of the venous cannula (in the minithoracotomic approach a large 14F cannula is placed percutaneously through the right jugular vein into the superior vena cava). 1

Objectives: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus is a growing problem in intensive care units (ICUs). The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus isolates in a cardiac surgical ICU over a 5-year period and to determine the risk factors and outcome of this condition. Methods: During the period from January 1998 to July 2003, the clinical data of all adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery in a university hospital were prospectively recorded in a database; the perioperative clinical variables and microbiologic data were studied by means of univariate and multivariate analysis in order to identify risk factors for the development of methicillin resistance and in-hospital death. Results: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus species strains were isolated in 118 of 6,423 patients operated on during the study period (7.6 cases per 1,000 days of ICU stay), with a constant prevalence rate throughout the years. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus species have been the most frequently isolated microorganisms in the authors' ICU; 75% of Staphylococcus aureus and 95% of coagulase-negative staphylococci were methicillin resistant. In-hospital mortality in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus-positive patients was 50.0% (59/118), whereas it was 1.7% (108/ 6305) in other patients (p < 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus species isolation was the single risk factor with the strongest association with in-hospital death (odds ratio, 8.5; 95% confidence interval 4.9-14.7). In the present series, there were no isolates of vancomycin-resistant species (Enterococcus species or Staphylococcus species). Conclusions: Staphylococcus species represent the most frequently isolated microorganisms in the authors' ICU. Inhospital mortality in cardiac surgical patients is strongly correlated to the isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus. (C) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Objective: Atrial fibrillation is a common complication after cardiac surgery. Magnesium is an effective and safe antiarrhythmic agent for arrhythmias that develop after cardiac surgery. The authors performed a study to evaluate the role of perioperative magnesium for prophylaxis of atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery surgery. Design: Randomized controlled study. Setting: University teaching hospital. Participants: One hundred sixty consecutive patients undergoing elective, isolated, off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting were prospectively randomized into 2 groups. Interventions: Patients in the magnesium group (n=80) received a 2.5-g (20 mEq) magnesium sulphate infusion intraoperatively over 30 minutes, and the placebo group (n=80) received normal saline solution. Measurements and main results: Postoperative atrial fibrillation occurred in 16 of 80 patients (20%) in the magnesium group and in 18 of 80 (22.5%) in the placebo group (p=0.9). Conclusion: The use of 2.5 g of intraoperative magnesium showed no effect in preventing atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass. (C) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. OBJECTIVE: Atrial fibrillation is a common complication after cardiac surgery. Magnesium is an effective and safe antiarrhythmic agent for arrhythmias that develop after cardiac surgery. The authors performed a study to evaluate the role of perioperative magnesium for prophylaxis of atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery surgery.DESIGN: Randomized controlled study.SETTING: University teaching hospital.PARTICIPANTS: One hundred sixty consecutive patients undergoing elective, isolated, off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting were prospectively randomized into 2 groups.INTERVENTIONS: Patients in the magnesium group (n = 80) received a 2.5-g (20 mEq) magnesium sulphate infusion intraoperatively over 30 minutes, and the placebo group (n = 80) received normal saline solution.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Postoperative atrial fibrillation occurred in 16 of 80 patients (20%) in the magnesium group and in 18 of 80 (22.5%) in the placebo group (p = 0.9).CONCLUSION: The use of 2.5 g of intraoperative magnesium showed no effect in preventing atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass.

Objective: To investigate the release of cardiac biomarkers (troponin 1 and CK-MB) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) with or without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Design: Prospective study. Setting: University tertiary hospital. Participants: Sixty-five consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (greater than or equal to2 vessel disease, ejection fraction greater than or equal to0.35%, elective procedure). Interventions: Cardiac biomarkers were measured before surgery, at intensive care unit arrival, 4 and 18 hours after the end of the procedure. Measurements and Main Results: Cardiac biomarker release was higher in on-pump than in off-pump patients at every time point. On multivariate analysis, CPB (p < 0.0001), number of distal grafts (p = 0.005), and hypertension treatment (p = 0.03) were the only independent predictors of peak cardiac troponin release. Conclusions: Cardiac troponin 1 release after multivessel CABG is associated with the technique. Different values for the normal range should be considered. OPCABG is minimally invasive for the heart as far as myocardial marker release is concerned. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.