Noncardiac Surgery Research Articles

Volatile vs Total intravenous Anaesthesia for major non-cardiac surgery: a pragmatic randomised triaL (VITAL)

BackgroundImproving outcomes after surgery is a major public health research priority for patients, clinicians and the NHS. The greatest burden of perioperative complications, mortality and healthcare costs lies amongst the population of patients aged over 50 years who undergo major non-cardiac surgery. The Volatile vs Total Intravenous Anaesthesia for major non-cardiac surgery (VITAL) trial specifically examines the effect of anaesthetic technique on key patient outcomes: quality of recovery after surgery (quality of recovery after anaesthesia, patient satisfaction and major post-operative complications), survival and patient safety.MethodsA multi-centre pragmatic efficient randomised trial with health economic evaluation comparing total intravenous anaesthesia with volatile-based anaesthesia in adults (aged 50 and over) undergoing elective major non-cardiac surgery under general anaesthesia.DiscussionGiven the very large number of patients exposed to general anaesthesia every year, even small differences in outcome between the two techniques could result in substantial excess harm. Results from the VITAL trial will ensure patients can benefit from the very safest anaesthesia care, promoting an early return home, reducing healthcare costs and maximising the health benefits of surgical treatments.Trial registrationISRCTN62903453. September 09, 2021.

A simple machine learning model for the prediction of acute kidney injury following noncardiac surgery in geriatric patients: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundSurgery in geriatric patients often poses risk of major postoperative complications. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication following noncardiac surgery and is associated with increased mortality. Early identification of geriatric patients at high risk of AKI could facilitate preventive measures and improve patient prognosis. This study used machine learning methods to identify important features and predict AKI following noncardiac surgery in geriatric patients.MethodsThe data for this study were obtained from a prospective cohort. Patients aged ≥ 65 years who received noncardiac surgery from June 2019 to December 2021 were enrolled. Data were split into training set (from June 2019 to March 2021) and internal validation set (from April 2021 to December 2021) by time. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regularization algorithm and the random forest recursive feature elimination algorithm (RF-RFE) were used to screen important predictors. Models were trained through extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), random forest, and LASSO. The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) package was used to interpret the machine learning model.ResultsThe training set included 6753 geriatric patients. Of these, 250 (3.70%) patients developed AKI. The XGBoost model with RF-RFE selected features outperformed other models with an area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) of 0.505 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.369–0.626) and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.806 (95%CI: 0.733–0.875). The model incorporated ten predictors, including operation site and hypertension. The internal validation set included 3808 geriatric patients, and 96 (2.52%) patients developed AKI. The model maintained good predictive performance with an AUPRC of 0.431 (95%CI: 0.331–0.524) and an AUROC of 0.845 (95%CI: 0.796–0.888) in the internal validation.ConclusionsThis study developed a simple machine learning model and a web calculator for predicting AKI following noncardiac surgery in geriatric patients. This model may be a valuable tool for guiding preventive measures and improving patient prognosis.Trial registrationThe protocol of this study was approved by the Committee of Ethics from West China Hospital of Sichuan University (2019–473) with a waiver of informed consent and registered at www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR1900025160, 15/08/2019).

Thoracic Ultrasound as an Alternative to Chest X-ray in Thoracic Surgery Patients: A Single-Center Experience.

Background/Objectives: Chest X-ray (CXR) is currently the most used investigation for clinical follow-up after major noncardiac thoracic surgery. This study explores the use of lung ultrasound (LUS) as an alternative to CXR in the postoperative management of patients who undergo major thoracic procedures. Methods: The patients in our cohort were monitored with both a CXR and a lung ultrasonography after surgery and the day after chest drain removal. The LUS was performed by a member of the medical staff of our unit who was blinded to both the images and the radiologist's report of the CXR. Findings were compared between the two methods. Results: In the immediate postoperative evaluation, 280 patients were compared, finding general agreement between the two procedures at 84% (kappa statistic, 0.603). The LUS showed a sensibility of 84.1%, a specificity of 84.3%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 60.9%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 94.8%. We evaluated 219 out of 280 patients in the postdrainage-removal setting due to technical issues. Concordance between the methods in the postdrainage-removal setting was 89% (kappa statistic, 0.761) with the LUS demonstrating an 82.2% sensibility, a 93.2% specificity, a PPV of 85.7%, and an NPV of 91.3%. Conclusions: The results of this study showed a substantial agreement between LUS and CXR, suggesting that the LUS could reduce the number of X rays in certain conditions. The high NPV allows for the exclusion of PNX and pleural effusion without the need to expose patients to radiation. Discrepancies were noted in cases of mild pneumothorax or modest pleural effusion, without altering the clinical approach.

Cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes in neonates undergoing noncardiac surgeries: A randomized controlled trial.

The efficacy and safety of cuffed endotracheal tubes (ETTs) in neonates are still unclear, this study aimed to assess the efficacy of cuffed versus uncuffed ETTs in neonate undergoing noncardiac surgeries. Neonates scheduled for noncardiac surgeries were randomized into two groups according to the type of airway device during general anesthesia: cuffed ETT group (n = 60) and the uncuffed ETT group (n = 60). The primary outcome was the incidence of ETT exchange to find the appropriate ETT. Other outcomes included: duration of intubation, lung ultrasound score, and incidence of postoperative complications (croup, wheezes, hypoxia, etc.). The frequency of ETT exchange was lower in the cuffed ETT group compared to the uncuffed one {1 (1.7%) vs. 28 (46.7%), p = .0001; relative risk [95% confidence interval]: 0.54 [0.43-0.69]}. Postoperative adverse events were comparable between both groups except for significantly higher post extubation croup in the uncuffed ETT group compared to the cuffed ETT {10 (16.7%) vs. 3(5%), p value = .04, relative risk (95% confidence interval): 1.14 (1-1.29)}. In full term neonates undergoing noncardiac surgeries, the use of cuffed ETT was associated with less need to tracheal tube exchange and less incidence of postoperative croup, without increasing the postoperative respiratory complications compared to uncuffed ETT.

Predicting perioperative myocardial injury/infarction after noncardiac surgery in patients under surgical and medical co-management: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundPerioperative myocardial injury/infarction (PMI) following noncardiac surgery is a frequent cardiac complication. This study aims to evaluate PMI risk and explore preoperative assessment tools of PMI in patients at increased cardiovascular (CV) risk who underwent noncardiac surgery under the surgical and medical co-management (SMC) model.MethodsA prospective cohort study that included consecutive patients at increased CV risk who underwent intermediate- or high-risk noncardiac surgery at the Second Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, between January 2017 and December 2022. All patients were treated with perioperative management by the SMC team. The SMC model was initiated when surgical intervention was indicated and throughout the entire perioperative period. The incidence, risk factors, and impact of PMI on 30-day mortality were analyzed. The ability of the Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI), frailty, and their combination to predict PMI was evaluated.Results613 eligible patients (mean [standard deviation, SD] age 73.3[10.9] years, 94.6% male) were recruited consecutively. Under SMC, PMI occurred in 24/613 patients (3.9%). Patients with PMI had a higher rate of 30-day mortality than patients without PMI (29.2% vs. 0.7%, p = 0.00). The FRAIL Scale for frailty was independently associated with an increased risk for PMI (odds ratio = 5.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.34–14.93; p = 0.00). The RCRI demonstrated adequate discriminatory capacity for predicting PMI (area under the curve [AUC], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67–0.88). Combining frailty with the RCRI further increased the accuracy of predicting PMI (AUC, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.81–0.93).ConclusionsThe incidence of PMI was relatively low in high CV risk patients undergoing intermediate- or high-risk noncardiac surgery under SMC. The RCRI adequately predicted PMI. Combining frailty with the RCRI further increased the accuracy of PMI predictions, achieving excellent discriminatory capacity. These findings may aid personalized evaluation and management of high-risk patients who undergo intermediate- or high-risk noncardiac surgery.

Potential perioperative cardiovascular outcomes in cannabis/cannabinoid users. A call for caution.

Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances. Its components act through several pathways, producing a myriad of side effects, of which cardiovascular events are the most life-threatening. However, only a limited number of studies address cannabis's perioperative impact on patients during noncardiac surgery. Studies were identified by searching the PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases using relevant keyword combinations pertinent to the topic. Current evidence shows that cannabis use may cause several cardiovascular events, including abnormalities in cardiac rhythm, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and cerebrovascular events. Additionally, cannabis interacts with anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents, decreasing their efficacy. Finally, the interplay of cannabis with inhalational and intravenous anesthetic agents may lead to adverse perioperative cardiovascular outcomes. The use of cannabis can trigger cardiovascular events that may depend on factors such as the duration of consumption, the route of administration of the drug, and the dose consumed, which places these patients at risk of drug-drug interactions with anesthetic agents. However, large prospective randomized clinical trials are needed to further elucidate gaps in the body of knowledge regarding which patient population has a greater risk of perioperative complications after cannabis consumption.

Timing of Noncardiac Surgery Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A National Analysis

BackgroundThe optimal timing of noncardiac surgery (NCS) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for aortic stenosis has not been elucidated by current national guidelines. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the time interval between TAVR and NCS (Δt) on the perioperative risk of major adverse events (MAEs). MethodsAll adult admissions for isolated TAVR for aortic stenosis were identified in the 2016 to 2020 Nationwide Readmissions Database. Patients who received NCS on subsequent admission were included for analysis and grouped by Δt as follows: ≤30, 31 to 60, 61 to 90, and >90 days. Multivariable regression models were constructed to examine the association of Δt with ensuing outcomes. ResultsOf 3,098 patients (median age = 79 years, 41.6% female), 19.1% underwent NCS at ≤30 days, 22.9% at 31 to 60 days, 16.7% at 61 to 90 days, and 41.3% at >90 days. After adjustment, the odds of MAEs were similar for operations performed at ≤30 days (adjusted OR [AOR]: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.74-1.50), 31 to 60 days (AOR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.71-1.31), and 61 to 90 days (AOR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.67-1.34), with those at >90 days as reference. When examining the average marginal effect of the interval to surgery, risk-adjusted MAE rates were statistically similar across Δt groups for elective status and NCS risk category combinations. ConclusionsNCS within 30, 31 to 60, or 61 to 90 days after TAVR was not associated with increased odds of MAEs compared with operations after 90 days irrespective of NCS risk category or elective status. Our findings suggest that the interval between NCS and TAVR may not be an accurate predictor of MAE risk in this population.

Acute kidney injury after non-cardiac major surgery: has it reduced?

ABSTRACT Background It remains unclear whether the incidence of post-operative acute kidney injury (PO-AKI) has been reduced despite the recent emphasis on its early recognition and prevention in clinical practice. We aimed to investigate the trend in the incidence of PO-AKI and to identify the associated factors affecting its changes. Methods We gathered clinical data from patients who underwent non-cardiac major surgeries at three referral hospitals from 2005 to 2020. PO-AKI was defined as KDIGO AKI criteria within 7 days after surgery. Severe PO-AKI (S-PO-AKI) was defined as stage 2 or 3 AKI. The temporal change of PO-AKI was evaluated by joinpoint regression analysis and multivariable logistic regression based on a 3-year interval. Results Among 138 235 patients, 8156 (5.9%) PO-AKI and 1127 (0.8%) S-PO-AKI occurred, respectively. The patients enrolled in recent years were older and more were women. They had more comorbidities and a higher PO-AKI risk compared with those included in past years. As time passed, the PO-AKI incidence decreased from 8.6% in 2005–07 to 5.1% in 2017–20, whereas S-PO-AKI incidence did not change (0.8% to 0.9%). In joinpoint analysis, PO-AKI incidence tended to decrease with annual percentage change (APC) of –4.2% per year [95% confidence interval (CI) –5.5% to –2.8%, P-value <.001), although S-PO-AKI did not (APC 0.9%, 95% CI –1.1 to 2.9%, P-value = .347). Similarly, the overall PO-AKI incidence decreased but S-PO-AKI did not, even after adjusting covariables. Conclusion The incidence of PO-AKI has decreased recently despite the increase in known risk factors; however, the incidence of S-PO-AKI has not decreased in recent years. Trial registration information ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05986474. Name of registry: Development of Synthetic Medical Data Generation Technology to Predict Postoperative Complications. URL: https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05986474. Date of registration: 14 August 2023. Date of enrollment of the first participant to the trial: 27 September 2022, retrospectively registered.

Association between blood groups and myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery: a retrospective cohort study

Blood group is a potential genetic element in coronary artery disease. Nevertheless, the relationship between different ABO blood groups and myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS) is poorly understood. This study verified whether ABO blood group is a potential MINS influencing factor. This retrospective cohort study included 1201 patients who underwent elective non-cardiac surgery and a mandatory troponin test on postoperative days 1 and 2 from 2019 to 2020 at a university-affiliated tertiary hospital. The primary outcome was associations between ABO blood groups and MINS, assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic-regression analyses. Path analysis was used to investigate direct and indirect effects between blood group and MINS. MINS incidence (102/1201, 8.5%) was higher in blood-type B patients than in non-B patients [blood-type B: 44/400 (11.0%) vs. non-B: 58/801 (7.2%); adjusted odds ratio = 1.57 (1.03–2.38); p = 0.036]. In the confounding factor model, preoperative hypertension and coronary artery disease medical history were associated with MINS risk [adjusted odds ratio: 2.00 (1.30–3.06), p = 0.002; 2.81 (1.71–4.61), p < 0.001, respectively]. Path analysis did not uncover any mediating role for hypertension, diabetes, or coronary artery disease between blood type and MINS. Therefore, blood-type B is associated with higher MINS risk; potential mediators of this association need to be investigated.

Perioperative transfusion study (PETS): Does a liberal transfusion protocol improve outcome in high-risk cardiovascular patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery? A randomised controlled pilot study.

Small studies have shown that patients with advanced coronary artery disease might benefit from a more liberal blood transfusion strategy. The goal of this pilot study was to test the feasibility of a blood transfusion intervention in a group of vascular surgery patients who have elevated cardiac troponins in rest. We conducted a single-centre, randomised controlled pilot study. Patients with a preoperative elevated high-sensitive troponin T undergoing non-cardiac vascular surgery were randomised between a liberal transfusion regime (haemoglobin >10.4 g/dL) and a restrictive transfusion regime (haemoglobin 8.0-9.6 g/dL) during the first 3 days after surgery. The primary outcome was defined as a composite endpoint of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction or unscheduled coronary revascularization. In total 499 patients were screened; 92 were included and 50 patients were randomised. Postoperative haemoglobin was different between the intervention and control group; 10.6 versus 9.8, 10.4 versus 9.4, 10.9 versus 9.4 g/dL on day one, two and three respectively (p < 0.05). The primary outcome occurred in four patients (16%) in the liberal transfusion group and in two patients (8%) in control group. This pilot study shows that the studied transfusion protocol was able to create a clinically significant difference in perioperative haemoglobin levels. Randomisation was possible in 10% of the screened patients. A large definitive trial should be possible to provide evidence whether a liberal transfusion strategy could decrease the incidence of postoperative myocardial infarction in high risk surgical patients.

Association between intraoperative hypothermia and outcomes in neonatal patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery

Objective: To investigate the impact of intraoperative hypothermia on postoperative outcome in neonatal patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Methods: The data of 1 008 neonates undergoing non-cardiac surgery in Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2020 to October 2022 were retrospectively collected,which included 558 males and 450 females, with a midian age [M (Q1, Q3)] of 6 (2, 14) days. Neonates were divided into 4 groups according to whether hypothermia (below 36 ℃) occurred and the lowest body temperature during the surgery: normal temperature group (n=246), mild hypothermia group (the lowest temperature ranged 35.0-35.9 ℃, n=434), moderate hypothermia group (the lowest temperature ranged 34.0-34.9 ℃, n=232) and severe hypothermia group (the lowest temperature<34 ℃, n=96). The primary outcome was the incidence of intraoperative hypothermia. The four groups' difference of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative mortality within 30 days, postoperative pulmonary complications, postoperative hemorrhage/blood transfusion and acidosis were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between intraoperative hypothermia and prolonged postoperative hospital stay (>14 d), 30 d-mortality and other complications. Results: In the 1 008 neonatal patients, 762 (75.6%) cases suffered intraoperative hypothermia, among which the incidence of mild, moderate and severe hypothermia was 43.1% (434/1008), 23.0% (232/1008) and 9.5% (96/1008), respectively. The postoperative hospital stay in normal, mild, moderate and severe hypothermia groups was 9.0 (5.8, 18.0), 12.0 (7.0, 21.0), 17.0 (10.0, 34.5) and 31.5 (12.5, 55.8) days. The mortality rate with 30 days after surgery was 2.9% (7/246), 4.4% (19/434), 6.9% (16/232) and 14.7% (14/96), the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications was 31.7%(78/246), 39.9%(173/434), 44.8%(104/232) and 67.4%(64/96), the rate of postoperative hemorrhage/blood transfusion was 19.9%(49/246), 32.3%(140/434), 49.1%(114/232) and 79.0%(75/96), and the incidence of acidosis was 26.8%(66/246), 35.7%(155/434), 44.4%(103/232) and 46.3%(44/96), respectively. All differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). According to the adjusted logistic regression analysis, compared with the normal body temperature group, severe hypothermia was associated with prolonged postoperative hospital stay (OR=1.962, 95%CI: 1.063-3.619) and postoperative pulmonary complications (OR=2.020, 95%CI: 1.149-3.553). The mild, moderate and severe hypothermia group could increase the risk of postoperative blood/transfusion rate (mild: OR=1.690, 95%CI: 1.080-2.644; Moderate: OR=2.382, 95%CI: 1.444-3.927; Severe: OR=8.334, 95%CI: 3.123-8.929). The mild and moderate hypothermia could raise the risk of acidosis (mild: OR=1.458, 95%CI: 1.009-2.107; Moderate: OR=1.949, 95%CI: 1.279-2.972). Conclusion: Intraoperative hypothermia can prolong the postoperative hospital stay, and increase the risk of postoperative mortality, postoperative pulmonary complications, postoperative hemorrhage/transfusion, and acidosis.

Perioperative Transfusion Practices in Adults Having Noncardiac Surgery

Surgical patients are often transfused to manage bleeding and anemia. Best practices for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion administration in patient having noncardiac surgery remains controversial and a robust evaluation and description of perioperative transfusion practices is lacking. We characterized perioperative hemoglobin concentrations and transfusion practices from the prospective VISION cohort which included 39,222 patients aged ≥45 years who had inpatient noncardiac surgery. Variations in transfusion practices were analyzed using hierarchical mixed models, and associations with mortality and complications were evaluated using a nested frailty survival model. Within the cohort, 16.1% (n = 6296) were given perioperative RBC transfusions, with the fraction declining from 20% to 13% over the 6-year study period. The proportion of patients transfused varied by surgery type from 6.4% for low-risk operations (i.e., minor surgery) to 31.5% for orthopedic surgeries. Variations were largely associated with patient hemoglobin concentrations, but also with center (range: 3.7%-27.3%) and country (0.4%-25.3%). Even after adjusting for baseline hemoglobin, comorbidities and type of surgery, both center and country were significant sources of variation in transfusion practices. Among transfused participants, 60.4% (n = 3728/6170) had at least 1 hemoglobin concentration ≤80g/L and 86.0% (n = 5305/6170) had at least 1 hemoglobin concentration ≤90g/L, suggesting that relatively restrictive transfusion strategies were used in most. The proportion of patients receiving at least 1 RBC transfusion declined from 20% to 13% over 6 years. However, there was considerable unexplained variation in transfusion practices.

The exploration of perioperative hypotension subtypes: a prospective, single cohort, observational pilot study.

Hypotension is a risk factor for postoperative complications, but evidence from randomized trials does not support that a higher blood pressure target always leads to optimized outcomes. The heterogeneity of underlying hemodynamics during hypotension may contribute to these contradictory results. Exploring the subtypes of hypotension can enable optimal management of intraoperative hypotension. This is a prospective, observational pilot study. Patients who were ≥ 45 years old and scheduled to undergo moderate-to-high-risk noncardiac surgery were enrolled in this study. The primary objective of this pilot study was to investigate the frequency and distribution of perioperative hypotension and its subtypes (hypotension with or without cardiac output reduction). The exposure of hypotension and its subtypes in patients with and without myocardial or acute kidney injury were also explored. Sixty patients were included in the analysis. 83% (50/60) of the patients experienced perioperative hypotension. The median duration of hypotension for each patient was 8.0 [interquartile range, 3.1-23.3] minutes. Reduced cardiac output was present during 77% of the hypotension duration. Patients suffering from postoperative myocardial or acute kidney injury displayed longer duration and more extensive exposure in all hypotension subtypes. However, the percentage of different hypotension subtypes did not differ in patients with or without postoperative myocardial or acute kidney injury. Perioperative hypotension was frequently accompanied by cardiac output reduction in moderate-to-high-risk noncardiac surgical patients. However, due to the pilot nature of this study, the relationship between hypotension subtypes and postoperative myocardial or acute kidney injury still needs further exploration. https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojEN.html?proj=134260, CTR2200055929.

Timing of Intraoperative Transitions of Care Among Anesthesiologists Is Not Associated With Postoperative Adverse Outcomes: Retrospective Cohort Study.

The majority of published research suggests that anesthesia handovers during major surgical procedures are associated with unintended harmful consequences. It is still unclear if the number or quality of the transition of care is the main driver of the adverse outcomes. There is even less data if the timing of the anesthesiologist handovers during the critical portion of the anesthetic continuum (induction or emergence versus surgical period) plays a role in patient outcomes. Therefore, we investigated if the anesthesiologist handovers during induction and emergence are associated with adverse patient outcomes. This retrospective investigation included noncardiac surgical procedures occurring between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2019 that had exactly 1 attending anesthesiologist handover. We categorized transitions of care between attending anesthesiologists as being before incision, between incision and closing, and after closing. Our primary outcome was a composite of 6 categories of surgical complications and in-hospital mortality. We created logistic generalized estimating equation models to estimate the average relative effect odds ratio between each pair of the 3 transition timing groups across the components of the composite outcome. Inverse probability of treatment weights were used to mitigate confounding on a host of baseline variables. We used Bonferroni correction to adjust for multiple comparisons between the transition groups. In total, we studied 36,937 procedures with exactly 1 attending anesthesiologist handover. Of these records, 4370 had the transition during induction, 24,999 between incision and closure, and 7568 during emergence. No differences were found between the transition periods and the composite outcome. The estimated average relative effect odds ratio (98.3% confidence interval [CI]) across the components of the composite outcome was as follows: (1.0002 [0.81-1.24], P = .99) between the induction and surgical period; (1.10 [0.87-1.40], P = .32) between the induction and emergence periods; and (0.91 [0.79-1.04], P = .08) between the emergence and surgical periods. Timing of intraoperative handover among attending anesthesiologists during noncardiac surgery is not associated with adverse patient outcomes.

Paediatric pulmonary hypertension due to congenital heart disease in non-cardiac surgery: Anaesthetic implications

Paediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with Congenital Heart Disease (PH-CHD) are frequently encountered in non-cardiac surgical settings. Although the pharmacological and surgical management of the underlying CHD in the group has improved yet its management remains challenging due to associated high morbidity and mortality. The dilemma prevails more so because of the dearth of adequate literature describing its pathophysiology and management in non-cardiac surgical settings. There are no specific guidelines pertaining to paediatric PH-CHD care, and the precepts have been extrapolated from adult studies and guidelines. This review article intends to apprise the pathophysiology of PH-CHD, its management, and its perioperative care with special emphasis on pulmonary vascular hypertensive crisis in these patients posted for non-cardiac procedures.

Stroke during cardiac and non-cardiac procedures (review)

Annually, more than 300 millions surgical procedures are performed worldwide. Aging population and an increase in number of patients with comorbidities increase the risk of various complications. Perioperative stroke is not very common, but very serious complication in cardiac and non-cardiac surgery, which adversely influence mortality and disability at long-term follow-up. The etiology of stroke is multifactrorial and far from being understood. Main factors, responsible for development of this complication, include hypoperfusion, microembolization of brain vessels, and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. However, to date, there is no convincing evidence of the benefits of certain methods of preventing perioperative stroke during cardiac and non-cardiac surgery.

Risk stratification of surgical and cardiovascular complications in non-cardiac surgery: prognostic value of recommended scales

Risk stratification of surgical and cardiovascular complications in non-cardiac surgery: prognostic value of recommended scales

Effect of home-based prehabilitation on objectively measured physical activity in patients undergoing elective major cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. Data from a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Low functional capacity in patients undergoing major elective surgery is associated with postoperative complications. Prehabilitation aims to increase functional capacity by increasing preoperative physical activity. Low functional capacity in patients eligible for major surgery is associated with high age and comorbid burden. In this population, center-based prehabilitation is a barrier for participation. Therefore, we developed a multimodal home-based prehabilitation intervention. Data regarding the effectiveness of a home-based prehabilitation intervention to increase physical activity before surgery is limited. We hypothesize that home-based prehabilitation leads to an increase in physical activity in patients undergoing major cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. Methods We included patients aged over 65 with a proven low functional capacity and/or ventilatory efficiency measured by preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Patients were randomized to either standard of care or intervention. The intervention group received a home-based prehabilitation intervention 2-4 weeks before surgery. As part of the multimodal intervention, patients were prescribed a walking regimen according to the physical activity guidelines published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Patients were followed-up with weekly telephone calls by a physiotherapist to increase adherence and motivation. All patients were provided a wrist-worn tri-axial accelerometer at the baseline visit. The accelerometer was collected at the ward once the patient entered the hospital for surgery. Physical activity was estimated by calculating the average Euclidean norm minus one (ENMO, milligravity [mg]) per day. Baseline characteristics were tested by Wilcoxon rank-sum test and a linear model for the primary outcome was performed to adjust for confounders. Data analysis was performed using R Studio. Results 37 patients scheduled for cardiac and 62 for non-cardiac surgery were included (Table 1). Mean group difference of daily physical activity levels in non-cardiac surgery patients was 3.01 mg (p = 0.03, 95% CI [0.3, 5.6]). Mean group difference of daily physical activity levels in cardiac surgery patients was 0.27 mg (p = 0.95, 95% CI [-4.1, 5.0]) (Figure 1). Patients undergoing cardiac surgery had higher overall activity levels compared to non-cardiac also when adjusted for age. Conclusion Home-based prehabilitation increases preoperative physical activity levels in patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery, but not in patients undergoing major cardiac surgery. Higher activity levels in cardiac surgery patients was unexpected, but may be explained by previous inclusion of patients with cardiac diseases in exercise-based rehabilitation and physical activity recommendations at routine cardiac follow-up visits. Table 1 Figure 1

Postoperative Cognitive Decline in Patients Undergoing Major Gynecologic Oncology Surgery: A Pilot Prospective Study

ObjectivesPostoperative cognitive decline (POCD) is characterised by deficits in attention, memory, executive function, and information processing that persist beyond the early postoperative period. Its incidence ranges from 10%–25% after noncardiac surgery. Limited literature exists on POCD after gynecologic oncology surgery. Our primary objective was to identify the incidence of POCD among patients 55 years or older undergoing major gynecologic oncology surgery. MethodsThis mixed-methods, prospective, observational cohort study followed patients 55 years or older who underwent surgery for gynecologic malignancies between February and July 2022. Semi-structured interviews and the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) were administered before surgery as well as 1 and 3 months after. Assessments were delivered virtually and in-person in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. POCD was defined as ≥2-point decline from baseline MMSE score. ResultsTwenty-four patients participated; 19 completed the 1-month follow-up, and 15 completed the 3-month follow-up. The average age was 64 (range: 56–90). The mean preoperative MMSE score was 16.6 out of 17 (virtual) and 12.9 out of 13 (in-person). Two patients had a 1-point decline in their 1-month MMSE score; both recovered by 3 months. One patient had a 1-point decline in their 3-month MMSE score. Semi-structured interviews revealed common themes of “brain fog” at the 1-month follow-up and mild, persistent attention and word-finding deficits at 3 months postoperatively. ConclusionsThis study’s qualitative component captured subtle subjective findings suggestive of potential POCD. Larger studies are required, and a more extensive neuropsychological test battery may be required to elicit subtle findings not clearly reflected by MMSE scores.

Intraoperative Hypotension in Patients Having Major Noncardiac Surgery Under General Anesthesia: A Systematic Review of Blood Pressure Optimization Strategies.

Intraoperative hypotension is associated with increased risks of postoperative complications. Consequently, a variety of blood pressure optimization strategies have been tested to prevent or promptly treat intraoperative hypotension. We performed a systematic review to summarize randomized controlled trials that evaluated the efficacy of blood pressure optimization interventions in either mitigating exposure to intraoperative hypotension or reducing risks of postoperative complications. Medline, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials were searched from database inception to August 2, 2023, for randomized controlled trials (without language restriction) that evaluated the impact of any blood pressure optimization intervention on intraoperative hypotension and/or postoperative outcomes. The review included 48 studies (N = 46,377), which evaluated 10 classes of blood pressure optimization interventions. Commonly assessed interventions included hemodynamic protocols using arterial waveform analysis, preoperative withholding of antihypertensive medications, continuous blood pressure monitoring, and adjuvant agents (vasopressors, anticholinergics, anticonvulsants). These same interventions reduced intraoperative exposure to hypotension. Conversely, low blood pressure alarms had an inconsistent impact on exposure to hypotension. Aside from limited evidence that higher prespecified intraoperative blood pressure targets led to a reduced risk of complications, there were few data suggesting that these interventions prevented postoperative complications. Heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes precluded meta-analysis. Several different blood pressure optimization interventions show promise in reducing exposure to intraoperative hypotension. Nonetheless, the impact of these interventions on clinical outcomes remains unclear. Future trials should assess promising interventions in samples sufficiently large to identify clinically plausible treatment effects on important outcomes.