Postoperative Low Cardiac Output Research Articles

Comparison of Blalock-Taussig-Thomas Shunts With Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligated Versus Left Open.

The optimal approach to patent ductus arteriosus management during systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt placement is currently unknown. The purpose of this study is to examine the outcomes of variable strategies for patent ductus arteriosus management during Blalock-Taussig-Thomas shunt surgery. A retrospective cohort study of infants who underwent shunt placement was performed, comparing those who had the ductus ligated with those who had the ductus left open. Indicators of low cardiac output syndrome, development of necrotizing enterocolitis, and secondary outcomes such as resuscitation events were examined. Thirty-six infants were included all of whom had their shunt placed via median sternotomy. Twenty infants had their ductus ligated at the time of the shunt, and they were compared with 16 infants whose ductus was left open. There was no statistical difference in preoperative baseline characteristics, including corrected gestational age, age in days, weight, mechanical ventilation, vasoactive use, heterotaxy, and gastrointestinal anomalies. There was also no statistical difference in postoperative indicators of low cardiac output, including urine production, total fluids given, renal injury, maximum lactate, and vasoactive-inotropic score. Three patients had postoperative renal injury, and all were in the ligated duct group. There was also no statistical difference in any secondary outcomes, including the development of necrotizing eneterocolitis, resuscitation events, reinterventions, length of intubation, total length of stay, and mortality. This study provides evidence that variable management of the ductus during shunt placement does not significantly impact outcomes. Leaving the ductus open allows for a potential rescue source of pulmonary blood flow and does not appear to increase the risk of postoperative low cardiac output.

Early postoperative beta-blockers are associated with improved cardiac output after late complete repair of tetralogy of Fallot: a retrospective cohort study

Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common cyanotic congenital heart disease. For decades, our institution has cared for humanitarian patients with late presentation of tetralogy of Fallot. They are characterized by severe right ventricular hypertrophy with consecutive diastolic dysfunction, increasing the risk of postoperative low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS). By right ventricular restrictive physiology, we hypothesized that patients receiving early postoperative beta-blockers (within 48 h after cardiopulmonary bypass) may have better diastolic function and cardiac output. This is a retrospective cohort study in a single-center tertiary pediatric intensive care unit. We included > 1-year-old humanitarian patients with a confirmed diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot undergoing a complete surgical repair between 2005 and 2019. We measured demographic data, preoperative echocardiographic and cardiac catheterization measures, postoperative mean heart rate, vasoactive-inotropic scores, LCOS scores, length of stay, and mechanical ventilation duration. One hundred sixty-five patients met the inclusion criteria. Fifty-nine patients (36%) received early postoperative beta-blockers, associated with a lower mean heart rate, higher vasoactive-inotropic scores, and lower LCOS scores during the first 48 h following cardiopulmonary bypass. There was no significant difference in lengths of stay and ventilation. Conclusion: Early postoperative beta-blockers lower the prevalence of postoperative LCOS at the expense of a higher need for vasoactive drugs without any consequence on length of stay and ventilation duration. This approach may benefit the specific population of children undergoing a late complete repair of tetralogy of Fallot.What is Known:• Prevalence of low cardiac output syndrome is high following a late complete surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot.What is New:• Early postoperative beta-blockade is associated with lower heart rate, prolonged relaxation time, and lower prevalence of low cardiac output syndrome.• Negative chronotropic agents like beta-blockers may benefit selected patients undergoing a late complete repair of tetralogy of Fallot, who are numerous in low-income countries.

Correlation between Post-operative Serum Lactate Levels and Low Cardiac Output Syndrome in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery: A Prospective Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the correlation between the development of low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) and post-operative serum lactate levels in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery at a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2021, involving 50 patients undergoing CABG surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Arterial samples were obtained immediately post-surgery and at six, twelve, and twenty-four-hour intervals post-operatively. The association between lactate levels and the occurrence of LCOS, need for inotropic support, and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) utilization was evaluated. Results: The study comprised predominantly male patients (84%). Patients were categorized into two groups based on lactate levels: Group 1 (> 4 mmol/L) and Group 2 (< 4 mmol/L). In Group 1, 32% of patients developed LCOS, 10% required IABP, and 20% needed inotropic and vasopressor support. Immediately post-CABG, the mean lactate level was 7.5 mmol/L, with 3% requiring IABP and 20% needing double inotropic support. Lactate levels decreased over time, with mean levels at six, twelve, and twenty-four hours post-surgery being 6.3 mmol/L, 3.8 mmol/L, and 3.3 mmol/L, respectively. Correspondingly, the need for IABP and inotropic support decreased. LCOS occurrence within 24 hours post-surgery correlated significantly with elevated lactate levels (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Elevated lactate levels were associated with the development of LCOS within 24 hours post-CABG surgery. Monitoring lactate levels postoperatively may serve as a valuable tool in predicting and managing LCOS in CABG patients.

Comparison of On-Pump Beating Heart Surgery Versus Conventional Bypass Surgery in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Requiring Urgent Revascularization

Background: The objective of our study was to provide the initial outcomes of the traditional coronary artery surgery approach and the on-pump beating heart surgery in terms of survival and morbidity in patients who needed emergency surgery for acute myocardial infarction. Methods: A single-center retrospective study was performed from November 2013 to September 2023 on a total of 212 patients requiring emergency coronary artery surgery. Group I patients (n = 108) received traditional coronary artery bypass grafting with cross-clamping, while Group II patients (n = 104) underwent on-pump coronary surgery on the beating heart. Results: There were no disparities observed in the preoperative left ventricular function, percutaneous coronary intervention, intra-aortic balloon usage, or clinical-hemodynamic characteristics. Group I patients had significantly higher rates of postoperative mortality and low cardiac output syndrome, as well as a greater utilization of intra-aortic balloons and a higher requirement for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Ultimately, the on-pump beating heart approach could serve as a viable alternative to enhance the preservation of cardiac function and decrease postoperative complications and mortality rates in patients with acute myocardial infarction who require emergency surgery.

The effect of histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate cardioplegia alone or combined with preoperative infusion of levosimendan on vasoactive inotropic score in patients with poor cardiac function undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

ABSTRACT Background: Patients with poor left ventricular function undergoing cardiac surgery frequently require inotropic drug support immediately after cardiopulmonary bypass. Levosimendan is an effective agent that acts via two complementary mechanisms. It enhances cardiac contractility and reduces cardiac workload. Aim: to assess the effect of histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate cardioplegia (HTK cardioplegia) alone or combined with preoperative infusion of levosimendan on the vasoactive inotropic score in patients with poor left ventricular function undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Material and method: this double-blinded randomized controlled trial was carried on 100 patients, divided into two groups; Levosimendan group (n = 49): patients received 0.1ug/kg/min levosimendan without loading, 12 hours preoperatively and continued for a total of 24 hours. Control group (n = 51): patients received a placebo 12 hours before surgery and continued for a total 24 hours. Both groups received HTK cardioplegia after cross-clamping of the aorta approximately 20 ml/kg into the ascending aorta over 6–8 minutes at a temperature of 4−10°C. Results: Levosimendan group was superior to control group with statistical significance regarding the need of intraaortic balloon pump (IABP), vasoactive inotropic score over the first 24 hours, troponin levels over the first 72 hours, ICU stays, hospital stay, and cumulative hospital costs. Although the incidence of postoperative low Cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), atrial fibrillation (AF), acute kidney injury (AKI), and overall mortality was lower in levosimendan group, but all were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Preoperative infusion of levosimendan combined with HTK cardioplegia in patients with poor cardiac function decreased vasoactive inotropic score and lowered the costs of hospital stay.

Early improvement of ejection fraction in patients with reduced ejection fraction after coronary artery bypass grafting

BackgroundDespite advancements in surgical technique, myocardial shield, and postoperative care, Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) among patients with reduced ejection fraction (EF) remains a surgical challenge due to their greater postoperative morbidity and mortality. This study aims to determine the early outcome of patients with reduced LVEF undergoing CABG and the improvement in the ejection fraction after revascularization. MethodsA total of 62 patients with impaired Left Ventricular (LV) systolic function (LVEF = 35–40 %) who underwent isolated On-pump CABG at the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery in Assiut University Hospitals and who had met the listed inclusion and exclusion criteria were eligible for the study. Different variables (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) were collected, studied, and compared. ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 57.81 ± 7.57 years, 66.1 % were male and 33.9 % were female. 44 (71.0%) patients were administered antegrade cardioplegia, whereas 18 (29.0%) patients were administered antegrade plus retrograde cardioplegia. Mean LVEF increased significantly from 37.97 ± 1.38% before surgery to 51.87 ± 3.54% after surgery (P ˂ 0.05). Post-operative low cardiac output syndrome occurred in 37 (59.7 %) of patients, pulmonary complications in 15 (24.2%), neurological complications in 10 (16.1%), sternal wound infection in 9 (14.5%), atrial fibrillation in 5 (8.1%) and acute kidney injury in 5 (8.1 %) of patients. In-hospital mortality was 16.1% (10 patients). ConclusionBased on the findings, CABG in patients with reduced preoperative LVEF improves the postoperative LVEF and NYHA functional class.

Surgical treatment strategy of pulmonary artery sling: a series of 110 cases

Objective: To examine the effect of surgical treatment in children with pulmonary artery sling and the surgical treatment strategy. Methods: Relevant data of 110 children with pulmonary artery sling admitted to the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University from February 2017 to July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 55 males and 55 females, aging (M(IQR)) 9.0 (10.6) months (range: 1 to 96 months). The weight was 7.8 (3.5) kg (range: 2.5 to 25.0 kg). Of the 110 patients, 108 had different degrees of tracheal stenosis and 2 had normal trachea. Left pulmonary artery transplantation and tracheoplasty were performed in 78 patients. Left pulmonary artery transplantation was performed in 30 patients (11 in our hospital and 19 in other hospitals) due to the lack of an early tracheoplasty technique, in which 24 patients needed stage Ⅱ tracheoplasty due to obvious respiratory symptoms and limited activity endurance, and 6 cases did not intervene. Two children with normal trachea only underwent left pulmonary artery transplantation. Results: Among the 78 children who underwent surgery in the same period, 70 cases recovered smoothly after surgery, of whom respiratory symptoms were significantly reduced or disappeared during the 1 to 65 months follow-up, with similar activity endurance to normal children of the same age. Eight cases died, including 4 cases of postoperative multi-drug resistant bacteria infection, died from tracheal anastomotic opening or septic shock, 1 cases with severe congenital heart disease died from postoperative low cardiac output syndrome difficult to correct, 1 case died from blood pressure could not be maintained due to the compressed left pulmonary artery after transplantation, 2 cases of postoperative digestive system diseases (adhesive intestinal obstruction, gastrointestinal bleeding, etc.). The 24 patients in the staging group were followed for 1 to 84 months. All patients needed stage Ⅱ tracheoplasty due to respiratory symptoms and decreased endurance to activity. Eight cases of the non-intervention tracheal group were successfully separated from the ventilator, cured and discharged in a short period of time. Conclusions: Most children with pulmonary artery sling have tracheal stenosis. Children with low degree of tracheal stenosis and inconspicuous respiratory symptoms can only undergo left pulmonary artery transplantation by lateral thoracotomy. For patients combined with severe tracheal stenosis or obvious respiratory symptoms, a simultaneous left pulmonary artery transplantat and tracheoplasty is recommended.

Influence of timing of Levosimendan administration on outcomes in cardiac surgery.

Though a subgroup analysis has shown improved survival for patients suffering severely reduced ventricular function undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, RCTs were not able to demonstrate overall beneficial effects of perioperative Levosimendan in cardiac surgery. This might be due to Levosimendan's pharmacokinetics reaching a steady-state concentration only 4-8 h after administration. Thus, this study now analysed the influence of timing of Levosimendan administration on perioperative outcome in cardiac surgery patients preoperatively presenting with severely reduced ventricular function and therefore considered at high-risk for intra- or postoperative low cardiac output syndrome. We hypothesized that prolonged preoperative Levosimendan administration ("preconditioning") would reduce mortality. All adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery between 2006 and 2018 perioperatively receiving Levosimendan were included in this retrospective, observational cohort study (n = 498). Patients were stratified into 3 groups: Levosimendan started on the day prior to surgery ("preop"), Levosimendan started on the day of surgery ("intraop") or post ICU admission ("postop"). After propensity score matching (PSM) was performed, outcomes defined according to proposed standard definitions for perioperative outcome research were compared between groups. After PSM, there were no significant differences in patients' characteristics, comorbidities and type/priority of surgery between groups. Compared to intraop or postop Levosimendan treatment, preop treated patients had significantly lower in-hospital-mortality (preop vs. intraop. vs. postop = 16,7% vs. 33,3% vs. 42,3%), duration of mechanical ventilation and rate of continuous renal replacement therapy. Prolonged preoperative treatment with Levosimendan of cardiac surgery patients preoperatively presenting with severely reduced left ventricular function might be beneficial in terms of postoperative outcome. Our results are in line with recent experts' recommendations concerning the prolonged perioperative use of Levosimendan. We strongly recommend that future randomized trials include this "preconditioning" treatment as an experimental arm.

Sutureless technique combined with vertical vein incision and pulmonary veins unroofed for correction of infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection.

We report a surgical method (sutureless technique), combined with vertical vein incision and pulmonary veins unroofed (semisutureless technique), to correct infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC). The clinical characteristics of 21 patients, who were diagnosed with infracardiac TAPVS between February 2017 and March 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into three groups according to different surgical methods: conventional surgery group, sutureless technique group, and semisutureless technique group. The conventional surgery group enrolled five patients with a median age of 16 days (interquartile range, 9-27 days) and a median weight of 3.25 kg (interquartile range, 3.1-3.42 kg). In this group, no preoperative pulmonary vein obstruction (PVO), preoperative ventilator support, or emergency surgery were reported. The sutureless technique group enrolled seven patients with a median age of 12 days (interquartile range, 5-16 days) and a median weight of 3.04 kg (interquartile range, 2.76-3.20 kg). In this group, two patients with preoperative PVO, four patients with preoperative ventilator support, and seven patients requiring emergency operation were found. The semisutureless technique group enrolled nine patients with a median age of 14 days (interquartile range, 7-24 days) and a median weight of 3.22 kg (interquartile range, 3.15-3.50 kg). In this group, four patients with preoperative PVO, two patients with preoperative ventilator support, and seven patients requiring emergency operation were noted. In the conventional surgery group, two patients with postoperative supraventricular tachycardia, one patient with postoperative low cardiac output syndrome, one patient with PVO, and no case of postoperative death were reported. In the sutureless technique group, two patients with postoperative low cardiac output syndrome, one patient with postoperative supraventricular tachycardia, one patient with postoperative PVO, and no postoperative deaths were determined. In the semisutureless technique group, three patients had low cardiac output syndrome, two patients had supraventricular tachycardia after the operation, and one patient, who had been admitted to the hospital after cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the emergency room, died early after the operation. No case of death or PVO was noted after the operation. The semisutureless technique has positive effects. This surgery method can enlarge the anastomotic stoma, increase the volume of the left atrium, reduce the tension of the anastomotic stoma, fix the pulmonary vein to avoid distortion, and prevent postoperative hemorrhage.

Development and Validation of a Prediction Score for Low-Cardiac-Output Syndrome After Adult Cardiac Surgery

The authors aimed to develop a simple prediction score to help identify patients at high risk of low-cardiac-output syndrome after adult cardiac surgery. A single-center, retrospective, observational study. At a tertiary hospital. Adult patients who underwent on-pump cardiac surgery between April 2016 and March 2021. None. Among the 2,806 patients retained for final analyses, 355 (12.7%) developed low-cardiac-output syndrome. Using a stepwise backward variable selection procedure applied to a multivariate logistic regression, a prediction model, including 8 risk factors, could be identified-preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction, glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min according to the Cockcroft formula or preoperative dialysis, combined surgery, nonelective surgery, mitral valve surgery for mitral valve regurgitation, history of extracardiac arteriopathy, preoperative hemoglobin <13 g/dL, and New York Heart Association functional class III or IV. A clinical prediction score was derived from the regression coefficients. The model had a good discriminative ability, with an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.8 (95% CI: 077-0.84). Using a threshold value of 5, the score had a 68% sensitivity, 79% specificity, a positive-predictive value of 33%, and a negative-predictive value of 94%. These results were validated on a validation sample using the bootstrap resampling technique. The authors developed a clinical score to facilitate the prediction of low- cardiac-output syndrome after adult cardiac surgery. This could help tailor patient management by contributing to the early identification of those at high risk of postoperative low cardiac output.

Clinical trends of children with primary cardiac tumors: 15-year experience from a single center.

e22008 Background: Clinical presentation of pediatric primary cardiac tumors is exceptionally rare throughout the world. The purpose of our study is to evaluate clinical intervention by following up on children with primary cardiac tumors. Methods: Our study retrospectively enrolled 97 children diagnosed with primary cardiac tumors from Jan 2005 to Dec 2020 in a single center, Children’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University by confirming with clinicoradiological and non-invasive diagnostic procedures. Primary outcome was to measure clinical trends and interventions while secondary was to analyze survival of 26 (26.80%) operative and 71 (73.19%) non-operative patients. Surgical intervention patients were followed for 6 Mo in the first postoperative year, then every year. Meanwhile, non-serious, asymptomatic, and no hemodynamic changes patients were treated non-operatively and followed up every year regularly. Results: In primary outcome, median age of children was 4.72±4.10 years (1d~16y), and median follow-up was 5.60±4.97 years (1m~15y). Most enrolled children were younger than 1 year old at the time of diagnosis. Primary cardiac tumors patients consisting of 60 rhabdomyoma (61.85%), 11 myxomas (11.34%), 7 fibromas (7.21%), 3 lymphangiomas (3.09%), 2 lipomas (2.06%), 9 unclassified tumors (9.27%) and 5 malignant tumors (5.15%) were retrospectively analyzed. Major 75 patients (77.31%) were diagnosed during various treatments of clinical symptoms, whereas 18 (18.55%) were diagnosed with routine investigation and 14 (14.43%) were diagnosed by prenatal fetal echocardiography. Herein, 26 children with critical symptoms and serious hemodynamic alteration had undergone surgical intervention in our hospital. Among them, 6 (23.07%) patients had postoperative complications; 2 (7.7%) patients were unable to survive due to post-operative arrhythmia and low cardiac output syndrome; While 2 (7.7%) patients with myxomas had a reoccurrence, and 2 (7.7%) patients had been diagnosed with another rhabdomyoma after intervention, others recovered well. Meanwhile, 71 children had non-surgical management, where 8 (11.26%) were lost to follow-up; 3 (4.22%) patients with malignant tumors were unable to survive after discharge due to unknown causes, and other patients had no serious symptoms or growth of tumors during follow-up. In secondary outcome, survival between operative and non-operative patients had no significant difference ( P &gt; 0.05). Conclusions: Clinical intervention of pediatric primary cardiac tumors may be performed one-on-one by accounting presentations, symptoms, and emergence even though majority of primary cardiac tumors in children are benign in nature, and postoperative reoccurrence is feasible, particularly for rhabdomyoma. Meanwhile, the primary goal of surgical intervention is to reinstate normal hemodynamics, and preserve significant structures and cardiac tissues.

Comparison between levosimendan versus beta agonists in preservation of renal function in cardiac surgery patients with low cardiac output syndrome

ABSTRACT Background Post cardiac surgery acute kidney injury (AKI) secondary to postoperative low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), is a serious complication. Positive inotropic agents are the main line of treatment for LCOS with different degrees of improvement of cardiac function & nephroprotective efficacy Levosimendan is a calcium sensitizer in cardiac muscles, which has a comparable positive inotropic and nephroprotective effects to that of classic beta2 agonists. Objective To evaluate the possible nephroprotective effect of levosimendan as compared to beta agonists in cardiac surgery patients with LCOS. Patients and Methods It is a prospective, randomized and comparative study conducted at Ain Shams University Hospitals over the period from December 2020 to May 2021. A total of 60 patients with post cardiac surgery low cardiac output syndrome were divided into two groups of 30 patients each. Group A (control) received beta-agonists (dobutamine or adrenaline) and Group B (study) received levosimendan. The incidence of AKI at the diagnosis of LCOS & its progression to renal failure in both groups were assessed. Results The incidence of AKI at diagnosis of LCOS postoperative was 30% (n = 9) in each group; 44% of them in the control group (n = 4) developed renal failure at discharge from ICU and none of the study group patients developed renal failure at discharge. At the time of discharge from ICU, the incidence of renal failure in beta-agonist group was 13.3%, while the incidence in the levosimendan group was 0% with statistically significant P value of 0.038. Conclusion In comparison to beta-agonists, Levosimendan may have a better nephroprotective effect that plays a role in decreasing the incidence of kidney failure in patients with post cardiac surgery LCOS. A larger randomized, controlled trials are recommended to prove such a beneficial nephroprotective effect and its exact mechanism.

Left internal mammary on-lay patch vs. saphenous vein patch in reconstructing diffusely diseased left anterior descending artery

Background: Several operative techniques were described to reconstruct the diffusely diseased left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). The superiority of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) vs. the saphenous vein patch is controversial in LAD reconstruction. Thus, this study compared LIMA on-lay patch vs. saphenous vein patch in reconstructing diffusely diseased LAD artery.&#x0D; Methods: This study was conducted between June 2020 and May 2022 including 60 patients with a diffusely diseased LAD. LIMA patch was used in 30 patients (Group I) and saphenous vein patch in 30 patients (Group II) without endarterectomy. Males presented 85%; the mean age was 56.68 ± 6.44 years. The mean patch length in the LIMA group was 4.48±0.87 cm and 4.60± 0.93 cm in the saphenous vein group.&#x0D; Results: The mean aortic cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times were 66.80± 19.93 and 108.00± 25.74 minutes in the LIMA group and 84.40± 30.65 and 132.53± 45.41 minutes in the venous Group (P= 0.011 and 0.013, respectively). The mean intensive care unit stay was 50.40 ± 38.65 hours in Group I and 92.00± 51.62 hours in Group II (P˂ 0.001). Four patients (13.3%) needed an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in Group I, and 11 patients (36.7%) in Group II (P= 0.037). Postoperative low cardiac output occurred in 13.3% of Group I and 53.3% in Group II (P= 0.001). Postoperative atrial fibrillation occurred in 13.3% of Group I, while in Group II was 33.3% (P= 0.067). The renal complications were 3.3% in Group I and 16.7% in Group II (P= 0.085). Two patients (6.7%) were complicated with bleeding in Group I, and nine (30.0%) in Group II (P= 0.02). The postoperative ejection fraction was 58.17± 5.25% in Group I and 53.3± 5.23% in Group II (P= 0.001). On the first postoperative day, the creatine kinase-myoglobin binding level was 61.73± 30.19 IU/L in Group I and 92.63± 45.88 IU/L in Group II (P= 0.004). Hospital mortality occurred in one patient (3.3%) in Group I and two in Group II (6.7%) (P˃ 0.99).&#x0D; Conclusion: LAD reconstruction using the LIMA patch could have better early outcomes than the saphenous vein patch.

Continuous Myocardial Perfusion during Distal Anastomosis of Acute Type A Aortic Dissection.

The effect of continuous myocardial perfusion (CMP) on the surgical results of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) remains unclear. From January 2017 to March 2022, 141 patients who underwent ATAAD (90.8%) or intramural hematoma (9.2%) surgery were reviewed. Fifty-one patients (36.2%) received proximal-first aortic reconstruction and CMP during distal anastomosis. Ninety patients (63.8%) underwent distal-first aortic reconstruction and were placed in traditional cold blood cardioplegic arrest (CA; 4°C, 4:1 blood-to-Plegisol) throughout the procedure. The preoperative presentations and intraoperative details were balanced using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Their postoperative morbidity and mortality were analyzed. The median age was 60 years. The incidence of arch reconstruction in the unweighted data was higher in the CMP compared with the CA group (74.5 vs 52.2%, p = 0.017) but was balanced after IPTW (62.4 vs 58.9%, p = 0.932, standardized mean difference = 0.073). The median cardiac ischemic time was lower in the CMP group (60.0 vs 130.9 minutes, p < 0.001), but cerebral perfusion time and cardiopulmonary bypass time were similar. The CMP group did not demonstrate any benefit in the reduction of the postoperative maximum creatine kinase-MB ratio (4.4 vs 5.1% in CA, p = 0.437) or postoperative low cardiac output (36.6 vs 24.8%, p = 0.237). Surgical mortality was comparable between groups (15.5% in CMP vs 7.5% in the CA group, p = 0.265). Application of CMP during distal anastomosis in ATAAD surgery, irrespective of the extent of aortic reconstruction, reduced myocardial ischemic time but did not improve cardiac outcome or mortality.

Comparison between Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump and Levosimendan as Treatment Modalities for Cardiogenic Shock Post Cardiac Surgery

Purpose: Post cardiac surgery cardiogenic shock is one of the major life threatening complications of open heart surgeries. Two modalities are widely used to improve the cardiac output and overcome the acute postoperative complication beside other conventional treatment including mechanical ventilator, inotropes and vasopressors. Those modalities are levosimendan and Intra-aortic balloon pump. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prognosis of levosimendan vs IABP in patients who developed cardiogenic shock post cardiac surgery.&#x0D; Methodology: This was a prospective observational study conducted as national heart institute, Egypt on 50 patients who developed cardiogenic shock post cardiac surgery and managed by either levosimendan or Intra-aortic balloon Pump (IABP) beside other conventional therapies. Patients were then divided into two groups according to the modality used. Group I: patients who were managed by levosimendan and group II: patients who were managed by IABP. Two groups were then compared according to baseline preoperative characteristics and in-hospital course and one month follow up post discharge echocardiography.&#x0D; Findings: No significant difference regarding between in-hospital mortality between levosimendan, 44% and IABP, 52% P value 0.5. Levosimendan was associated with significantly shorter ICU stay, 5.56±2.85 compared to IABP, 8±3.34 days (P value 0.02). Levosimendan seems to be a better option than IABP or at least equivalent to it in postoperative cardiogenic shock.&#x0D; Recommendations: Levosimendan is an alternative cost effective modality for patients with post-operative low cardiac output syndrome especially when IABP isn’t available.&#x0D;

Risk factors of postoperative low cardiac output syndrome in children with congenital heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) is the most common complication after cardiac surgery, which is associated with the extension of postoperative hospital stay and postoperative death in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Although there are some studies on the risk factors of LCOS in children with CHD, an unified conclusion is lack at present. To synthesize the risk factors of LCOS after CHD in children, and to provide evidence-based insights into the early identification and early intervention of LCOS. The databases of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Web of Science were searched for relevant articles that were published between the establishing time of each database and January 2022. Based on retrospective records or cohort studies, the influencing factors of postoperative low cardiac output in children with congenital heart disease were included in Meta analysis.This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The risk of bias was evaluated according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). RevMan 5.4 software was used to conduct the meta-analysis. A total of 1,886 records were screened, of which 18 were included in the final review. In total, 37 risk factors were identified in the systematic review. Meta- analysis showed that age, type of CHD, cardiac reoperation, biventricular shunt before operation, CPB duration, ACC duration, postoperative residual shunt, cTn-1 level 2 h after CPB > 14 ng/ml and postoperative 24 h MR-ProADM level > 1.5 nmol/l were independent risk factors of LCOS. Additionally, the level of blood oxygen saturation before the operation was found to have no statistically significant relationship with LOCS. The risk factors of postoperative LCOS in children with CHD are related to disease condition, intraoperative time and postoperative related indexes, so early prevention should be aimed at high-risk children. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42022323043.

Redo Total Aortic Arch Replacement in Patients with Aortic Dissection After Open-Heart Surgery and Long-Term Follow-Up Results.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the main treatment strategies and long-term follow-up results of aortic dissection surgery after open-heart surgery (ADSOHS) and to analyze the risk factors that cause ADSOHS. One hundred thirty-seven patients with ADSOHS hospitalized in our hospital from January 2009 to December 2018 were selected as the research object. Long-term follow-up results, complications, mortality, and changes of cardiac function before and after operation were used to explore the value of Sun's operation. The length of stay in intensive care unit of these 137 patients ranged from 9.5 to 623.75 hours (average of 76.41±97.29 hours), auxiliary ventilation time ranged from 6.0 to 259.83 hours (average of 46.16±55.59 hours), and hospital stay ranged from six to 85 days (average of 25.06±13.04 days). There were seven cases of postoperative low cardiac output, 18 cases of coma and stroke, and six cases of transient neurological dysfunction. A total of 33 patients died; 19 patients died during the perioperative period, 18 died during Sun's operation and one died during other operation; and 14 patients died during follow-up (January 2021), 12 cases of Sun's operation and two cases of other operations. ADSOHS treatment strategy is of high application value, and the risk of neurological complications and mortality is low. The main risk factors are postoperative low cardiac output, coma, stroke, and transient neurological dysfunction. The extracorporeal circulation time is relatively long. Short- and long-term follow-up effects are good, and it is worthy of clinical promotion.

Efficacy and safety of remimazolam for non-obese patients during anesthetic induction in cardiac surgery: study protocol for a multicenter randomized trial

BackgroundValvular heart disease remains common in both developed and developing countries, and it requires timely surgical treatment when necessary. However, the stability of hemodynamics during anesthesia induction in patients undergoing valve replacement surgery is difficult to maintain due to their impaired cardiac function. Remimazolam, a novel and ultrashort-acting intravenous sedative-hypnotic, may be beneficial to stable hemodynamics, but the evidence is limited. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of remimazolam induction on hemodynamics compared with midazolam and etomidate in patients undergoing valve replacement surgery.MethodsThis is a prospective, multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT). Three hundred and sixty-three non-obese adult patients aged 45 to 80 years old undergoing valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass will be randomly allocated to receive remimazolam tosilate, midazolam, or etomidate during anesthetic induction. The primary outcome is the incidence of hypotension within 20 min after the administration of investigated drugs. The hypotension is defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 90 mmHg or a 30% reduction in SBP from baseline or the application of vasoactive drugs. Secondary outcomes include incidence of successful sedation, time to successful sedation, incidence of delirium and postoperative low cardiac output syndrome within 7 days after surgery, hospital mortality, mechanical ventilation time, ICU length of stay, and hospital length of stay.DiscussionTo our knowledge, this is the first prospective RCT to investigate the efficacy and safety of remimazolam induction in adult cardiac surgery compared with midazolam and etomidate. This study will provide important information on the application of remimazolam in cardiac surgery in the future.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry chictr.org.cn ChiCTR2100050122. Registered on August 16, 2021.

Predictors of low cardiac output after isolated pericardiectomy: an observational study

BackgroundLow cardiac output is the main cause of perioperative death after pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. We investigated the associated risk factors and consequences.MethodsWe selected constrictive pericarditis patients undergoing isolated pericardiectomy from January 2013 to January 2021. Postoperative low cardiac output was defined as requiring mechanical circulatory support or more than one inotrope to maintain a cardiac index > 2.2 L •min−1 •m−2 without hypoperfusion, despite adequate filling status. Uni- and multivariable analysis were used to identify factors associated with low cardiac output. Cox regression was used to identify factors associated with length of hospital stay.ResultsAmong 212 patients with complete data, 55 (25.9%) developed low cardiac output within postoperative day 1 (quartiles 1 and 2), which caused seven of the nine perioperative deaths. The rates of atrial arrhythmia, renal dysfunction, hypoalbuminemia, modest-to-severe hyponatremia, and hyperbilirubinemia caused by constrictive pericarditis were 9.4%, 12.3%, 49.1%, 10.4%, and 81.6%. The mean preoperative central venous pressure and cardiac index were 18 ± 5 cmH2O and 1.87 ± 0.45 L•min−1•m−2. Univariable analysis showed that low cardiac output patients had higher rates of atrial arrhythmia (OR 3.32 [1.35, 8.17], P = 0.007), renal dysfunction (OR 4.24 [1.94, 9.25], P < 0.001), hypoalbuminemia (OR 1.99 [1.06, 3.73], P = 0.031) and hyponatremia (OR 6.36 [2.50, 16.20], P < 0.001), greater E peak velocity variation (difference 2.8 [0.7, 5.0], P = 0.011), higher central venous pressure (difference 3 [2,5] cmH2O, P < 0.001) and lower cardiac index (difference − 0.27 [− 0.41, − 0.14] L•min−1•m−2, P < 0.001) than patients without low cardiac output. Multivariable regression showed that atrial arrhythmia (OR 4.04 [1.36, 12.02], P = 0.012), renal dysfunction (OR 2.64 [1.07, 6.50], P = 0.035), hyponatremia (OR 3.49 [1.19, 10.24], P = 0.023), high central venous pressure (OR 1.17 [1.08, 1.27], P < 0.001), and low cardiac index (OR 0.36 [0.14, 0.92], P = 0.032) were associated with low cardiac output (AUC 0.79 [0.72–0.86], P < 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed that hyperbilirubinemia (HR 0.66 [0.46, 0.94], P = 0.022), renal dysfunction (HR 0.51 [0.33, 0.77], P = 0.002), and low cardiac output (HR 0.42 [0.29, 0.59], P < 0.001) were associated with length of hospital stay.ConclusionsEarly recognition and management of hyponatremia, renal dysfunction, fluid retention, and hyperbilirubinemia may benefit constrictive pericarditis patients after pericardiectomy.

Late Correction of Transposition of the Great Arteries

Introduction: Surgical correction of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) is usually performed in the first week of life. There is no consensus on surgical intervention for patients with a late diagnosis. Our study was designed to evaluate the early results of patients who underwent late-term correction based on surgical techniques. Patients and Methods: Our study included patients older than a month, who were operated on due to TGA between 2014 and 2019. Data on the postoperative hospital mortality and morbidity of these patients were examined. Results: The study enrolled 11 patients. Arterial switch operation (ASO) was performed in 36.3% (n= 4) of the patients, while an atrial switch operation was performed in 63.7%. After left ventricular (LV) training, ASO was performed in 25% (n= 1) of the patients. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support requirement was present in 36.4% (n= 4) of the patients due to postoperative low cardiac output. The mortality rate was 27.3% (n= 3). Of these deaths, 33.3% occurred among patients who had undergone Senning operations, while 66.7% occurred among those who underwent ASO (n= 1). While 66.7% (n= 2) of the mortality was due to low cardiac output, 33.4% was due to sepsis (n= 1). Conclusion: There is still no absolute consensus on the timing of surgical intervention in cases of TGA. ASO can be performed in cases with an increased need for ECMO and acceptable mortality among patients over one month of age. For patients with LV regression, two-stage ASO and atrial switch operations are alternative options.