Protecting the spinal cord during thoracic endovascular aortic repair-who should place the spinal drain?

A well-placed and functioning lumbar spinal drain, for spinal cord protection, is an important aspect of the perioperative care of patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) procedures. Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating complication of TEVAR procedures and is most often associated with Crawford type 2 repairs. Current evidence-based guidelines for the surgical management of patients with thoracic aortic disease include the role of lumbar spine catheter placement and drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) intraoperatively as part of a strategy to prevent spinal cord ischemia. More often than not, the procedure of lumbar spinal drain placement, using a standard blind technique, and subsequent drain management is the responsibility of the anesthesiologist. However, institutional protocols are inconsistent, and, failure to successfully place the lumbar spinal drain pre-operatively in the operating room, in clinical situations such as patients with poor anatomical landmarks or prior back surgery, presents a clinical dilemma and impacts spinal cord protection during TEVAR. Although a relatively safe procedure, potential complications of lumbar spine catheter placement range from a self-limiting headache to hemorrhage and permanent neurological injury. Spinal drain placement with image-guided fluoroscopy by interventional radiology should be considered in the preoperative assessment and planning and is an alternative to conventional, blind lumbar drain insertion.

Cardiogenic and septic shock associated with aortic and mitral valve infective endocarditis caused by Abiotrophia Defectiva from a urinary tract infection.

Abiotrophia defectiva, also known as nutritionally variant streptococcus, is part of the normal flora of the oral cavity and urogenital and intestinal tracts and is a rare cause of infective endocarditis. It is fastidious or difficult to culture and associated with high rates of septic embolization, treatment failure and mortality. We describe an unusual presentation of infective endocarditis with severe mitral valve regurgitation due to Abiotrophia defectiva in an immunocompetent patient. After a complicated hospital course, surgical replacement of both the mitral and aortic valves was performed. We suggest that this patient likely had subacute infective endocarditis before diagnosis and treatment of her urinary tract infection, and following treatment failure, she developed life-threatening infective endocarditis. This case report highlights that patients with Abiotrophia defectiva infections are at high risk for infective endocarditis and that the clinical progression from this infection can be slow, with difficulty isolating the pathogen, which can significantly impact patient outcome.

Prolonged circulatory support with an Impella assist device in the management of cardiogenic shock associated with takotsubo syndrome, severe sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Severe sepsis has been known to trigger for takotsubo syndrome which is associated with profound physical or emotional stress. Severe sepsis is also associated with sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy, a reversible myocardial depression. We report a case in which a patient with takotsubo syndrome, cardiogenic shock, severe sepsis, and adult respiratory distress syndrome was managed with an Impella Cardiac Power circulatory support device for 108 h (4.5 days) because of sustained hemodynamic compromise. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the longest reported use of the Impella Cardiac Power device for the management of cardiogenic shock in a patient with takotsubo syndrome and severe sepsis. This report also highlights the importance of considering a ventricular assist device in the management of takotsubo syndrome cardiogenic shock with severe sepsis which is unresponsive to maximal medical therapy.

Developing Modules to Train Anesthesiology Residents & Medical Students in a Lung Isolation Technique.

BACKGROUND: One-lung ventilation (OLV) can be accomplished by using ether a double-lumen endotracheal tube (DLT) or a bronchial blocker. Patient factors, surgical requirements and the anesthesiologist's expertise influence technique choice. Bronchial blockers are in general less traumatic, safer to place, and suitable in a wider variety of scenarios than DLTs, but require greater technical skill. We designed a study to determine whether trainees can achieve OLV using a bronchial blocker on completion of a 4-week multimodal training module. METHODS: Anesthesia residents and medical students took part in didactic (lecture and video) and clinical simulation training. During simulation training, participants practiced placing a bronchial blocker under supervision until they performed the technique satisfactorily. Trainees could then practice independently as often as they wished. A skills check was performed during the supervised and after the independent practice; feedback was provided. For more advanced learners, practical clinical training was continued in the operating room. Assessments data (test scores and skills checks) were analyzed using the t-test. RESULTS: Difference between pre-test and post-test scores (didactics) was statistically significant (p=0.02) as was the number of skills checks items satisfactorily demonstrated by the 14 participants on the first supervised attempt and the last independent practice (simulation; p<0.01). All eight who performed one-lung isolation in the operating room were technically proficient in achieving adequate OLV to the satisfaction of the supervising attending anesthesiologist. CONCLUSIONS: This multimodal standardized teaching module which incorporates didactics, simulation training, and, for more advanced trainees, practical clinical experience, improves trainees' knowledge and skills in bronchial blocker placement and OLV.