Late outcome after surgical and topical treatment for Aspergillus mediastinitis after heart transplantation.

The 7-year long-term survival after Aspergillus fumigatus mediastinitis after heart transplantation, an uncommonly described condition, is herein reported. A 66-year-old male developed an infection with A. fumigatus covering the entire thoracic cavity with a fungal turf after orthotopic heart transplantation. Repeated surgical removal of infectious and necrotic tissue together with innovative topical treatment using voriconazole and chlorhexidine combined with systemic antifungal treatment, helped in controlling the infection. Definitive wound closure was achieved by standard sternal refixation and latissimus dorsi muscle flap plasty. Survival after A. fumigatus mediastinitis after heart transplantation was achieved with sequential debridement in combination with topical application of antifungal agents.

Serum Creatinine Back-Estimation in Cardiac Surgery Patients: Misclassification of AKI Using Existing Formulae and a Data-Driven Model.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A knowledge of baseline serum creatinine (bSCr) is mandatory for diagnosing and staging AKI. With often missing values, bSCr is estimated by back-calculation using several equations designed for the estimation of GFR, assuming a "true" GFR of 75 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). Using a data set from a large cardiac surgery cohort, we tested the appropriateness of such an approach and compared estimated and measured bSCr. Moreover, we designed a novel data-driven model (estimated serum creatinine [eSCr]) for estimating bSCr. Finally, we analyzed the extent of AKI and mortality rate misclassifications. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Data for 8024 patients (2833 women) in our cardiac surgery center were included from 1997 to 2008. Measured and estimated bSCr were plotted against age for men and women. Patients were classified to AKI stages defined by the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) group. Results were compared with data from another cardiac surgery center in Zurich, Switzerland. RESULTS: The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease and the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration formulae describe higher estimated bSCr values in younger patients, but lower values in older patients compared with the measured bSCr values in both centers. The Pittsburgh Linear Three Variables formula correctly describes the increasing bSCr with age, however, it underestimates the overall bSCr level, being in the range of the 25% quantile of the measured values. Our eSCr model estimated measured bSCr best. AKI stage 1 classification using all formulae, including our eSCr model, was incorrect in 53%-80% of patients in Vienna and in 74%-91% in Zurich; AKI severity (according to KDIGO stages) and also mortality were overestimated. Mortality rate was higher among patients falsely classified into higher KDIGO stages by estimated bSCr. CONCLUSIONS: bSCr values back-estimated using currently available eGFR formulae are inaccurate and cannot correctly classify AKI stages. Our model eSCr improves the prediction of AKI but to a still inadequate extent.

Long-term absolute and relative survival after aortic valve replacement: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Aortic valve replacement is one of the most common cardiac surgical procedures, especially in elderly patients. Whether or not there is a net life gain over a long period of time is a matter for debate. OBJECTIVE: To compare survival of patients with that of the age, sex, and follow-up year-matched normal population (relative survival). DESIGN: Single-centre, prospectively collected data. SETTING: Tertiary care centre, Vienna, Austria. PATIENTS: We enrolled 1848 patients undergoing elective aortic valve replacement between 1997 and the end of 2008. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: Relative survival at the end of 2011 as determined by relative Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients (3.7%) died within the first 30 days. Another 70 patients (3.8%) died within the first year and 429 (23.2%) died during the remaining follow-up period. The longest follow-up period was 14 years (median, 5.8; interquartile range, 3.2 to 8.9). Medical risk indicators for relative survival were diabetes mellitus [hazard ratio 1.69, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.37 to 2.07, P<0.001], pulmonary disease (hazard ratio 1.45, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.81, P=0.001), history of atrial fibrillation (hazard ratio 1.35, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.66, P=.005) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor medication (hazard ratio 1.21, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.44, P=0.031). Perioperative risk indicators were urgent surgery (hazard ratio 1.40, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.94, P=0.047), resternotomy at 48 h or less (hazard ratio 1.87, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.70, P=0.001), resternotomy at more than 48 h (hazard ratio 1.80, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.45, P<0.001), blood transfusion (hazard ratio 1.06, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.12, P=0.018) and renal replacement therapy (hazard ratio 2.02, 95% CI 1.41 to 2.90, P<0.001). Relative survival was highest in the oldest age quartile (76 to 94 years) and lowest in the youngest (19 to 58 years) (hazard ratio 0.27, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.36; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients who survived the first year after aortic valve replacement had a similar chance of survival as the matched normal population. Relative survival benefit was higher in the oldest age quartile.

Impact of minimal increases in serum creatinine on outcome in patients after cardiothoracic surgery: do we have to revise current definitions of acute renal failure?

OBJECTIVE: Traditional cutoff values of serum creatinine considered to define postoperative acute renal failure have been challenged recently. In a previous investigation we demonstrated that minimal changes in serum creatinine concentration were associated with a substantial decrease in survival after cardiac surgery. In this investigation, we assessed the impact of minimal absolute increases in serum creatinine in a second institution, and we analyzed whether relative changes, as in the RIFLE classification and, partially, in Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) classification, confer a different prognostic potential. DESIGN: Prospective analysis. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: All consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery in the University Hospital of Zurich (Center USZ) over a 46-month period. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were prospectively documented. We analyzed maximal changes in serum creatinine in the first 48 hrs postoperatively (DeltaCrea) regarding death within 30 days. Results were compared with those of the University Hospital Vienna (Center AKH). Moreover, the prognostic potential of DeltaCrea within 48 hrs vs. serum creatinine elements according to RIFLE and AKIN classifications was assessed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 3,123 patients were evaluated from USZ. The majority of patients had decreased postoperative serum creatinine values (negative DeltaCrea) and the lowest mortality (1.8%). Minimal increases, [0, 0.5) mg x dL(-1), were associated with a more than doubled mortality in both centers (5%/6%). Mortality, according to RIFLE and AKIN classifications for both populations combined, was as follows: 7,023 (3.6%), 160 (29%), 43 (19%), and 15 (33%) for RIFLE Normal, Risk, Injury, and Failure; 6,644 (2.8), 463 (16.4), 3 (66.7), and 131 (1.8) for AKIN stage 0, 1, 2, and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Measuring repeat serum creatinine concentrations within 48 hrs and determining DeltaCrea were the most effective discrimination method to find patients at risk for adverse postoperative outcome after cardiac surgery, better than application of this sole criterion to the RIFLE (least discriminatory) or the AKIN classification.

Minimal changes of serum creatinine predict prognosis in patients after cardiothoracic surgery: a prospective cohort study.

Acute renal failure increases risk of death after cardiac surgery. However, it is not known whether more subtle changes in renal function might have an impact on outcome. Thus, the association between small serum creatinine changes after surgery and mortality, independent of other established perioperative risk indicators, was analyzed. In a prospective cohort study in 4118 patients who underwent cardiac and thoracic aortic surgery, the effect of changes in serum creatinine within 48 h postoperatively on 30-d mortality was analyzed. Cox regression was used to correct for various established demographic preoperative risk indicators, intraoperative parameters, and postoperative complications. In the 2441 patients in whom serum creatinine decreased, early mortality was 2.6% in contrast to 8.9% in patients with increased postoperative serum creatinine values. Patients with large decreases (DeltaCrea <-0.3 mg/dl) showed a progressively increasing 30-d mortality (16 of 199 [8%]). Mortality was lowest (47 of 2195 [2.1%]) in patients in whom serum creatinine decreased to a maximum of -0.3 mg/dl; mortality increased to 6% in patients in whom serum creatinine remained unchanged or increased up to 0.5 mg/dl. Mortality (65 of 200 [32.5%]) was highest in patients in whom creatinine increased > or =0.5 mg/dl. For all groups, increases in mortality remained significant in multivariate analyses, including postoperative renal replacement therapy. After cardiac and thoracic aortic surgery, 30-d mortality was lowest in patients with a slight postoperative decrease in serum creatinine. Any even minimal increase or profound decrease of serum creatinine was associated with a substantial decrease in survival.

Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in pediatric congenital cardiac surgery: a two-center observational study.

UNLABELLED: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a monitoring and diagnostic tool for the care of children undergoing cardiac surgery. We analyzed reports from 865 routine TEE examinations performed between January 1994 and March 2002 in patients younger than 17-yr-old who were undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease. Patients' median age was 36 mo (range, 1 day-16 yr). The primary end-point of the study was the incidence of surgical and medical management decisions changed as a result of TEE findings; secondary end-points were diagnostic impact (diagnostic exclusions and new diagnoses) and surgical outcome. Fifty percent of the examinations were performed by anesthesiologists with an advanced level of training in perioperative TEE; all of the examiners had an experience of >or=>500 TEE examinations. Supervision by an anesthesiologist with an advanced level of training was requested in 36.7% of cases; supervision by a cardiologist was requested in 3.8%. Surgical alterations of management were reported in 12.7% of cases and included the need for a repeat bypass run in 7.3%; medical alterations of management were required in 19.4% of cases. We observed a diagnostic impact of TEE in 18.5% of cases and a suboptimal but acceptable surgical outcome in 27.6%; TEE findings predicted postoperative difficulties in 4.0%. Our results confirm the utility of routine TEE to assess repair of congenital heart defects. Furthermore, this service was competently performed by a regular team of cardiac anesthesiologists appropriately trained in TEE. IMPLICATIONS: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an essential monitoring and diagnostic device for the care of children undergoing cardiac surgery. The surgical and medical impact of TEE is demonstrated in a large series of patients. This service can be performed by appropriately trained cardiac anesthesiologists.

Ibutilide versus amiodarone in atrial fibrillation: a double-blinded, randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: Ibutilide, a class III antiarrhythmic drug, has been shown to convert atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm more rapidly than procainamide or sotalol. Our objective was to compare the efficacy and safety of ibutilide and amiodarone in patients after cardiac surgery. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blinded study. SETTING: Intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS: Forty adults with an onset of atrial fibrillation within 3 hrs after admission. INTERVENTIONS: Before the administration of antiarrhythmic drugs, a 24-hr Holter electrocardiograph was attached. Patients in the ibutilide group received ibutilide 0.008 mg/kg body weight over 10 mins; treatment was repeated if atrial fibrillation or flutter persisted. If sinus rhythm was not achieved within 4 hrs, amiodarone 5 mg/kg was administered over 30 mins, followed by amiodarone 15 mg/kg over 24 hrs. Patients in the amiodarone group received amiodarone 5 mg/kg over 30 mins, followed by amiodarone 15 mg/kg over 24 hrs if atrial fibrillation or flutter continued. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Within the first 4 hrs, atrial fibrillation was converted in nine of 20 patients (45%) in group ibutilide and in ten of 20 patients (50%) in group amiodarone (not significant). Mean time for conversion overall was 385 mins in group ibutilide and 495 mins in group amiodarone (not significant). In group amiodarone, the protocol was discontinued in two patients because of severe arterial hypotension. Atrial fibrillation recurred in 11 of 20 patients (55%) in group ibutilide and in seven of 20 patients (35%) in group amiodarone (not significant). Ventricular arrhythmia did not occur during the first 24 hrs of the protocol. CONCLUSIONS: Ibutilide has no significant advantage over amiodarone for the conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm in either time to conversion or conversion overall, but severe hypotension was not seen with ibutilide.

Early postoperative arrhythmias after cardiac operation in children.

BACKGROUND: Arrhythmias are a recognized complication of cardiac operations. However, little is known about the incidence, treatment, and risk factors for early postoperative arrhythmias in children after cardiac operations. METHODS: Diagnosis and treatment of early postoperative arrhythmias were prospectively analyzed in an intensive care unit in 100 consecutive children with a median age of 17 months (range, 1 day to 191 months) who had undergone cardiac operation. Patients were grouped in three different categories of surgical complexity. RESULTS: During a median postoperative time of 1 day (range, 0 to 15 days), 64 critical arrhythmias occurred in 48 patients. Arrhythmias consisted of sinus bradycardia in 30, atrioventricular block II to III in 7, supraventricular tachyarrhythmias in 14, and premature complexes in 13 instances. Treatment of 52 arrhythmias was successful and included pacing in 41, intravenous amiodarone in 8, body cooling in 5, overdrive pacing in 3, and electrolyte correction in 2 cases, with more than one treatment modality in 8 cases. Risk factors for arrhythmias were lower body weight (p < 0.05), longer cardiopulmonary bypass duration (p < 0.05), and a category of higher surgical complexity (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Early postoperative arrhythmias occur frequently after cardiac operations in children. Sinus bradycardia, atrioventricular block II to III, and supraventricular tachyarrhythmias are the most frequent arrhythmias, which, however, can be treated effectively by means of temporary pacing, cooling, and antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Lower body weight, longer cardiopulmonary bypass duration, and a higher surgical complexity are risk factors for early postoperative arrhythmias.

Intrathecal sufentanil-morphine shortens the duration of intubation and improves analgesia in fast-track cardiac surgery.

PURPOSE: To compare the effect of combined intrathecal morphine and sufentanil with low-dose iv sufentanil during propofol anesthesia for fast-track cardiac surgery. METHODS: Twenty-four consecutive patients with normal cardiopulmonary function who were scheduled for elective cardiac surgery were randomized to receive either a continuous iv infusion of sufentanil 0.9 to 1.8 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) (13 patients), or a single lumbar intrathecal dose of sufentanil 50 micro g and morphine 500 micro g (11 patients). We prospectively studied perioperative analgesia, time to extubation and early postoperative maximal inspiratory capacity in the two groups. In the intensive care unit, the medical and nursing staff were blinded to the analgesic technique. RESULTS: Intrathecal sufentanil morphine allowed a shorter duration of intubation (104 +/- 56.5 min vs 213 +/- 104 min; P = 0.01), reduced the need for postoperative analgesia with nicomorphine (equipotent to morphine) (0.7 +/- 0.4 mg x hr(-1) vs 1.2 +/- 0.4 mg x hr(-1); P = 0.008) and improved postoperative maximal inspiratory capacity (53.4 +/- 16.1 vs 38.4 +/- 12.5% of the norm; P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: In low-risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft or valve surgery, combined intrathecal sufentanil and morphine with a target-controlled infusion of propofol satisfies the goals of fast-track cardiac surgery.

Regional citrate anticoagulation using a citrate-based substitution solution for continuous venovenous hemofiltration in cardiac surgery patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, safety and side effects of routinely performed continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) with regional citrate anticoagulation using a citrate-containing substitution solution as compared with conventional systemic low-dose unfractionated heparin-anticoagulation in postoperative cardiac surgery patients. DESIGN/SETTING: Database review of all patients on CVVH during a three-year period at a cardiovascular intensive care unit of a tertiary referring university hospital. PATIENTS: Patients who had undergone cardiac surgery with acute or chronic renal failure were studied. Thirty-seven citrate CVVH courses in 31 patients (January to November 2000) and 59 heparin CVVH courses in 50 patients (1998 and 1999) had been undertaken postoperatively. Indications for hemofiltration were acute renal failure in 24 and chronic renal failure in 7 of the citrate patients, and acute renal failure in 44 and chronic renal failure in 6 of the heparin patients. INTERVENTIONS: CVVH with either regional citrate anticoagulation using a custom-made citrate-based substitution solution or unfractionated heparin anticoagulation. MEASUREMENTS: The following parameters were measured: median filtration time, hemofilters used per day, differences in creatinine and blood urea levels as opposed to baseline, blood loss within the first 24 h of hemofiltration, incidence of bleeding-related resternotomies, acidosis, and alkalosis. RESULTS: No significant differences in any of the measured parameters were registered. No serious electrolyte imbalance was observed in either group. Furthermore, the two groups did not differ in terms of mortality, duration of stay in the intensive care unit or in hospital, and restoration rate of normal renal function. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that citrate-based regional anticoagulation is effective, safe and easy to use in CVVH following cardiac surgery and might become the first choice for anticoagulation in patients in whom the application of systemic heparin is contraindicated.