Perioperative microdialysis in meningioma surgery: correlation of cerebral metabolites with clinical outcome.

BACKGROUND: Brain tumour resection requires surgical manoeuvres that may cause an ischaemic injury to peritumoral tissue. The aim of the present study was to examine whether putative alterations in peritumoral tissue biochemistry, monitored by microdialysis, correlate with clinical outcome in patients undergoing craniotomy for meningioma resection. METHODS: In 34 patients undergoing meningioma resection (35 % male; mean age ± SD: 54.3 ± 12.1 years), microdialysis measurements were taken perioperatively from peritumoral brain parenchyma. Standard metabolites (glucose, lactate, pyruvate, glycerol and the lactate:pyruvate ratio) were quantified in relation to clinical outcome assessed by the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the Karnofsky Performance Status scale. RESULTS: Higher postoperative glucose and pyruvate levels were found in patients with a favourable outcome (GCS not deteriorated or Karnofsky score > 80). Multiple logistic regression analysis (age, preoperative physical status, metabolite levels as independent variables) showed that lower postoperative glucose and pyruvate levels as well as higher lactate:pyruvate ratio values were independently associated with an unfavourable outcome as defined by Karnofsky score <80 [(OR: 0.084, 95 % CI: 0.01-0.98, p = 0.049), (OR: 0.97, 95 % CI: 0.95-0.99, p = 0.050), (OR: 1.21, 95 % CI: 1.04-1.42, p = 0.015) respectively], as well as with death [(OR: 0.08, 95 % CI: 0.01-0.97, p = 0.046), (OR: 0.94, 95 % CI: 0.89-0.99, p = 0.016), (OR: 1.07, 95 % CI: 1.00-1.15, p = 0.05) respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative levels of glucose and pyruvate and the lactate:pyruvate ratio appear to correlate with clinical outcome in patients undergoing meningioma resection. The present findings provide support for the utility of microdialysis as a prognostic tool in brain tumour surgery.

Simultaneous off-pump coronary artery bypass graft and nephrectomy.

We report the one-stage surgical management of a 68-year-old patient with renal cell carcinoma and serious hematuria combined with coronary artery disease and unstable angina. After the accomplishment of coronary revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass, we proceeded to nephrectomy and resection of the renal tumor at the same time. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and at 17 months of follow-up, the patient showed no signs of recurrence. To the best of our knowledge, such a case has never been reported before in the literature.

Effectiveness of brain natriuretic peptide in predicting postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing non-cardiac thoracic surgery.

A best evidence topic was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels could effectively predict the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients undergoing non-cardiac thoracic surgery. A total of 14 papers were identified using the reported search, of which 5 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, date, journal, country, study type, population, outcomes and key results are tabulated. All studies were prospective observational, and all reported a significant association between BNP and N-terminal (NT)-proBNP plasma levels measured in the immediate preoperative period and the incidence of postoperative AF in patients undergoing either anatomical lung resections or oesophagectomy. One study reported a cut-off value of 30 pg/ml above which significantly more patients suffered from postoperative AF (P < 0.0001), while another one reported that this value could predict postoperative AF with a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 93%. Another study reported that patients with NT-proBNP levels of 113 pg/ml or above had an 8-fold increased risk of developing postoperative AF. These findings support that BNP or NT-proBNP levels, especially when determined during the preoperative period, if increased, are able to identify patients at risk for the development of postoperative AF after anatomical major lung resection or oesophagectomy. The same does not seem to be true for lesser lung resections. These high-risk patients might have a particular benefit from the administration of prophylactic antiarrhythmic therapy.

Left atrial giant thrombus infected by Escherichia Coli. Case report.

BACKGROUND: Left atrial thrombi are mostly related to mitral valve disease. The differential diagnosis of clots and myxomas in the left atrium is mostly based on echocardiography. Infection of intracardiac thrombi is extremely rare and mostly reported in ventricular clots or aneurysms following myocardial infarction. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 65 year old female with a history of mitral valve disease and chronic atrial fibrillation who suffered repeated embolic strokes and a giant infected clot in the left atrium. Although the patient underwent prompt surgery with removal of the clot and valve replacement the complication of septic emboli to the CNS led her to death. To the best of our knowledge this is the second report of an infected left atrial thrombus. CONCLUSION: The case is a representative example of a neglected and undertreated patient with catastrophic consequences. Anticoagulant therapy in patients with mitral valve disease and atrial fibrillation should be applied according the currently available guidelines and standards in order to avoid analogous paradigms in the future. Mitral valve substitution should be considered in patients with mitral valve disease presenting thromboembolic complications. Surgery should be considered as the treatment of choice in cases of organized left atrial thrombus and suspected tumor or infected mass.