Heterogeneity Among Countries in the Subspecialty of Cardiovascular Anesthesia in Latin America: Survey Results.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate demographics, workload, training, facilities, and equipment in cardiovascular anesthesia (CVA) in Latin America (LA). DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study with data collected through a survey. SETTING: A multicenter, international web-based questionnaire that included 37 multiple-choice questions. PARTICIPANTS: Physicians and specialists in anesthesiology who regularly participated in cardiovascular surgeries and were members of the scientific societies of the Latin American Confederation of Anesthesiology. INTERVENTIONS: None MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 484 completed questionnaires were collected. A total of 97.8% of the respondents had a university degree in anesthesiology. Most did not receive formal training in CVA, and only 41.5% received formal training. Moreover, most of them were trained in their own country, and a smaller percentage were trained abroad. Half of the respondents reported receiving <12 months of training. A third part of the respondents had received training in transesophageal echocardiography. Only 5.8% of the respondents worked exclusively in CVA, and a high percentage dedicated <60% of their weekly work hours to this subspecialty. A total of 80.6% of the centers had <3 cardiac surgery operating rooms. Only one-third of the centers performed heart/lung transplantation, venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and ventricular assist device implantation. CONCLUSIONS: A significant lack of training programs in anesthesiology practice and complex procedures in medical centers in LA are evident. Thus, basic accredited programs should be developed in medical centers in LA.

The history of transesophageal echocardiography: the role of inspiration, innovation, and applications.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), which is commonly used for monitoring and diagnostic imaging during cardiovascular surgery, was originally developed by a strong desire to know what was taking place in the heart in the dark ages of cardiac surgery. The author was fortunate to be present in the midst of the development of TEE and have an opportunity to take a close look at the history of this innovation. Furthermore, the author believes that the history of TEE contains important lessons and tips for solving the problems we presently face in clinical practice. This article describes the history of TEE based on the reports in the early stage of development and discuss how inspiration and innovation was generated by a strong wish and passion to overcome problems. The development of TEE was based on the collaboration of colleagues in different fields, and an intense desire to convert ideas into reality.

Anesthetic and Perioperative Considerations for Combined Heart-Kidney Transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: To describe detailed perioperative features of combined heart and kidney transplant (HKT). DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary care university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: All consecutive HKT recipients aged 18 years and older. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: After approval of the Institutional Review Board, the authors studied all consecutive adult patients who underwent HKT between January 2013 and July 2016. Recipient and donor's demographic data, hemodynamic profile, and perioperative data were analyzed. Actuarial survival rate was 57% and 43% for in-hospital and after a mean follow-up of 135 (266) days, respectively. Among patients who required postoperative hemodialysis (n = 4), 75% (n = 3) died during hospital stay. In unadjusted analysis, patients who died had a lower postoperative cardiac index (5.4 [2.7] v 3.2 [1] L/min/m2; p = 0.034) and central venous pressure (11 [5] v 8.5 [3] mmHg; p = 0.032). All patients underwent a nonstaged surgery. When compared with preoperative hemodynamic variables, early postoperative values showed decreased systemic vascular resistance (1,333 [433] dyn/s/cm-5v 595 [176] dyn/s/cm-5; p = 0.028) and higher cardiac output (4.3 [1.4] L/min v 6.7 [3] L/min; p = 0.018). Median hospital stay was 63 (44) days. CONCLUSIONS: Anesthesiologists should be actively involved in perioperative strategies on how to manage these critical patients with severe cardiac and noncardiac comorbidities applying their expertise to HKT procedure.

Anesthesia for cesarean delivery in a patient with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries: A case report.

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CCTGA) is a rare form of congenital heart disease often associated with other cardiac defects. The adaptations and physiologic changes in pregnancy can present maternal challenges and complications; multidisciplinary care allows for the safest management of pregnancy and delivery in these patients. We present a case of the anesthetic management of cesarean delivery in a woman with CCTGA with her pregnancy complicated by recurrent volume overload, pulmonary hypertension, and dysrhythmias.

[Evaluation of a Brazilian's cardiovascular anesthesia fellowship by its former trainees]. / Avaliação do programa de aprimoramento em anestesia cardiovascular por seus ex­estagiários.

BACKGROUND: After advancement of cardiovascular surgery, there is also exponential development of anesthetic techniques in this field. Patients with increasing clinical complexity challenge cardiac anesthesiologists to keep constantly updated. An evaluation of Brazilian's cardiovascular anesthesia fellowship at Dante Pazzanese Institute of Cardiology has been made and information has been collected to evaluate the fellowship program in cardiovascular anesthesia. METHOD: Target participants were made up of former fellowships, contacted via e-mail containing an invitation to voluntarily participate. Explanation of the survey's purpose was provided. This communication was signed by the authors and contained a hyperlink to the survey, which was constructed on and hosted on a web platform. The survey was composed of 10 objectives questions designed to describe training and subsequent career. RESULTS: The adjusted survey response rate was 71%. Two-thirds of respondents agreed that fellowship training provided them an advantage in the job market and 93% of respondents currently work with cardiac anesthesia. At least 87% of participants would recommend the course to other anesthesiologists. CONCLUSION: Fellowship graduates judge their technical training as excellent and incorporated the knowledge acquired in their daily practice. However, there are improvements to be made. We believe this document may be useful as a reference for other institutions to develop their own cardiovascular anesthesia fellowship programs.

Manejo anestésico en síndrome corazón izquierdo hipoplásico: Reporte de un caso / Anesthetic management in hypoplastic left heart syndrome: A case report

Introducción: El síndrome corazón izquierdo hipoplásico puede presentarse con signos clínicos inmediato al nacimiento, siendo responsable de las muertes neonatales en la primera semana de vida. El reconocimiento clínico y los hallazgos ecocardiográficos son claves para un diagnóstico y tratamiento oportuno. Reporte de caso: describe el manejo anestésico de un neonato con inestabilidad hemodinámica que requirió cirugía de emergencia con banding pulmonar bilateral para mantener el equilibrio entre la relación del flujo sanguíneo pulmonar y sistémico cercano a la unidad, junto a maniobras de ventilación mecánica, medicamentos anestésicos, inotrópicos y adyuvantes con el objetivo de manipular las resistencias vasculares y el flujo sanguíneo logrando estabilidad hemodinámica del paciente que permitió al quinto día ser sometido a una cirugía electiva de Norwood Sano, tolerando procedimiento con extubación a los 15 días de la cirugía. Conclusión: el momento oportuno de la indicación quirúrgica aumenta la sobrevida de los pacientes síndrome corazón izquierdo hipoplásico.

Background: Hypoplastic left heart syndrome may appear with clinical signs immediately at birth, being responsible for neonatal deaths within the first week of life. Clinical recognition and echocardiographic findings are key to timely diagnosis and treatment. Case report: describes the anesthetic procedure of a neonate with hemodynamic instability who required emergency surgery for bilateral pulmonary banding to maintain the balance between pulmonary and near-unit systemic flow ratio, along with mechanical ventilation maneuvers, anesthetic, inotropic and adjuvant drugs to control vascular resistance and blood flow, thus achieving hemodynamic stability of the patient, which allowed him to undergo an elective Norwood Sano procedure on the fifth day, and which was tolerated with extubation 15 days after surgery. Conclusion: The right timing of the surgical indication increases the survival of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Definiciones operativas y protocolo anestésico durante la pandemia producida por SARS-CoV-2 en un programa de cirugía cardíaca pediátrica / Operative definitions and anesthetic protocol during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in a pediatric cardiac surgery program

The clinical characteristics of the pediatric population infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus in general are not as severe as in the adult population, so they can be considered asymptomatic carriers. The pediatric patient with congenital heart disease are considered a high risk group of contagion in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, so healthcare personnel who interact with patients must have established guidelines to avoid transmission and spread of the disease. Each country is commanded by the central guidelines established by its health system considering operative definitions and protocols, but in certain places these guidelines do not fulfill international standards, as those proposed by the World Health Organization. In this communication we have done a current literature review and adaptation of the recommendations to face the infectious outbreak due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus in pediatric cardiovascular surgery programs, specifically in the ​​anesthesiology area. We also analyze the type of personal protective equipment that should be used in each area of ​​patient management, changes in the environment of work areas, shift times of health personnel, the protection of personnel performing transesophageal echocardiography, modification of the airway management algorithms, proper placement and withdrawal of personal protective equipment, patients transfer between wards or other services, and adequate disinfection of airway equipment used.

Las características clínicas de la población pediátrica contagiada del virus SARS-CoV-2 en general no son tan severas como en la población adulta, por lo que pueden ser considerados portadores asintomáticos. El paciente pediátrico con cardiopatía congénita pertenece a un grupo de alto riesgo de contagio dentro de la pandemia producida por el SARS-CoV-2, por lo que el personal sanitario que interactúe con los pacientes debe tener lineamientos establecidos para evitar la transmisión y propagación de la enfermedad. Cada país se rige por las guías centrales establecidas por su sistema de salud en cuanto a definiciones operativas y protocolos, pero en algunos lugares estas directrices no cumplen las metas internacionales, como las propuestas por la Organización Mundial de la Salud. En este comunicado hemos realizado una revisión de la literatura actual y adaptación de las recomendaciones para enfrentar el brote infeccioso por el virus SARS-CoV-2 en los programas de cirugía cardiovascular pediátrica, específicamente en el área de anestesiología. También analizamos el tipo de equipo de protección personal que debe ser utilizado en cada área del manejo de pacientes, cambios del ambiente de las áreas de trabajo, rotación de personal, la protección del personal que realiza ecocardiografía transesofágica, modificación de los algoritmos de manejo de la vía aérea, colocación y retiro correctos del equipo de protección personal, traslado de los pacientes entre servicios, y adecuada desinfección del equipo utilizado en el manejo de la vía aérea.

The safety and efficacy of dexmedetomidine for postoperative sedation in the cardiac surgery intensive care unit.

INTRODUCTION: The α2-adrenoceptor agonist dexmedetomidine is an effective postoperative sedative without clear advantages over midazolam or propofol. We hypothesized that routine use of dexmedetomidine allows early extubation in cardiac surgery patients. Secondary outcomes included the use of narcotic and non-narcotic analgesics during the first 48 hours, early postoperative functional status, and the incidence of bradycardia or hypotension. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients admitted to a cardiothoracic intensive care unit after cardiac surgery. Patient charts and the Society of Thoracic Surgery National database were reviewed. Patients who received no sedation were compared to those who received dexmedetomidine. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients (52 receiving no sedation and 47 receiving dexmedetomidine) were included in this study. The median time to extubation was 3.9 (2.8-5.4) hours in the control group versus 4.7 (3.45-6.52) hours in the dexmedetomidine (P=.16). The incidence of bradycardia, hypotension, the ability to ambulate, and Glascow Coma Scores = 15 on postoperative day 0 did not differ significantly. Acetaminophen was used more frequently in the first 48 hours postoperatively in dexmedetomidine patients (P=.02) and a trend toward higher opioid (P=.09) and ketorolac use (P=.30) over the first 48 hours was noted. CONCLUSIONS: The use of dexmedetomidine did not allow earlier extubation or less use of analgesics when compared to no sedation. Bradycardia and hypotension were not a problem with the use of dexmedetomidine.

Evaluation of a Brazilian's cardiovascular anesthesia fellowship by its former trainees / Avaliação do programa de aprimoramento em anestesia cardiovascular por seus ex-estagiários

Abstract Background: After advancement of cardiovascular surgery, there is also exponential development of anesthetic techniques in this field. Patients with increasing clinical complexity challenge cardiac anesthesiologists to keep constantly updated. An evaluation of Brazilian's cardiovascular anesthesia fellowship at Dante Pazzanese Institute of Cardiology has been made and information has been collected to evaluate the fellowship program in cardiovascular anesthesia. Method: Target participants were made up of former fellowships, contacted via e-mail containing an invitation to voluntarily participate. Explanation of the survey's purpose was provided. This communication was signed by the authors and contained a hyperlink to the survey, which was constructed on and hosted on a web platform. The survey was composed of 10 objectives questions designed to describe training and subsequent career. Results: The adjusted survey response rate was 71%. Two-thirds of respondents agreed that fellowship training provided them an advantage in the job market and 93% of respondents currently work with cardiac anesthesia. At least 87% of participants would recommend the course to other anesthesiologists. Conclusion: Fellowship graduates judge their technical training as excellent and incorporated the knowledge acquired in their daily practice. However, there are improvements to be made. We believe this document may be useful as a reference for other institutions to develop their own cardiovascular anesthesia fellowship programs.

Resumo Justificativa: Com o avanço da cirurgia cardiovascular nos últimos anos, houve também um desenvolvimento exponencial das técnicas anestésicas. Pacientes com complexidade clínica crescente desafiam os anestesiologistas cardíacos a se manterem constantemente atualizados. Uma avaliação do programa de aprimoramento em anestesia cardiovascular brasileira do Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia foi feita e informações foram coletadas para avaliar o programa. Método: Os participantes-alvo eram formados por ex-aprimorandos, contatados via e-mail com um convite para participação voluntária. A explicação do objetivo da pesquisa foi fornecida. Essa comunicação foi assinada pelos autores e continha um link para a pesquisa, que foi construída e hospedada em uma plataforma web. A pesquisa foi composta por 10 questões objetivas destinadas a descrever o treinamento e a carreira subsequente. Resultados: A taxa de resposta ajustada para a pesquisa foi de 71%. Dois terços dos entrevistados concordaram que o treinamento do programa lhes proporcionou uma vantagem no mercado de trabalho e 93% dos entrevistados trabalham atualmente com anestesia cardíaca. Pelo menos 87% dos participantes recomendariam o curso a outros anestesiologistas. Conclusão: Os graduados do programa de aprimoramento julgam sua formação técnica como excelente e incorporaram os conhecimentos adquiridos em sua prática diária. No entanto, há melhorias a serem feitas. Acreditamos que este documento possa ser útil como referência para outras instituições desenvolverem seus próprios programas de aprimoramento em anestesia cardiovascular.

Factores de riesgo asociados a síndrome QT largo en anestesia cardiovascular / Risk factors associated with long QT syndrome in cardiovascular anesthesia

Introducción: el síndrome de QT largo es una canalopatía caracterizada por una grave alteración en la repolarización ventricular. Objetivo: determinar los factores de riesgo asociados a intervalo QT prolongado en anestesia cardiovascular. Métodos: estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal desde mayo de 2014 a mayo de 2016, en pacientes programados para cirugía cardíaca bajo circulación extracorpórea. Se evaluó el riesgo atribuible y el intervalo de confianza para un 95 por ciento en variables con p< 0,05. Resultados: se incluyeron 483 pacientes, con una edad media de 62 años, de ellos 57 (12 por ciento) registraron un QTc prolongado. La edad avanzada (RA: 1,8; IC 95 por ciento: 0,86-2,67), insuficiencia renal crónica (RA: 2,7; IC 95 por ciento: 0,82-4,96), diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (RA: 1,7; IC 95 por ciento: 1,01-2,15), cardiopatía isquémica (RA: 3,5; IC 95 por ciento: 1,60-4,02), hipertrofia ventricular izquierda (RA: 2,2; IC 95 por ciento: 2,53-3,15), anticálcicos (RA: 1,5; IC 95 por ciento: 0,92-2,98), anestesia general orotraqueal balanceada (RA: 2,1; IC 95 por ciento: 2,92-2,35), ondansetrón (RA: 1,7; IC 95 por ciento: 0,98-2,74), droperidol (RA: 1,8; IC 95 por ciento: 2,18-3,94), tiempo de circulación extracorpórea (RA: 2,5; IC 95 por ciento: 1,02-3,62), hipopotasemia (RA: 1,4; IC 95 por ciento: 1,03-2,91) y la bradicardia severa (RA: 1,8; IC 95 por ciento: 1,12-3,86) fueron asociados con alto riesgo de prolongación del intervalo QT. Las complicaciones fueron mayores en este grupo, con una mortalidad de 23 por ciento. Conclusiones: la edad avanzada, la insuficiencia renal crónica, diabetes mellitus tipo 2, hipertrofia ventricular y la cardiopatía isquémica facilitan la prolongación del QT inducida por los bloqueadores del calcio. El mayor tiempo de circulación extracorpórea, la anestesia balanceada con isoflurano, el uso de droperidol y ondansetrón, la bradicardia e hipopotasemia posoperatoria son variables asociadas con la extensión del intervalo QT, con un incremento en las complicaciones. Las taquiarritmias ventriculares y la mortalidad fueron mayores en este subgrupo de pacientes(AU)

Introduction: The long QT syndrome is a channelopathy characterized by a serious alteration in ventricular repolarization. Objective: To determine the risk factors associated with prolonged QT interval in cardiovascular anesthesia. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study from May 2014 to May 2016, in patients scheduled for cardiac surgery under extracorporeal circulation. The attributable risk and the confidence interval were evaluated for 95 percent and in variables with p value under 0.05. Results: 483 patients were included, with a mean age of 62 years, of whom 57 (12 percent) had prolonged QTc. Advanced age (RA: 1.8, 95 percent CI: 0.86-2.67), chronic renal failure (RA: 2.7, 95 percent CI: 0.82-4.96), type 2 diabetes mellitus (RA: 1.7, 95 percent CI: 1.01-2.15), ischemic heart disease (RA: 3.5, 95 percent CI: 1.60-4.02), left ventricular hypertrophy (RA: 2.2, 95 percent CI: 2.53-3.15), calcium-lactam antibiotics (RA: 1.5, 95 percent CI: 0.92-2.98), balanced orotracheal general anesthesia (RA: 2.1, 95 percent CI: 2.92-2.35), ondansetron (RA: 1.7, 95 percent CI: 0.98-2.74), droperidol (RA: 1.8, 95 percent CI: 2.18-3.94) ), extracorporeal circulation time (RA: 2.5, 95 percent CI: 1.02-3.62), hypokalemia (RA: 1.4, 95 percent CI: 1.03-2.91) and severe bradycardia (RA: 1.8, 95 percent CI: 1.12-3.86) were associated with a high risk of QT prolongation. The complications were more significant in this group, with a mortality of 23 percent. Conclusions: Advanced age, chronic renal failure, type 2 diabetes mellitus, ventricular hypertrophy, and ischemic heart disease facilitate the prolongation of QT induced by calcium blockers. The longer time of extracorporeal circulation, the balanced anesthesia with isoflurane, the use of droperidol and ondansetron, bradycardia and postoperative hypokalemia are variables associated with the extension of the QT interval, with an increase in complications. Ventricular tachyarrhythmias and mortality were higher in this subgroup of patients(AU)

Morbilidad en anestesia cardíaca en el Hospital Carlos Andrade Marín durante el año 2013 / Morbility in cardiac anesthesia in the Carlos Andrade Marin Hospital during the year 2013

Introducción: la anestesia general en cirugía cardíaca debe cumplir no solo con sus pilares básicos: hipnosis, amnesia, relajación neuromuscular y analgesia sino también mantener adecuada oxigenación y perfusión tisular, aportar protección neurovegetativa, mantener equilibrio hidroelectrolítico ácido base, prevenir y tratar coagulopatías, regulación térmica y preservar la función miocárdica, neurológica, renal y respiratoria con el fin de mantener la homeostasis. Materiales y métodos: en este estudio observacional descriptivo longitudinal, se realiza el seguimiento de 114 pacientes intervenidos bajo anestesia general para cirugía cardíaca electiva hasta seis meses posoperatorios con edad promedio de 55 años, con una morbilidad de 26.32% y mortalidad del 17.54%. Resultados: las patologías intervenidas más frecuentes fueron valvulopatías (52%) con predominio de estenosis aórtica, en segundo lugar las cardiopatías congénitas (24.67%) principalmente CIA, CIV, PCA. Las dos principales comorbilidades asociadas fueron la hipertensión arterial (39%) y diabetes mellitus tipo II (16%). El 84% de pacientes tenían fracción de eyección del 55% y la clase funcional III y IV presentó mayor riesgo de mortalidad OR 3.2 (p<0.05). El 37.73% de pacientes recibieron beta bloqueadores previo al procedimiento con un efecto protector OR 0.8 (p:<0.05). Conclusiones: el tiempo de circulación extracorpórea fue menor de 120 min. En el 23.32%, un tiempo mayor de CEC mostró ser un factor de riesgo OR: 7 (p:<0.05). El 25% de pacientes requirió soporte inotrópico o vasoactivo, de los cuales solamente la epinefrina mostró significancia estadística como factor de riesgo; sin embargo puede ser un sesgo ya que el tamaño de la muestra de pacientes es relativamente pequeño y todos los grupos, exceptuando el nitroprusiato, tuvieron un OR >1. El 85% de pacientes requirió transfusión con un OR 6.82 (p:<0.05) para complicaciones posoperatorias como infección y hemorragia.

Introduction: general anesthesia in cardiovascular surgery is based not only on hypnosis, amnesia, neuromuscular blockade and analgesia; but must provide proper oxygenation, tissue perfusion, neurovegetative protection, acid base regulation, treat and prevent coagulopathy, thermic control, myocardic preserve, neurologic, renal and respiratory functions in order to keep homeostasis. Materials and methods: in this longitudinal descriptive observational trial, 114 patients who underwent cardiac surgery under general anesthesia were followed for 6 months. The median age of these patients was 55 with 26.32% morbidity and 17.54% mortality. Results: the most frequent surgeries were valvulopathies (52%) being the most common aortic stenosis; in second place congenital cardiopathies (24.67%), mainly trial communication, interventricular communication and patent ductus arteriosus. The two main co-morbilities were arterial hypertension (39%) and diabetes mellitus II (16%). 84% of patients had an ejection fraction of 55% and those with NYHA functional class III and IV had more risk of mortality OR 3.2 (p<0.05). 37.73% of patients received beta blockers before surgery with a protective effect OR 0.8 (p:<0.05). Conclusions: the time of extracorporeal circulation (EC) was less than 120 minutes in 23.32%, lengthier time of CEC showed a risk factor OR: 7 (p:<0.05). 25% of patients needed vasoactive and inotropic support. Only epinephrine reached statistical significance as a risk factor, nevertheless it could be because the number of patients that received this therapy was relatively small. All the groups, except nitroprussiade, had an OR>1. 85% of patients required transfusion with an OR 6.82 (p:<0.05) for postoperatory complications such as infection and bleeding.

The use of methylene blue in abdominal aortic surgery: a case report.

The open abdominal aortic surgery includes a well-known phase in which arterial blood flow is stopped by occluding clamps, resulting in peculiar physiologic changes usually superimposed on advanced pathologic conditions. An anesthetic plan should aim at providing hemodynamic stability and preserving organ function. Clamp removal leads to an acute fall in blood pressure following a decrease in systemic vascular resistance, caused by reactive hyperemia due to opening of the previously minimally perfused vascular beds. Several different mediators, including the nitrous oxide (NO) pathway, have been thought to be responsible for this hemodynamic effect. The massive production of NO by the inducible isoform of NO synthase could be partially responsible for the profound vasodilatation and myocardial dysfunction. The dye methylene blue (MB) has been used as to prevent vasodilatation in other clinical situations like sepsis, cardiopulmonary bypass and liver transplantation. We describe its use in a patient with poor hemodynamic status, who was submitted to aortic aneurism repair with infrarenal cross clamp. The intervention was also associated with a severe bleeding. In this case MB allowed us to control hypotension with relatively low doses of vasopressors.