Stroke Volume Variation and Pulse Pressure Variation Are Not Useful for Predicting Fluid Responsiveness in Thoracic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Stroke volume variation (SVV) and pulse pressure variation (PPV) are used as indicators of fluid responsiveness, but little is known about the usefulness of these dynamic preload indicators in thoracic surgery, which involves an open thoracic cavity and 1-lung ventilation (OLV). Therefore, we investigated whether SVV and PPV could predict fluid responsiveness, and whether the thresholds of these parameters should be adjusted for thoracic surgery. METHODS: This was a prospective, controlled study conducted in a tertiary care center. Eighty patients scheduled for an elective lobectomy requiring OLV were included (n = 40, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS); n = 40, open thoracotomy). Twenty minutes after opening the thoracic cavity, 7 mL/kg hydroxyethyl starch was administered for 30 minutes. Various hemodynamic parameters were measured before and after fluid challenge. RESULTS: Among the 80 patients enrolled in this study, 37% were fluid responders (increase in stroke volume index ≥10%). SVV before fluid challenge was not different between nonresponders and responders (mean ± SD: 7.1 ± 2.7% vs 7.4 ± 2.6%, P = .68). This finding was true regardless of whether the surgery involved open thoracotomy or VATS. PPV before fluid challenge showed the difference between nonresponders and responders (mean ± SD: 6.9 ± 3.0% vs 8.4 ± 3.2%; P = .045); however, the sensitivity and specificity of the threshold value (PPV = 7%) were low (58% and 62%, respectively) and the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was only 0.63 (95% confidence interval, 0.52-0.74; P = .041). CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic preload indicators are not useful for predicting fluid responsiveness in VATS or open thoracic surgery.

Decreased Incidence of Postoperative Delirium in Robot-assisted Thoracoscopic Esophagectomy Compared With Open Transthoracic Esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative delirium (POD) is one of messy complications related with increased mortality and hospital costs. Patients undergoing esophagectomy are more in danger of delirium than other kinds of surgeries. We investigated the impact of robot-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy on the incidence of POD compared with open transthoracic esophagectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was completed for the patients who underwent esophagectomy from December 2, 2012 and April 15, 2015 (n=529). POD was assessed using Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit. The comparison of group differences between the robotic esophagectomy group (R group) and the open esophagectomy group (O group) was conducted with and without propensity score (PS) matching method. Univariate model was used for 247 PS-matched patients to calculate the odds ratio of potential risk factors of POD. RESULTS: The incidence rate of POD was significantly lower among R group patients than O group (30% vs. 42%; P=0.035) after PS matching method. The risk of POD in R group was 0.55-fold lower than that of O group. Operative time and intraoperative blood loss were also significantly lower in R group patients. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, robotic thoracoscopic esophagectomy lowers the incidence of POD 0.55-fold compared with open transthoracic esophagectomy.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-induced Mallory-Weiss laceration in a patient who underwent aortic and mitral valve replacement -A case report-.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a relatively noninvasive and highly valuable diagnostic modality to monitor cardiac surgery. TEE is utilized to estimate the results of the surgical correction or the cardiac function on a real time basis. Accordingly, the frequency of TEE usage is increasing. Previous studies have shown low risk of TEE-associated complications; nonetheless, major gastrointestinal trauma can occur on a rare occasion. We herein present a case of Mallory-Weiss laceration after an intraoperative TEE examination.

Transient bilateral vocal cord paralysis after endotracheal intubation with double-lumen tube -A case report-.

Vocal cord paralysis is one of the most serious anesthetic complications related to endotracheal intubation. The practitioner should take extreme care, as bilateral vocal cord paralysis can obstruct the airway and lead to disastrous respiratory problems. There have been many papers on bilateral vocal cord paralysis after neck surgery, but reports on such a condition after lung surgery are very rare. We report a case of bilateral vocal cord paralysis detected after removal of a double-lumen endotracheal tube in a 67-year-old patient who underwent wedge resection by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. We also note that he recovered spontaneously without complications within a day.