Prognosis of liver transplantation: Does postoperative ileus matter?

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, liver transplantation has become a main therapy for end-stage liver disease. However, studies show that there are high mortality and severe complications after liver transplantation. Although gastrointestinal dysfunction is a common and major complication after liver transplantation, there was rarely relative research. This study aims to elucidate the factors about ileus after liver transplantation and patients' survival. METHODS: We collected and analyzed the data (n = 318, 2016-2019) from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. After excluding cases, a total of 293 patients were included for this study. The subjects were divided into a non-ileus group and an ileus group. We reviewed 38 variables (including preoperative, operative and postoperative relative factors). Additionally, other complications after liver transplantation and survival data were compared between two groups. RESULTS: Of the 293 patients, 23.2% (n = 68) experienced postoperative ileus. Ileus patients were not different with non-ileus patients in preoperative, operative and postoperative factors. HBV-positive patients with ileus had a lower MELD score (P = 0.025), and lower postoperative total bilirubin was correlated with ileus (P = 0.049). Besides, Child-Pugh score of HCC patients with ileus was low (P = 0.029). The complications after liver transplantation were not different between two groups. Compared with the patients without ileus, the patients with ileus had a higher mortality rate. CONCLUSION: According to our research, ileus-patients had a lower 1-year survival rates. The preoperative MELD score and postoperative total bilirubin of HBV-positive patients with ileus were lower, and Child-Pugh score of HCC patients with ileus was also lower.

Analgesia Effect of Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Combined with Intravenous Analgesia After Cesarean Section: A Double-Blind Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Complete postoperative analgesia is very important for puerperae after cesarean section. The objective of this study was to explore the optimal postoperative analgesia after cesarean section. METHODS: A total of 180 full-term puerperae who underwent cesarean section in Hanzhong People's Hospital from March 2019 to March 2020 were enrolled and were randomly divided into three groups. Group A was given 0.9% normal saline, group B and C were given 0.4% ropivacaine for transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB). Postoperative patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) pumps were 2 µg/kg sufentanil + 2.5 mg droperidol, 1.5 µg/kg and 1.3 µg/kg sufentanil, respectively. All puerperae were given different but effective analgesia programs. The primary outcome indicators were visual analog scores (VAS), the first compression time of postoperative analgesia pump and the total number of compressions in 48 h. The secondary outcome indicators were vital signs, Ramsay sedation scores, comfort scores (BCS), the frequency of analgesic rescue, postoperative side effects and satisfaction. RESULTS: The dynamic and static VAS scores of the puerperae in group B at T2 and T6 were significantly lower than group A and at T12, T24 and T48 were significantly lower than group C. Compared with group A, the dynamic and static VAS scores of puerperae in group C were lower at T2 and T6 and higher at T12, T24 and T48. The Ramsay score and BCS score of the puerperae in group C at T12, T24 and T48 were significantly lower than those in groups A and B. CONCLUSIONS: PCIA with sufentanil alone or combined with TAPB can be safely and effectively used for postoperative analgesia after cesarean section. PCIA combined with TAPB had better analgesic effect and lower incidence of side effects while reducing the dose of opioids. The results of this study provide new ideas and insights for the choice of analgesia after cesarean section.

Application of Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Combined with Nalbuphine Patient-Controlled Intravenous Analgesia in Postoperative Analgesia After Laparotomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Pain is a common postoperative complication. The ideal postoperative analgesia is awake, safe, mobile, and without side effects. The objective of this study is to provide new ideas for postoperative analgesia by observing the safety and analgesic effect of different analgesic methods in patients undergoing laparotomy after surgery. METHODS: Patients, who underwent laparotomy between September 2019 and December 2020, were randomly divided into three groups: group S received sufentanil, group N received nalbuphine, group T + N received postoperative bilateral transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) and nalbuphine. The primary outcomes included visual analog scale (VAS) score and the use of postoperative analgesic pump. Secondary outcomes included quality of life recovery (QoR-15) scale score and incidence of postoperative adverse reactions. RESULTS: Compared with group S and N, there were significant differences in the resting VAS score within 48 h after surgery, dynamic VAS score within 12 h after surgery, the first compression time, and cumulative use of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) drugs at 24 h in group T + N (P < 0.05). The QoR-15 score within 48 h after surgery in group T + N was significantly higher than group N (P < 0.05). The first exhaust time and the incidence of nausea and vomiting in group T + N were significantly lower than those in group N (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Sufentanil PCIA and nalbuphine PCIA have equivalent analgesic effects, while TAPB combined with nalbuphine PCIA can ensure a good analgesic effect, thereby reducing the incidence of adverse reactions.