Perioperative Opioid Use and Chronic Post-Surgical Pain after Liver Transplantation: A Single Center Observational Study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the opioid requirements and prevalence of chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) in liver transplant (LT) recipients and to evaluate the association of opioid use with postoperative survival. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SETTING: A large academic medical center. PATIENTS: Cadaveric liver transplants recipients from 2008 to 2016. INTERVENTIONS: Analysis of demographic, perioperative, and outcome data. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: This study measured the incidence and quantity of preoperative opioid use, postoperative opioid requirements, the incidence of CPSP, and survival in patients with and without CPSP. Opioid requirements were calculated in morphine milligram equivalents. In total, 322 LT recipients satisfied the inclusion criteria. The cohort of interest included 61 patients (18.9%) who were prescribed opioids before LT, compared to the control group of 261. Postoperative opioid requirements were significantly higher in the cohort of interest in the first 24 hours (205.9 ± 318.5 v 60.4 ± 33.6 mg, p < 0.0001) and at 7 days after transplant (57.0 ± 70.6 mg v 19.2 ± 15.4 mg, p < 0.0001). Incidence of CPSP was significantly higher in the cohort of interest at 3 months (70.5% v 45.5%, p < 0.0001), at 2 years (38% v 12%), and at 5 years (29.8% v 6.9%) postoperatively. CPSP was a significant risk factor for patient mortality after transplantation (p = 0.038, HR 1.26). CONCLUSIONS: Opioid use is relatively frequent in patients waiting for LT. It significantly affects the postoperative opioid requirements and the incidence of CSPS. CPSP may significantly affect survival after LT.

Periprocedural Dynamics of Aortic Regurgitation in Patients Supported With an Impella Left Ventricular Assist Device.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the presence of and periprocedural changes caused by aortic regurgitation (AR) in patients supported with an Impella (Abiomed, Danvers, MA) left ventricular assist device. DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTING: Tertiary academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients who underwent insertion of an Impella device at Allegheny General Hospital from January 2015 to December 2018. INTERVENTIONS: Analysis of patient electronic medical records. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Demographic information; comorbidities; duration of support; and the presence and severity of AR pre-procedure and post-procedure, as reported by echocardiography, were analyzed. The electronic medical records of 69 patients were included in the present study. Before placement of the Impella device, 25 (35%) patients showed detectable AR, with 18 (26%) showing mild AR and 7 (10%) showing moderate AR. After the removal of the Impella device, AR remained steady or increased in 61 patients. Fifteen patients (22%) demonstrated mild AR, 6 (8.7%) demonstrated moderate AR, and 2 (2.9%) demonstrated severe AR. An increase in severity of AR was noted in 9 patients (14.7%), and 52 patients (85%) had no change in the severity of AR. The duration of support with the Impella device, demographic variables, and comorbidities were not associated with a statistically significant risk for increased severity of post-procedural AR in multiple multivariable logistic regression analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The presented data suggest that after Impella device support, a significant proportion of patients may show evidence of increased AR. Additional studies are needed to understand the etiology and significance of this observation.

Inferior Vena Cava Tumor Thrombus Dynamics and Perioperative Pulmonary Embolism: A Single-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze preoperative tumor thrombus progression and occurrence of perioperative pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus resection. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SETTINGS: University of Washington Medical Center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients who had undergone inferior vena cava tumor resection with thrombectomy from 2014 to 2017. INTERVENTIONS: Analysis of demographic, perioperative, and outcome data. Variables were compared between groups according to the level of tumor thrombus, the timing of the preoperative imaging, and the occurrence of perioperative PE. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Incidence, outcomes, and variables associated with perioperative PE and sensitivity/specificity analyses for optimized preoperative imaging timing, broken into 7-day increments, were assessed. Fifty-six patients were included in this analysis. Perioperative PE was observed in 6 (11%) patients, intraoperatively in 5 patients and in the early postoperative period in 1 patient. Of the 5 patients with intraoperative PE, 2 died intraoperatively. Perioperative PE occurred in 1 patient with tumor thrombus level I, in 2 patients with level II, in 2 patients with level III, and in 1 patient with level IV. Risks of preoperative tumor thrombus progression were minimized if the imaging study was performed within 3 weeks for level I and II tumor thrombi and within 1 week for level III tumor thrombus. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative PE was observed in patients with all levels of tumor thrombus. Fifty percent of perioperative PE were observed in patients with infrahepatic tumor thrombus. Post-imaging progression of tumor thrombus was unlikely if the surgery was performed within 3 weeks in patients with levels I or II tumor thrombus or within 1 week in patients with level III tumor thrombus.

Factors associated with mortality within 24h of liver transplantation: An updated analysis of 65,308 adult liver transplant recipients between 2002 and 2013.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Intracardiac and pulmonary thromboembolism (ICPTE), its risk factors and contribution to 24-hour mortality after adult liver transplantation for end-stage liver disease. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of Standard Transplant Analysis and Research electronic database files. SETTING: Perioperative. PATIENTS: Electronic files of 65,308 adult liver transplant recipients between 2002 and 2013 obtained from Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. INTERVENTIONS: Mortality cause analysis and design of a multivariable logistic regression model for predicting the risk of 24-hour mortality due to devastating ICPTE. MEASUREMENTS: Perioperative mortality, donor and recipient demographics, donor cause of death, graft ischemic times, etiologies of recipient end-stage liver disease, functional status, comorbidities, and laboratory values. MAIN RESULTS: 41,324 patients were included. 38,293 (92.6%) survived 30days after transplantation. Postoperative 24-hour mortality was 547 (1.3%) and 2484 (6.0%) within subsequent 30days. Uncontrolled hemorrhage (57 patients, 0.14%), devastating ICPTE (54 patients, 0.13%) and primary graft failure (49 patients, 0.12%) contributed the most and equally to the 24-hour mortality. For the ICPTE, recipients' prior history of pulmonary embolism, portal vein thrombosis, functional status (Karnofsky score) <20, preoperative ventilator support, diabetes mellitus and Asian ethnicity emerged as significant independent hazard factors on multivariable regression analysis. These risk factors were expressed as an index to calculate the overall hazard of a devastating ICPTE; c-statistics 0.70 (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Devastating ICPTE contributes significantly to the 24-hour mortality after adult cadaveric liver transplantation. Its most significant risk factors could be expressed as an index with a good predictive accuracy. Further studies of perioperative factors with potential impact on ICPTE and related mortality and morbidity are needed.

Pulmonary Perfusion and Ventilation during Cardiopulmonary Bypass Are Not Associated with Improved Postoperative Outcomes after Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Clinical trials of either pulmonary perfusion or ventilation during cardiopulmonary bypass (CBP) are equivocal. We hypothesized that to achieve significant improvement in outcomes both interventions had to be concurrent. DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. SETTINGS: Major academic tertiary referral medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred seventy-four consecutive patients who underwent open heart surgery with CBP 2009-2013. INTERVENTIONS: The outcomes of 86 patients who received pulmonary perfusion and ventilation during CBP were retrospectively compared to the control group of 188 patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Respiratory complications rates were similar in both groups (33.7 vs. 33.5%), as were the rates of postoperative pneumonia (4.7 vs. 4.3%), pleural effusions (13.9 vs. 12.2%), and re-intubations (9.3 vs. 9.1%). Rates of adverse postoperative cardiac events including ventricular tachycardia (9.3 vs. 8.5%) and atrial fibrillation (33.7 vs. 28.2%) were equivalent in both groups. Incidence of sepsis (8.1 vs. 5.3%), postoperative stroke (2.3 vs. 2.1%), acute kidney injury (2.3 vs. 3.7%), and renal failure (5.8 vs. 3.7%) was likewise comparable. Despite similar transfusion requirements, coagulopathy (12.8 vs. 5.3%, p = 0.031) and the need for mediastinal re-exploration (17.4 vs. 9.6%, p = 0.0633) were observed more frequently in the pulmonary perfusion and ventilation group, but the difference did not reach the statistical significance. Intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stays, and the ICU readmission rates (7.0 vs. 8.0%) were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous pulmonary perfusion and ventilation during CBP were not associated with improved clinical outcomes.

Factors Associated with Safe Extubation in the Operating Room After On-Pump Cardiac Valve Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Extubation in the operating room (OR) after cardiac surgery remains controversial due to safety concerns. Its feasibility had been suggested in select patients after off-pump surgery. AIM: To review the outcomes of patients extubated in the OR after on-pump cardiac valve surgery (cohort of interest) in comparison with patients extubated conventionally in the intensive care unit (ICU) (control). We hypothesized that the timing of extubation was not associated with postoperative complications. METHODS: Retrospective review of 272 consecutive patients who had undergone cardiac valve surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida between January 1, 2009 and December 30, 2013. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, patients extubated in the OR had shorter cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (87 vs. 113 min, p < 0.0001) and aortic cross-clamp times (60 vs. 78 min, p < 0.0001), lower transfusion requirements (41.38% vs. 57.01%, p = 0.0342), shorter ICU (four vs. five days, p = 0.0002), and hospital stays (7.8 vs. 10 days, p = 0.0151). Mortality, overall rates of complications in all categories, ICU readmissions, and reintubations were similar in both groups. Each additional minute of CPB decreased the odds of extubation in the OR by a factor of 0.988 (odds ratio = 0.988; 95%CI: 0.980, 0.997). Pulmonary perfusion and ventilation during CPB increased the likelihood of extubation in the OR by a factor of 2.45 (odds ratio = 2.453; 95%CI: 1.247, 4.824). CONCLUSIONS: In select patients, extubation in the OR after on-pump valve surgery is safe. It is facilitated by shorter duration of CPB and pulmonary perfusion and ventilation during CPB. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12736 (J Card Surg 2016;31:274-281).

Endovascular repair of a thoracic aortic aneurysm in pregnancy at 22 weeks of gestation.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm is a rare condition that carries a critical risk of rupture and mortality. These risks are increased during pregnancy because of a progressively hyperdynamic pattern of circulation. Simultaneously, pregnancy-imposed limitations on the use of ionized radiation and intravenous contrast agents may render conventional techniques for imaging and repair confirmation less acceptable. We describe a novel approach to intraoperative management of an endovascular repair for symptomatic thoracic saccular aneurysm in a pregnant patient, based on intravascular ultrasound and transesophageal echocardiography, with maintenance of uterine perfusion. The patient recovered well and proceeded to a normal delivery. Despite a favorable outcome in this case, further studies of perioperative management of aortic disease in pregnancy are needed.

Hemodynamic recovery following postreperfusion syndrome in liver transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: The authors' current understanding of the phenomenon of significant and sustained decrease in arterial pressure following liver graft reperfusion (postreperfusion syndrome [PRS]), is derived from relatively small observational reports, and no large scale analysis of PRS exists up to date. This study investigated its incidence, risk factors, temporal course of hemodynamic recovery, and its impact on functional graft outcome. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study of 1,024 electronic records of orthotopic liver transplant recipients. SETTING: Major transplant center. MEASUREMENTS: Out of 1,024, 715 records satisfied the inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed by multivariable Cox's proportional hazard model to identify risk factors for PRS. Hemodynamic recovery patterns and functional graft outcomes were compared between the cohorts of interest (intraoperative PRS) and control (no intraoperative PRS) after propensity score-matching. Association between donor risk index and hemodynamic recovery after hepatic artery reperfusion was analyzed by a multivariable regression model. RESULTS: The overall incidence of PRS was 31.6% with associated mortality of 0.3%. Independent risk factors for PRS included older donor age, higher donor risk index, and lower central venous pressure at reperfusion. Hemodynamic recovery after PRS following portal vein reperfusion was delayed until hepatic artery reperfusion. The slope of hemodynamic recovery, expressed as %MAP/min, correlated negatively with donor risk index (p=0.014). Immediate and 1-year graft survival rates were similar in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Host hemodynamic response to graft reperfusion appeared to be phasic: initial abrupt hypotension after portal vein reperfusion was followed by a period of gradual decline of blood pressure until hepatic artery reperfusion, and sustained hemodynamic recovery afterwards. The slope of hemodynamic recovery correlated negatively with the donor risk index. PRS was not associated with deterioration of post-transplant graft survival and function.

Invasive renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus: cardiac anesthesia in liver transplant settings.

OBJECTIVES: Resection of renal cell carcinomas (RCC) with tumor thrombus invasion into the inferior vena cava (IVC) is associated with significant perioperative morbidity and mortality. This study examined the intra- and inter-departmental collaboration among cardiac, liver transplantation, and urologic surgeons and anesthesiologists in caring for these patients. DESIGN: After IRB approval, medical records of patients who underwent resection of RCC tumor thrombus level III and IV, from 1997 to 2010 in this institution, were reviewed. Data were collected and analyzed by one way-ANOVA and chi-square test. SETTING: Major academic institution, tertiary referral center. PARTICIPANTS: This was a retrospective study based on the medical records of patients who underwent resection of RCC tumor thrombus level III and IV, from 1997 to 2010. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients (82.9%) with level III thrombus and 12 patients (17.1%) with level IV thrombus were analyzed. Sixty-five (92.9%) did not require any extracorporeal circulatory support; 5 (2 with level III and 3 with level IV; 7.1%) required cardiopulmonary bypass. No patients required veno-venous bypass. Compared to patients with level III thrombus extension, patients with level IV had higher estimated blood loss (6978±2968 mL v 1540±206, p<0.001) and hospital stays (18.8±1.6 days v 8.1±0.7, p<0.001). Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was utilized in 77.6% of patients with level III thrombus extension and in 100% of patients with level IV thrombus extension. Intraoperative TEE guidance resulted in a significant surgical plan modification in 3 cases (5.2%). Short-term mortality was low (n = 3, 4.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of specialized liver transplantation and cardiac surgical techniques in the resection of RCC with extension into the IVC calls for a close intra-and interdepartmental collaboration between surgeons and anesthesiologists. The transabdominal approach to suprahepatic segments of the IVC allowed avoidance of extracorporeal circulatory support in most of these patients. Perioperative management of these patients reflected the critical importance of TEE-proficient practitioners experienced in liver transplantation and cardiac anesthesia.