Costs and outcomes after cardiac surgery in patients refusing transfusion compared with those who do not: a case-matched study.

BACKGROUND: Although numerous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of cardiac surgery for blood refusal patients, few studies match to controls, and fewer examine cost. This historical cohort study aims to compare costs and outcomes after cardiac surgery in Jehovah's Witness patients who refuse blood transfusion with a group of matched patients accepting transfusion. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A retrospective database review was performed to find all patients having cardiac surgery who refused blood products from January 2005 to July 2012 at Duke University Medical Center. These 45 patients were closely matched 1:2 with controls who accepted transfusion based on characteristics likely to influence transfusion. Cost from day of surgery to hospital discharge and other outcome data (length of stay [LOS], discharge hemoglobin [Hb], acute kidney injury) were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Forty-five Witnesses having cardiac surgery were temporally matched to two controls having the same surgery. Median euroSCORE was the same in both groups (6.0, p = 0.9981). In the matched-pairs comparison of cost, there was no significant difference in total cost for Witnesses and controls. There was no difference in intensive care unit LOS (median, 1 day, both groups) or total LOS (median, 9 days for Witnesses vs. 7 days for controls). Mean Hb at discharge was higher in Witnesses than in controls (11.7 g/dL vs. 9.8 g/dL, p < 0.001). Thirty-day mortality was zero in both groups. CONCLUSION: Utilizing applicable blood conservation measures, cardiac surgery may be performed with similar outcomes and cost from day of surgery to discharge compared to controls in select patients without blood transfusion.

Jehovah's Witnesses and cardiac surgery: a single institution's experience.

BACKGROUND: Based on biblical doctrines, patients of the Jehovah's Witness faith refuse allogeneic blood transfusion. Cardiac surgery carries a high risk of blood transfusion, but has been performed in Jehovah's Witnesses for many years. The literature contains information on the outcomes of this cohort, but does not detail the perioperative care of these patients. This article describes a single institution's experience in perioperative care of Jehovah's Witnesses undergoing cardiac surgery. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A chart review of adult Jehovah's Witness patients undergoing cardiac surgery at Duke University between January 2005 and June 2012 was completed. Institutional protocols regarding preoperative erythropoietin (EPO) therapy and intraoperative isovolemic hemodilution are detailed. Patient demographics and use of various blood conservation techniques are described. Hemoglobin (Hb) at various points throughout the perioperative management, hospital length of stay, and mortality are reviewed as indicators of outcome. RESULTS: Forty-five Jehovah's Witness patients underwent cardiac surgery at Duke University Medical Center. Preoperative EPO increased the mean Hb by 1.2 g/dL before surgery. Intraoperative normovolemic hemodilution was used in 37 patients with intraoperative mean nadir Hb of 10.3 g/dL. Antifibrinolytics and desmopressin were commonly used as coagulation adjuncts. Mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 137 minutes, with mean nadir temperature of 30.5°C. The mean length of hospital stay was 6.2 days, with mean intensive care unit stay of 1.7 days. This cohort had zero 90-day mortality in the perioperative period. CONCLUSIONS: This case series demonstrates that bloodless cardiac surgery can be performed in select patients refusing allogeneic blood transfusion.

Comparison of visually estimated blood loss with direct hemoglobin measurement in multilevel spine surgery.

BACKGROUND: Estimates of blood loss in the operating room are typically performed as a visual assessment by providers, despite multiple studies showing this to be inaccurate. Use of a less subjective measurement of blood loss such as direct measurement of the hemoglobin (Hb) mass lost from the surgical field may better quantify surgical bleeding. The objective of this investigation was to compare anesthesiologist estimates of intraoperative blood loss with measured Hb loss. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing posterior spine surgery were enrolled in a prospective, randomized trial comparing intraoperative blood loss using unipolar cautery alone or with use of a bipolar tissue sealant device. Hb concentration and fluid volume were measured from all surgical sponges, suction canisters, and the cell salvage device. Using the volume and concentration of Hb from each solution allowed calculation of Hb mass, which was converted into volume of blood lost and compared with estimates of blood loss documented by the anesthesia team. A single-sample t test of no difference was used to compare estimated with measured blood loss. RESULTS: Mean estimated blood loss exceeded measured blood loss by 246 mL (860 mL vs. 614 mL, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Estimated blood loss exceeded measured blood loss by 40% on average. The likely etiology of this discrepancy relates to the inability to visually determine Hb concentration of sanguineous solutions in suction canisters and surgical sponges. Ramifications of excessive bleeding estimates include unnecessary transfusion and overadministration of intravenous fluids, both of which may have deleterious effects.

Bipolar tissue sealant device decreases hemoglobin loss in multilevel spine surgery.

BACKGROUND: Traditional techniques for obtaining hemostasis during orthopedic surgery, such as conventional electrocautery and sealants, have limited clinical effectiveness in reducing hemoglobin (Hb) loss and requirement for transfusion. The bipolar tissue sealant device studied in this trial combines radiofrequency energy with saline irrigation to hemostatically seal both cut bone and soft tissue, potentially aiding hemostasis. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing multilevel posterior lumbar instrumentation and fusion were randomly assigned to unipolar cautery alone (control group) or unipolar cautery plus use of the bipolar tissue sealant device (treatment group). Hb loss from the surgical field was measured (rather than estimated) and compared between the two groups. The primary hypothesis was that the treatment group would lose significantly less Hb than the control group. RESULTS: The control group experienced a mean Hb loss of 102.4 g while the treatment group showed a significantly lower mean Hb loss of 66.2 g (p = 0.0004). No significant difference was found between groups with respect to secondary endpoints including length of surgery, number of red blood cell units transfused, number of total blood component units transfused, transfusion avoidance, length of stay, or serious adverse events. CONCLUSION: Use of a bipolar tissue sealant device in addition to unipolar cautery significantly decreased Hb loss during multilevel, posterior lumbar spinal instrumentation and fusion when compared with unipolar cautery alone.

Comparison of radiologists and technologists in the performance of air-contrast barium enemas.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the rate of polyp detection and the quality of air-contrast barium enema (ACBE) procedures performed by technologists differ from those performed by radiologists. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that well-trained certified technologists can perform ACBE similar in overall quality and accuracy to ACBE performed by attending physicians and residents. Training technologists to perform ACBE may help to alleviate the radiology staffing shortage in the United States.

Early adult-onset POAG linked to 15q11-13 using ordered subset analysis.

PURPOSE: Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a complex inherited disorder. It has been demonstrated in other complex disorders that phenotypic heterogeneity may be the result of genetic heterogeneity and that stratification analysis can be used to increase the power of detection. Ordered subset analysis (OSA) is a recently described method that utilizes the variability of phenotypic traits to determine underlying genetic heterogeneity. METHODS: Eighty-six multiplex families with POAG were clinically ascertained for genetic analysis. Age at diagnosis (AAD) was used as a surrogate for age of onset in affected family members. Nine genetic markers within the 15q11-13 interval on chromosome 15 were used for OSA analysis. RESULTS: An 11-cM linkage interval with a peak LOD score of 3.24 centered at the GABRB3 locus (P = 0.013 by permutation test) was identified in a subset of 15 families, which represents 17% of the total dataset (15/86 families). The mean AAD for the affected OSA families was 44.1 +/- 9.1 years (SD). The mean AAD for the complementary group was 61.3 +/- 10.4 years. African-American and white families were well represented in the OSA subset. CONCLUSIONS: Linkage was identified for POAG to an 11-cM region on chromosome 15, designated GLC1I. This result provides further evidence that AAD and other phenotypic traits can be used as stratification variables to identify genes in complex disorders such as POAG and suggests that the 15q11-13 locus is one of the largest genetic contributors to POAG identified to date.

Lack of association of mutations in optineurin with disease in patients with adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether mutations in the optineurin gene contribute to susceptibility to adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma. METHODS: The optineurin gene was screened in 86 probands with adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma and in 80 age-matched control subjects. Exons 4 and 5, containing the recurrent mutations identified in patients with normal-tension glaucoma, were sequenced in all individuals studied, while the remaining exons were screened for DNA sequence variants with denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The recurrent mutation, Met98Lys, previously found to be associated with an increased risk of disease was found in 8 (9%) of 86 probands. We also found the Met98Lys mutation in 10% of individuals from a control population of similar age, sex, and ethnicity. Consistent segregation of the mutation with the disease was not demonstrated in any of the 8 families. No other DNA changes altering the amino acid structure of the protein were found. CONCLUSION: The mutations in the optineurin gene associated with normal-tension glaucoma are not associated with adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma in this patient population. Clinical Relevance Genetic abnormalities that render the optic nerve susceptible to degeneration are excellent candidates for genetic factors that could contribute to adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma. Mutations in optineurin have been associated with normal-tension glaucoma, but are not associated with disease in patients with adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma. This result may indicate that normal-tension glaucoma is not necessarily part of the phenotypic spectrum of adult open-angle glaucoma.

Survey of glaucoma in an eye clinic in Ghana, West Africa.

PURPOSE: To report the various types of glaucoma among West African patients presenting to an eye clinic in Ghana. METHODS: A complete evaluation was performed in 198 consecutive Ghanaian glaucoma patients. Main outcome measures included intraocular pressure, visual acuity, gonioscopy findings, visual field, and total number of glaucoma medications. RESULTS: The most common form of glaucoma was primary open-angle glaucoma (44.2%). Open-angle glaucoma suspects also comprised a large percentage of the group (30.5%). Chronic angle-closure glaucoma was diagnosed in 6.6% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma being treated in this outpatient eye clinic in Ghana. Chronic angle-closure glaucoma was the second most common form of glaucoma in this series and was usually undiagnosed due to a lack of gonioscopic evaluation. Gonioscopy is an important diagnostic tool that should be promoted to guide more effective glaucoma treatment in this region. Pseudoexfoliation and pseudoexfoliation-associated glaucoma were not seen in this population.

Blood conservation techniques: where to begin.

Blood conservation techniques are used to reduce the need for allogeneic blood transfusion. One of the most important blood conservation techniques is the optimization of blood counts prior to invasive procedures with anticipated blood loss. Infusion nurses need to understand the importance of treating patients who require the use of parenteral iron to attempt to optimize their blood counts before procedures. Infusion nurses provide a vital link to patient safety and treatment. This article will also discuss other methods of blood conservation frequently used to protect a scarce resource and reduce inappropriate transfusions.

Causes of errors in polyp detection at air-contrast barium enema examination.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively determine the cause of errors in air-contrast barium enema (ACBE) examination for detection of polyps 6 mm or larger. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study had institutional review board approval. Informed consent was waived for this HIPAA-compliant study. ABCE findings in 41 subjects with 56 missed polyps were evaluated by two radiologists to determine if the cause of errors was perceptual or technical. A comparison was made between total number of polyps in the proximal and distal colon and those missed at each location (Fisher exact test). The 288 ACBE examinations were assessed on a scale of 0-4 (0, excellent; 4, very poor) for six colonic segments (paired t test). RESULTS: Of 17 polyps 1 cm or larger not detected in 15 subjects, 11 (65%) were missed because of technical errors and six (35%) because of perceptual errors. Eight (72%) technical and four (67%) perceptual errors occurred proximal to the splenic flexure. One 3.5-cm cecal carcinoma was not diagnosed prospectively (perceptual error). Of 39 6-9-mm polyps not detected in 26 subjects, 35 (90%) were missed because of technical errors and four (10%) because of perceptual errors. Eighty percent of technical and 75% of perceptual errors were in the proximal colon. When the proportion of polyps in the proximal and distal colon was compared, 22 (63%) of 35 polyps in the distal colon and 15 (26%) of 58 in the proximal colon were detected (P = .0009). There were no detectable differences in the quality of studies in subjects whose polyps were detected and subjects whose polyps were missed (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Technical errors were more common than perceptual errors. The majority of missed polyps were in the proximal colon. Detection rates of polypoid lesions might increase if the quality of ACBE examination can be improved, especially in the proximal colon.