Thoracic surgery in patients on veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for COVID-19 associated acute respiratory distress syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a new type of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) arising as a complication of COVID-19 pneumonia. Extreme cases require the support of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Here we present the outcomes of patients that underwent surgical tracheostomy or thoracic surgery at a single tertiary centre whilst on ECMO support for COVID-19 related ARDS. METHODS: 18 patients requiring thoracic input whilst on ECMO support during the first wave of COVID-19 (March-June 2020) were included. Thoracic surgery was required both for performing surgical tracheostomies in the operating theatre and for treating emergencies arising under the ECMO treatment such as bleeding complications. RESULTS: Thirteen patients underwent a surgical tracheostomy, whilst five patients had an invasive thoracic procedure. Anticoagulation was withheld for at least 12 h in the perioperative setting regardless of the indication. One patient was re-operated for haemothorax immediately after the end of the primary operation. 94.5% of the patients were successfully decannulated from ECMO support. Overall 30-day mortality in the cohort was 5.5% (1/18). CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic surgeons can play a valuable role in supporting an ECMO unit during the COVID pandemic, by treating ECMO related complications and by safely performing surgical tracheostomies. Withholding anticoagulation in the perioperative window was not associated with increased thromboembolic events and is desirable when interventions or surgery is indicated in this patient cohort to avoid excessive bleeding.

Cardiohelp System use in school age children and adolescents at a center with interfacility mobile extracorporeal membrane oxygenation capability.

Cardiohelp System use for pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) beyond the transport setting is sparsely described in literature. We report the use of Getinge's Cardiohelp System in children and integrated utilization of Mobile ECMO Retrieval Team (MERT) at an all-age specialized cardiorespiratory center. Electronic database of all patients under 16 years of age who received ECMO with use of the Cardiohelp System between January 2018 and March 2020 was retrospectively reviewed and analyzed for demographics, set-up, complications, and outcomes. Out of 41 patients, seven patients (four in middle childhood, three in early teenage) with median age of 10 years (range 8.8-15.6) were supported with use of Cardiohelp System. Median weight and height were 34 kg (range 28-53) and 145 cm (range 134-166) respectively. Initial ECMO deployment was veno-arterial (V-A) in five patients and veno-venous (V-V) in two. There were three interhospital transfers by our MERT, and 12 intrahospital transfers for interventions or imaging. The median ECMO therapy was 7 days (range 4-25), with standard 3/8-inch tubing and ECMO flow rate range at 56-100 mL/kg/min (1.89-5.0 LPM). There were two circuit changes and three reconfigurations of support. Two patients received continuous veno-venous hemofiltration via ECMO circuit. The 90-day and 180-day survival rates were 100% (including two heart transplants at day 7 and day 8). There were no transport-related or circuit-related complications during the 1750 h of Cardiohelp use. Cardiohelp System use is safe in pediatric patients for diverse application of ECMO support including inter- and intrahospital transfers.

Perioperative management of patients with pulmonary hypertension undergoing non-cardiothoracic, non-obstetric surgery: a systematic review and expert consensus statement.

BACKGROUND: The risk of complications, including death, is substantially increased in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) undergoing anaesthesia for surgical procedures, especially in those with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic PH (CTEPH). Sedation also poses a risk to patients with PH. Physiological changes including tachycardia, hypotension, fluid shifts, and an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PH crisis) can precipitate acute right ventricular decompensation and death. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed of studies in patients with PH undergoing non-cardiac and non-obstetric surgery. The management of patients with PH requiring sedation for endoscopy was also reviewed. Using a framework of relevant clinical questions, we review the available evidence guiding operative risk, risk assessment, preoperative optimisation, and perioperative management, and identifying areas for future research. RESULTS: Reported 30 day mortality after non-cardiac and non-obstetric surgery ranges between 2% and 18% in patients with PH undergoing elective procedures, and increases to 15-50% for emergency surgery, with complications and death usually relating to acute right ventricular failure. Risk factors for mortality include procedure-specific and patient-related factors, especially markers of PH severity (e.g. pulmonary haemodynamics, poor exercise performance, and right ventricular dysfunction). Most studies highlight the importance of individualised preoperative risk assessment and optimisation and advanced perioperative planning. CONCLUSIONS: With an increasing number of patients requiring surgery in specialist and non-specialist PH centres, a systematic, evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach is required to minimise complications. Adequate risk stratification and a tailored-individualised perioperative plan is paramount.

Left Impella®-device as bridge from cardiogenic shock with acute, severe mitral regurgitation to MitraClip®-procedure: a new option for critically ill patients.

AIMS: Patients presenting with cardiogenic shock (CS) related to acute, severe mitral regurgitation (MR) are often considered too ill for immediate surgical intervention. Therefore, other less invasive techniques for haemodynamic stabilization should be explored. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the feasibility and outcomes in patients with CS due to severe MR by using a novel approach combining haemodynamic stabilization with left Impella-support plus MR-reduction using MitraClip®. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analysed whether a combined left Impella®/MitraClip®-procedure in a rare population of CS-patients with acute MR requiring mechanical ventilation is a feasible strategy to recovery in patients who had been declined cardiac surgery. Six INTERMACS-1 CS-patients with acute MR were studied at two tertiary cardiac intensive care units. The mean EURO-II score was 39 ± 19% and age 66.8 ± 4.9 years. All patients had an initial pulmonary capillary wedge pressure >20 mmHg and pulmonary oedema necessitating invasive ventilation. Cardiac output was severely impaired (left ventricular outflow tract velocity time index 9.8 ± 1.8 cm), requiring mechanical circulatory support (MCS) (Impella®-CP; mean flow 2.9 ± 1.8 L per minute; mean support 9.7 ± 6.0 days). Despite MCS-guided unloading, weaning from ventilation failed due to persisting pulmonary oedema necessitating MR-reduction. In all cases, the severe MR was reduced to mild using percutaneous MitraClip®-procedure, followed by successful weaning from invasive ventilation. Survival to discharge was 86%, with all surviving and rare readmission for heart failure at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: A combined Impella®/MitraClip®-strategy appears a novel, feasible alternative for weaning CS-patients presenting with acute, severe MR. Upfront Impella®-stabilization facilitates safe bridging to Mitraclip®-procedure and the staged approach facilitates successful weaning from ventilatory support.