Renal injury from sevoflurane in noncardiac surgery: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Sevoflurane is metabolised into Compound A and fluoride that carry a hypothetical risk of nephrotoxicity. However, a clinically significant association between sevoflurane use and acute kidney injury (AKI) in humans has not been established. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 15 552 patients who underwent noncardiac surgery under general anaesthesia using a volatile agent lasting >3 h between July 2016 and May 2019 at a single centre. Patients were divided into a sevoflurane group or no sevoflurane group (desflurane or isoflurane). The primary outcome was incidence of postoperative AKI, which was defined based on the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria using creatinine concentration within 48 h postoperatively. Propensity score analysis using inverse probability of treatment weighting and propensity score matching was designed to compare outcomes between groups. RESULTS: Amongst 13 701 included patients, 11 070 (80.8%) received sevoflurane during anaesthesia. The incidence of AKI was 2.3% (257/11 070) and 2.5% (66/2631) in the sevoflurane and no sevoflurane groups, respectvely (P=0.57). After inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment, sevoflurane anaesthesia was not significantly associated with postoperative AKI (odds ratio [OR] 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99-1.76; P=0.059). In the matched cohort, the incidence of AKI was 3.1% (81/2626) and 2.4% (62/2626) in the sevoflurane and no sevoflurane groups, respectively, and sevoflurane anaesthesia was not associated with postoperative AKI (OR 1.32; 95% CI: 0.94-1.86; P=0.11). CONCLUSIONS: Sevoflurane anaesthesia for >3 h was not associated with postoperative renal injury compared with anaesthesia using other volatile agents.

Risk of posttransplant hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence is greater in recipients with higher platelet counts in living donor liver transplantation.

Platelets interact with tumor cells and promote metastasis. The importance of platelets in posttransplant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence is unclear. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the association between preoperative platelet count (PLT) and HCC recurrence after living donor liver transplantation. Of 359 recipients of livers from living donors for HCC, 209 of 240 patients who had preoperative PLT ≤75 × 109 /L were matched with 97 of 119 patients who had preoperative PLT >75 × 109 /L using propensity score matching, with an unfixed matching ratio based on factors such as tumor biology. The cutoff value of 75 × 109 /L was set based on optimum stratification analysis. Survival analysis was performed with death as a competing risk event. The primary outcome was overall HCC recurrence. The median follow-up time was 59 months. Before matching, recurrence probability at 1, 2, and 5 years after transplantation was 4.7%, 9.2%, and 11.3% for the low platelet group and 14.5%, 23.0%, and 30.5% for the high platelet group. Recurrence risk was significantly greater in the high platelet group in both univariate (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.86-5.14; P < 0.001) and multivariate analyses (HR = 2.10; 95% CI, 1.23-3.60; P = 0.007). In the matched analysis, recurrence risk was also greater in the high platelet group in both univariate (HR = 2.33; 95% CI, 1.36-4.01; P = 0.002) and multivariate analyses (HR = 1.90; 95% CI, 1.02-3.54; P = 0.04). Preoperative PLT had no interaction with the Milan criteria, alpha-fetoprotein level, Edmonson grade, microvascular invasion, or intrahepatic metastasis. Incorporation of preoperative PLT into the Milan criteria significantly improved predictive power. Inflammation-based scores including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and the inflammation-based index did not show superiority to preoperative PLT in predicting HCC recurrence. In conclusion, preoperative PLT appears to be an important host factor affecting HCC recurrence after living donor liver transplantation. Liver Transplantation 24 44-55 2018 AASLD.

Comparison of Positive End-Expiratory Pressure versus Tidal Volume-Induced Ventilator-Driven Alveolar Recruitment Maneuver in Robotic Prostatectomy: A Randomized Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the pulmonary effects of two ventilator-driven alveolar recruitment maneuver (ARM) methods during laparoscopic surgery. METHODS: Sixty-four patients undergoing robotic prostatectomy were randomized into two groups: incrementally increasing positive end-expiratory pressure in a stepwise manner (PEEP group) versus tidal volume (VT group). We performed each ARM after induction of anesthesia in the supine position (T1), after pneumoperitoneum in the Trendelenburg position (T2), and after peritoneum desufflation in the supine position (T3). The primary outcome was change in end-expiratory lung impedance (EELI) before and 5 min after ARM at T3, measured by electrical impedance tomography. RESULTS: The PEEP group showed significantly higher increasing EELI 5 min after ARM than the VT group at T1 and T3 (median [IQR] 460 [180,800] vs. 200 [80,315], p = 0.002 and 280 [170,420] vs. 95 [55,175], p = 0.004, respectively; PEEP group vs. VT group). The PEEP group showed significantly higher lung compliance and lower driving pressure at T1 and T3. However, there was no significant difference in EELI change, lung compliance, or driving pressure after ARM at T2. CONCLUSIONS: The ventilator-driven ARM by the increasing PEEP method led to greater improvements in lung compliance at the end of laparoscopic surgery than the increasing VT method.

Perioperative high inspired oxygen fraction induces atelectasis in patients undergoing abdominal surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the feasibility of use and effects on postoperative atelectasis and complications of lower inspired oxygen fraction (FIO2) compared to conventional oxygen therapy. DESIGN: Single center, randomized clinical trial. SETTING: University hospital, operating room and postoperative recovery area. PATIENTS: One hundred ninety patients aged ≥50 with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status of I-III who underwent abdominal surgery with general anesthesia. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly assigned to either the low FIO2 group (intraoperative: FIO2 0.35, during induction and recovery: FIO2 0.7) or the conventional FIO2 group (intraoperative: FIO2 0.6, during induction and recovery: FIO2 1.0). MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was postoperative atelectasis measured with lung ultrasonography at postoperative 30 min in the post-anesthesia care unit (consolidation score: each region 0-3, 12 region, total score range of 0 to 36, a lower score indicating better aeration). MAIN RESULTS: Seven patients in the low FIO2 group were omitted from the study due to changing FIO2 during intervention (7/95 (8.4%) vs. 2/95 (2.1%), p = 0.088; low FIO2 group vs. conventional FIO2 group). Overall, atelectasis was detected in 29.7% (51/172) of patients 30 min after surgery by lung ultrasound and 40.1% (69/172) of patients after 2 days after surgery by chest X-ray. The scores of lung ultrasonography and the incidence of significant atelectasis (consolidation score ≥ 2 at any region) were lower in the low FIO2 group than in the conventional FIO2 group (median [IQR]: 3 [1,6] vs. 7 [3,9], p < 0.001 and 17/85 (20%) vs. 34/87 (39%), RR: 0.512 [95% CI: 0.311-0.843], p = 0.006, respectively). The incidence of surgical site infection and length of hospitalization were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, decreased inspired oxygen fraction during anesthesia and recovery did not cause hypoxic events, but instead reduced immediate postoperative atelectasis. The use of intraoperative conventional higher inspired oxygen did not afford any clinical advantages for postoperative recovery in abdominal surgery.

Prediction of Postoperative Pain and Opioid Consumption Using Intraoperative Surgical Pleth Index After Surgical Incision: An Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated whether the surgical pleth index (SPI) following surgical incision was related to postoperative pain and opioid consumption. METHODS: This prospective observational study was performed in 50 patients undergoing laparotomy under sevoflurane-based general anesthesia. We recorded the highest SPI during surgical incision. The postoperative pain with a numerical rating scale (NRS) and opioid consumption during postoperative 24 h were compared in patients who showed SPI over 50 (Group H) or 20-50 (Group L). The relationship between postoperative opioid consumption and SPI values (pre-incision, post-incision SPI value, change of SPI value, and post-incision SPI minus pre-incision SPI) was evaluated using receiver-operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: The mean of the highest SPI value during surgical incision was 56 (SD, 12; range, 26-85). Twenty-nine (63%) patients were included in Group H and 17 (37%) patients in Group L. There was a significant difference in NRS during recovery room stay and on postoperative 24 h in two groups (5 [5, 6] vs 7 [6, 8], p=0.007 and 3.5 [3, 5] vs 5 [5,6], p=0.006, Group L vs Group H). Group H used higher fentanyl via patient control analgesia during postoperative 24 h (573 (253) µg vs 817 (305) µg, p=0.008). A change of pre-incision and post-incision SPI value of 23, which showed the highest sensitivity (67%) and specificity (68%), was defined post hoc as the cut-off for fentanyl consumption during postoperative 24 h ≥1000 µg. CONCLUSION: Our finding suggests that the SPI response to nociceptive stimuli during surgery is closely related to the degree of patient postoperative pain and opioid requirements. This information may be used to provide proper intraoperative analgesia and individual postoperative pain management.