Intensive ultrafiltration strategy restores kidney transplant candidacy for patients with echocardiographic evidence of pulmonary hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is prevalent in those with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and poses a barrier to kidney transplant due to its association with poor outcomes. Studies examining these adverse outcomes are limited and often utilize echocardiographic measurements of pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) instead of the gold standard right heart catheterization (RHC). We hypothesized that in ESKD patients deemed ineligible for kidney transplant because of an echocardiographic diagnosis of PH the predominant cause of PH is hypervolemia and is potentially reversible. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of 16 patients with ESKD who were denied transplant candidacy. Prior echocardiograms and RHCs were reviewed for confirmation of PH. Patients were admitted for daily sessions of ultrafiltration for volume removal and repeat RHCs were performed following intervention. RHC parameters and body weight were compared before and after intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using PRISM GraphPad software. A p-value <.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Following intervention, the mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary arterial wedge pressure decreased from 45.0 ± 3.06 to 29.1 ± 7.77 mmHg (p < .0001) and 22.2 ± 5.06 to 13.1 ± 7.25 mmHg (p = .003), respectively. The pulmonary vascular resistance decreased from 4.73 ± 1.99 to 4.28 ± 2.07 WU (p = .30). Eleven patients from the initial cohort underwent successful kidney transplantation post-intervention with 100% survival at 1-year. CONCLUSIONS: In ESKD patients, diagnoses of PH made by echocardiography may be largely due to hypervolemia and may be optimized using an intensive ultrafiltration strategy to restore transplant candidacy.

Adoption of a dedicated multidisciplinary team is associated with improved survival in acute pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: Acute pulmonary embolism remains a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Benefit of recently developed multidisciplinary PE response teams (PERT) with higher utilization of advanced therapies has not been established. METHODS: To evaluate patient-centered outcomes and cost-effectiveness of a multidisciplinary PERT we performed a retrospective analysis of 554 patients with acute PE at the university of Virginia between July 2014 and June 2015 (pre-PERT era) and between April 2017 through October 2018 (PERT era). Six-month survival, hospital length-of-stay (LOS), type of PE therapy, and in-hospital bleeding were assessed upon collected data. RESULTS: 317 consecutive patients were treated for acute PE during an 18-month period following institution of a multidisciplinary PE program; for 120 patients PERT was activated (PA), the remaining 197 patients with acute PE were considered as a separate, contemporary group (NPA). The historical, comparator cohort (PP) was composed of 237 patients. These 3 groups were similar in terms of baseline demographics, comorbidities and risk, as assessed by the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI). Patients in the historical cohort demonstrated worsened survival when compared with patients treated during the PERT era. During the PERT era no statistically significant difference in survival was observed in the PA group when compared to the NPA group despite significantly higher severity of illness among PA patients. Hospital LOS was not different in the PA group when compared to either the NPA or PP group. Hospital costs did not differ among the 3 cohorts. 30-day re-admission rates were significantly lower during the PERT era. Rates of advanced therapies were significantly higher during the PERT era (9.1% vs. 2%) and were concentrated in the PA group (21.7% vs. 1.5%) without any significant rise in in-hospital bleeding complications. CONCLUSIONS: At our institution, all-cause mortality in patients with acute PE has significantly and durably decreased with the adoption of a PERT program without incurring additional hospital costs or protracting hospital LOS. Our data suggest that the adoption of a multidisciplinary approach at some institutions may provide benefit to select patients with acute PE.

Proteus empyema as a rare complication from an infected renal cyst, a case report.

BACKGROUND: The most commonly isolated organisms in a parapneumonic effusion include S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, and S. aureus. If unusual organisms are isolated from the pleural space, further investigation is warranted to locate the primary source. We present a patient with an infected chronic renal cyst found to have an empyema secondary to Proteus mirabilis to highlight the importance of further diagnostic workup when encountering unusual organisms in the pleural space. CASE PRESENTATION: A 40-year-old African-American female, with a past medical history of asthma and sickle cell trait, presented with 5 weeks of upper respiratory tract symptoms and chest pain. A computed tomography angiogram (CTA) of the chest was negative for a pulmonary embolism but revealed a loculated left sided pleural effusion with associated left-lower lobe consolidation. She was started on empiric antibiotics, and a chest tube was inserted with drainage of frank pus. Fluid gram stain was positive for gram negative rods. Intrapleural fibrinolytics were administered for 72 h given the presence of loculations. With no improvement following fibrinolytics, she was taken to the operating room for large bore chest tube placement and left visceral pleura decortication. Pleural fluid cultures speciated to Proteus mirabilis, so further cross-sectional imaging of her abdomen/pelvis was pursued to evaluate for a primary source. A complex cystic lesion in the upper pole of the left kidney that communicated with the ipsilateral diaphragm was identified. Subsequent drainage and culture of the renal cyst was positive for Proteus mirabilis. Given clinical improvement following these interventions she was discharged with an extended course of antibiotics with plans for repeat imaging following completion of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: While cases of Proteus mirabilis empyema have previously been reported as a consequence of conditions such as pyelonephritis, we present, to our knowledge, the first case of a Proteus mirabilis empyema as a consequence of an infected renal cyst communicating with the pleural space. This study highlights that further evaluation with cross-sectional imaging is warranted when unusual organisms are found in the pleural space. Anatomic abnormalities that become apparent on imaging may help elucidate the source of infection.

Diagnosing posterior tibial tendon tear with dynamic ultrasound following tibial intramedullary nailing.

Complications following tibial intramedullary nailing include anterior knee pain, malunion, nonunion, and symptomatic/prominent interlocking screws. We report a case of a posterior tibial tendon tear caused by placement of a distal interlocking screw which was detected via dynamic ultrasound. This is a rare and possibly underreported complication which could be the cause of persistent medial sided ankle pain following locked tibial nail placement.