Primary graft failure and Ca2+ sensitizers after heart transplantation.

Primary organ failure after heart transplantation is a severe complication generally related to prolonged ischemia time, poor quality of the organ, or rejection. Ca(2+) sensitisers increase cardiac contractility without altering intracellular Ca(2+) levels. Our aim was to evaluate the influence of levosimendan in the therapy of primary failure after heart transplantation. Five patients presenting with reduced ejection fraction (EF<30%) and high dosed catecholamines after heart transplantation were treated with levosimendan (Simdax, Abbot GesmbH, Vienna, Austria) in a 24-hour continuous infusion (0.10 microg/kg*min) postoperatively. We assessed hemodynamic measurements including MAP, CVP, and PAP as well as heart function. Pharmacologic support with catecholamines could be halved at 24 hours and terminated in four of the patients 72 hours after levosimendan administration. Hemodynamics (MAP 70 +/- 11 vs 85 +/- 6 mm Hg; CI 2.5 +/- 0.4 vs 3.6 +/- 0.4 L/min/m(2)) and EF (28 +/- 10 vs 54 +/- 4%) improved at 48 hours after treatment. Acute graft failure after cardiac transplantation is associated with poor short- and long-term outcomes. Among our patients, levosimendan reduced the need for catecholamine support as well as improved ventricular performance.

Intensive care after minimally invasive and conventional coronary surgery: a prospective comparison.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the intensive care course of patients after minimally invasive coronary surgery to conventional coronary artery bypass grafting. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and five patients with two-vessel disease consecutively scheduled for elective coronary bypass surgery were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: Two techniques of revascularization were performed: the Octopus procedure via median sternotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass (n = 52) and conventional coronary artery bypass grafting CABG (n = 53). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Three major categories describing the patients' postoperative course were defined: (1) clinical and laboratory findings, i.e., transfusion rate, catecholamine support, duration of ventilation, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), serum levels of cardiac enzymes and lactic acid; (2) postoperative complications, i.e., incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), atrial fibrillation (AF), and neurological deficits; (3) this category was defined as "the extent of care" as represented by the Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (TISS), and the length of stay in the ICU and in the hospital. In the Octopus group significantly lower figures were noted for duration of ventilation [6.1(5.5/9.5) vs 10.2(8.2/11.8) h], cardiac enzymes (CK-MB-Mass [5.1(2.0/8.3) vs 31.3(21.4/39.3) ng/ml], and lactic acid [2.0(1.5/3.3) vs 3.2(2.2/6.5) mmol/l]), incidence of AF (2/52 vs 9/53), and neurological deficits (0/52 vs 4/53), TISS score [72(44/83) vs 84(73/93)], LOS in the ICU [2(1/2) vs 2(2/2) days], and in the hospital [6(5/9) vs 9(8/12) days]. Catecholamine support, SAPS II scores, and incidence of MI of each group did not differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Off-pump coronary surgery via the Octopus technique was superior to conventional CABG regarding the course of patients in the early postoperative period. This implies benefits for the patients and the entire healthcare system.