Use of perioperative telotristat in a patient with carcinoid heart disease.

Summary: Carcinoid heart disease is a rare complication of carcinoid syndrome, resulting in right-sided valvular heart disease and subsequent heart failure due to long-term exposure to vasoactive substances. The management of this condition is complex, often requiring surgical intervention. Current perioperative regimens entail the use of prophylactic somatostatin analogs to prevent carcinoid crisis; however, regimens vary widely among practitioners and evidence supporting their efficacy in this clinical setting is mixed. This case report describes the perioperative management of a 65-year-old man with carcinoid heart disease requiring tricuspid and pulmonary valve replacement surgery. As an adjunct to somatostatin analog therapy, the novel tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor, telotristat, was initiated preoperatively. This combination resulted in normalization of preoperative urinary 5-HIAA levels. The patient successfully underwent tricuspid and pulmonic valve replacement without evidence of carcinoid crisis. This clinical case is the first published documenting the use of telotristat in the perioperative period in a patient with carcinoid syndrome and carcinoid heart disease and was associated with a good long-term outcome despite the high-risk nature of the case. Learning points: Carcinoid crisis is a life-threatening complication of carcinoid syndrome, resulting in hemodynamic instability, bronchospasm, and arrhythmia. Cardiac surgical patients with carcinoid syndrome present a unique challenge as they are subject to physiologic conditions and medications which can potentiate intraoperative carcinoid crisis. Perioperative management of patients with carcinoid syndrome currently entails the use of prophylactic somatostatin analogs; however, these agents do not prevent carcinoid crisis in all cases. Telotristat, a tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor, shows promise as an adjunctive therapy to somatostatin analogs to reduce the risk of intraoperative carcinoid crisis.

Echocardiographic and clinical outcomes following beating heart NeoChord DS1000 mitral valve repair: a single centre case series.

Background: The NeoChord DS1000 system implants artificial neochords transapically, through a left mini-thoracotomy to treat degenerative mitral valve regurgitation (MR). Performed without cardiopulmonary bypass, neochord implantation and length adjustment is guided by transesophageal echocardiography. We describe imaging and clinical outcomes for a single center case series using this innovative device platform. Methods: In this prospective series, all study patients had degenerative MR and were considered for conventional mitral valve surgery. Moderate to high-risk candidates were screened for NeoChord DS1000 eligibility based on echocardiographic criteria. Study criteria included isolated posterior leaflet prolapse, leaflet-to-annulus index greater than 1.2, and coaptation length index greater than 5 mm. Patients with bileaflet prolapse, mitral annular calcification, and ischemic MR were excluded from our early experience. Results: Ten patients underwent the procedure, including 6 males and 4 females, with a mean age of 76 ± 9.5 years. All patients had severe chronic MR and normal left ventricular function. One patient required conversion to an open procedure for failure to deploy neochords with the device transapically. The median number of NeoChord sets was 3 (IQR 2.3-3.8). Immediate post-procedure (POD#0) degree of MR on echocardiography ranged from mild or less, and on postoperative day 1 (POD#1) from moderate or less. Average length of coaptation was 0.85 ± 0.21 cm and average depth of coaptation was 0.72 ± 0.15 cm. At 1-month follow-up echocardiography, MR was graded from trivial to moderate and left ventricular inner diameter dimensions decreased from an average of 5.4 ± 0.4 cm to 4.6 ± 0.3 cm. None of the patients who had successful NeoChord implantation required blood products. There was 1 perioperative stroke with no residual deficits. There were no device-related complications or serious adverse events. The median length of hospital stay was 3 (IQR 2.3-10) days. 30-day and 6-weeks postoperative mortality and readmission rates were 0%. Conclusion: We report the first Canadian case series using the NeoChord DS1000 system for off-pump, transapical, beating heart mitral valve repair, through a left mini-thoracotomy. The early surgical outcomes suggest this approach is feasible, safe, and effective in reducing MR. This novel procedure has the advantage of offering a minimally invasive, off-pump option for select patients with high surgical risk.

Perioperative Optimization of the Cardiac Surgical Patient.

Perioperative optimization of cardiac surgical patients is imperative to reduce complications, utilize health care resources efficiently, and improve patient recovery and quality of life. Standardized application of evidence-based best practices can lead to better outcomes. Although many practices should be applied universally to all patients, there are also opportunities along the surgical journey to identify patients who will benefit from additional interventions that will further ameliorate their recovery. Enhanced recovery programs aim to bundle several process elements in a standardized fashion to optimize outcomes after cardiac surgery. A foundational concept of enhanced recovery is attaining a better postsurgical end point for patients, in less time, through achievement and maintenance in their greatest possible physiologic, functional, and psychological state. Perioperative optimization is a broad topic, spanning multiple phases of care and involving a variety of medical specialties and nonphysician health care providers. In this review we highlight a variety of perioperative care topics, in which a comprehensive approach to patient care can lead to improved results for patients, providers, and the health care system. A particular focus on patient-centred care is included. Although existing evidence supports all of the elements reviewed, most require further improvements in implementation, as well as additional research, before their full potential and usefulness can be determined.

Enhanced Recovery for Cardiac Surgery.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS® Society, Stockholm, Sweden) programs are developing rapidly in multiple specialties, fueled by the promising outcomes in colorectal surgery. There currently are no Enhanced Recovery After Surgery guidelines for cardiac surgery. The elevated burden of mortality, morbidity, and high resource expenditures associated with cardiac surgery present a tremendous opportunity for enhanced recovery. This narrative review sets out to examine the literature involving enhanced recovery in cardiac surgery and explores additional potential areas of interest.