Selective Versus Routine Spinal Drain Use for Fenestrated/Branched Endovascular Aortic Repair (F-BEVAR).

BACKGROUND: Spinal drains are used to ameliorate spinal cord ischemia (SCI), but their use may result in inherent morbidity and mortality. Although prophylactic spinal drain has proven of benefit in open repairs, that is not the case for endovascular repairs. The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes of spinal cord protection with and without the routine use of spinal drains during fenestrated-branched endovascular repair (F-BEVAR). METHODS: A retrospective single center study was performed using a prospectively maintained dataset of all patients undergoing F-BEVAR over a 4-year period. The primary endpoint of the study was the frequency of SCI. Prophylactic spinal drain was placed pre-operatively in 33 patients (23%) with a median time for removal of 3 days (IQR, 2-3 days). Routine intraoperative neuromonitoring was used. Spinal cord protection relied primarily on maintaining a perioperative systolic blood pressure between 140 and 160 mm Hg or a mean arterial pressure >90 mm Hg, avoiding hypotension, preservation of as many collateral beds as possible, staged repairs and early lower extremity reperfusion based on neuromonitoring. RESULTS: A total of 145 patients, 104 men (71%) and 41 women (28%) with a median age of 70 years (interquartile range [IQR], 53-62) underwent F-BEVAR. Branched custom-made devices (CMDs) (11%), fenestrated CMDs (70%) and off-the-shelf T-Branch device (17%) were used with a median number of branches/fenestrations of 4 (IQR, 3-4). SVS classification of implantation zones were determined as follows: 9 (6%) zone 2, 21 (20%) zone 3, 26 (18%) zone 4 and 89 (61%) zone 5. SCI was present in 8 patients (5.5%) and classified according to the SVS SCI grading system as follows: 1 grade 1, 5 grade 2 and 2 grade 3a. When evaluating implantation zone independently of coverage length and patency of collateral beds, a high implantation zone (1-4) was not associated with SCI (P = 0.9). Similarly, prophylactic spinal drain did not demonstrate association with the occurrence of SCI (3[9%] vs. 5[4%], with and without spinal drain, respectively) (P = 0.3). For patients with high implantation zones, staged repair was performed in 38 patients (26%) at a median time of 2 months (IQR, 2-6 months). Among these patients, the frequency of SCI was 13%. Staged repair was associated with an 80% reduction in the frequency of SCI (OR, 0.19 [95% CI, 0.04-0.084]) (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: F-BEVAR can be performed with a minimal risk of SCI without the need for routine prophylactic spinal drains. High implantation zones did not predict SCI after F-BEVAR; however, staged repair significantly decreased the risk of SCI after F-BEVAR.

Uretero-Arterial Fistula: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Uretero-arterial fistula (UAF) is a rare complication of either aneurysmal disease primarily or pelvic inflammation secondary to urologic, oncologic, or vascular interventions. Diagnosis can be difficult to confirm and treatment may need to proceed on high index of suspicion alone. We present the case of a 56-year-old woman suffering from intermittent hematuria after laser lithotripsy leading to UAF between her left ureter and left Dacron aortobifemoral bypass limb. The fistula was successfully treated with endovascular intervention.

Two-stage liver transplant for ruptured hepatic adenoma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Only one case of liver transplantation for hepatic adenoma has previously been reported for patients with rupture and uncontrolled hemorrhage. We present the case of a massive ruptured hepatic adenoma with persistent hemorrhagic shock and toxic liver syndrome which resulted in a two-stage liver transplantation. This is the first case of a two-stage liver transplantation performed for a ruptured hepatic adenoma. CASE SUMMARY: A 23 years old African American female with a history of pre-diabetes and oral contraceptive presented to an outside facility complaining of right-sided chest pain and emesis for one day. She was found to be in hemorrhagic shock due to a massive ruptured hepatic hepatic adenoma. She underwent repeated embolizations with interventional radiology with ongoing hemorrhage and the development of renal failure, hepatic failure, and hemodynamic instability, known as toxic liver syndrome. In the setting of uncontrolled hemorrhage and toxic liver syndrome, a hepatectomy with porto-caval anastomosis was performed with liver transplantation 15 h later. She tolerated the anhepatic stage well, and has done well over one year later. CONCLUSION: When toxic liver syndrome is recognized, liver transplantation with or without hepatectomy should be considered before the patient becomes unstable.

Traumatic Hemothorax Blood Contains Elevated Levels of Microparticles that are Prothrombotic but Inhibit Platelet Aggregation.

OBJECTIVES: Autotransfusion of shed blood from traumatic hemothorax is an attractive option for resuscitation of trauma patients in austere environments. However, previous analyses revealed that shed hemothorax (HX) blood is defibrinated, thrombocytopenic, and contains elevated levels of D-dimer. Mixing studies with normal pooled plasma demonstrated hypercoagulability, evoking concern for potentiation of acute traumatic coagulopathy. We hypothesized that induction of coagulopathic changes by shed HX blood may be due to increases in cellular microparticles (MP) and that these may also affect recipient platelet function. METHODS: Shed HX blood was obtained from 17 adult trauma patients under an Institutional Review Board approved prospective observational protocol. Blood samples were collected every hour up to 4 h after thoracostomy tube placement. The corresponding plasma was isolated and frozen for analysis. The effects of shed HX frozen plasma (HFP) and isolated HX microparticles (HMP) on coagulation and platelet function were assessed through mixing studies with platelet-rich plasma at various dilutions followed by analysis with thromboelastometry (ROTEM), platelet aggregometry (Multiplate), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and flow cytometry. Furthermore, HFP was assessed for von Willebrand factor antigen levels and multimer content, and plasma-free hemoglobin. RESULTS: ROTEM analysis demonstrated that diluted HFP and isolated HMP samples decreased clotting time, clotting formation time, and increased α angle, irrespective of sample concentrations, when compared with diluted control plasma. Isolated HMP inhibited platelet aggregation in response to adenosine diphosphate, arachidonic acid, and collagen. HFP contained elevated levels of fibrin-degradation products and tissue factor compared with control fresh frozen plasma samples. MP concentrations in HFP were significantly increased and enriched in events positive for phosphatidylserine, tissue factor, CD235, CD45, CD41a, and CD14. von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimer analysis revealed significant loss of high molecular weight multimers in HFP samples. Plasma-free hemoglobin levels were 8-fold higher in HFP compared with fresh frozen plasma. CONCLUSION: HFP induces plasma hypercoagulability that is likely related to increased tissue factor and phosphatidylserine expression originating from cell-derived MP. In contrast, platelet dysfunction is induced by HMP, potentially aggravated by depletion of high molecular weight multimers of vWF. Thus, autologous transfusion of shed traumatic hemothorax blood may induce a range of undesirable effects in patients with acute traumatic coagulopathy.

Shed Pleural Blood from Traumatic Hemothorax Contains Elevated Levels of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines.

PURPOSE: The autotransfusion of unwashed (or unprocessed) shed hemothorax blood (USHB) in trauma patients is widely assumed to be beneficial; however, the inflammatory potential of shed pleural blood has not been thoroughly studied. Since previous studies have documented marked changes in coagulation function of shed pleural blood, we hypothesized that its level of inflammatory cytokines would be elevated. METHODS: A prospective observational study of trauma patients in whom cytokine levels from USHB were compared to venous samples from healthy volunteers was conducted. Differences between the cytokine content of patient-derived samples were compared to those from healthy subjects. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, GM-CSF), a pro-inflammatory Th-1 cytokine (IFNγ), and anti-inflammatory Th-2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) in shed pleural blood over four hours when compared with samples from healthy controls (P <0.05). Cytokine levels in USHB are approximately 10- to 100-fold higher compared with healthy control venous samples. CONCLUSIONS: USHB, even collected within the accepted four-hour window, contains significantly elevated cytokine levels, suggesting the potential for deleterious effects from autotransfusion. Randomized trials are needed to determine the safety and efficacy of autotransfusion in trauma patients.

An experimental model of hemothorax autotransfusion: impact on coagulation.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic hemothorax (HTX) has been demonstrated to predictably contain low fibrinogen, low hematocrit, and low platelet counts. When analyzed on its own, shed HTX demonstrates coagulopathy. However, when mixed with normal pooled plasma (NPP) at physiologically relevant dilutions, HTX demonstrates accelerated coagulation. We hypothesize that when HTX is mixed with a patient's own plasma, the mixture will demonstrate hypercoagulability. The accelerated coagulation of this mixture would have important implications for the autotransfusion of HTX as a method of resuscitating a trauma patient. METHODS: Adult trauma patients from whom greater than 140 mL of HTX was evacuated within 1 hour of tube thoracostomy were included. HTX was sampled at 1 hour after evacuation, and a portion of the sample was centrifuged and stored as frozen plasma for later analysis. The remainder of the sample was analyzed (coagulation, hematology, electrolytes), and values were compared with concurrent venous values extracted via chart review. A citrate tube containing the patient's venous blood was additionally spun down and frozen for subsequent mixing study analysis. Coagulation was further evaluated by mixing serial dilutions of the previously frozen HTX with NPP. Additionally, the previously frozen HTX was mixed in serial dilutions with the previously frozen sample of patient plasma (PTP). RESULTS: Subjects (10) were enrolled based on inclusion criteria and collection of a discarded venous sample. In HTX samples analyzed alone, no thrombus was formed in any coagulation test (activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT] > 180). The median aPTT value of PTP alone was 25.5. In 1-hour specimens mixed at a clinically relevant dilution of 1:4, HTX mixed with NPP had a mediana PTT value of 26.0, whereas HTX mixed with PTP had a median aPTT value of 21.7. Thus, the mixture of HTX + PTP demonstrated a statistically significantly lower aPTT than the mixture of HTX + NPP (P = 0.01). Additionally, the mixture of HTX and PTP shows a statistically significantly lower aPTT value than PTP alone (P = 0.03), indicating a hypercoagulable state. CONCLUSIONS: HTX demonstrates coagulopathy when analyzed independently, but is hypercoagulable when mixed with NPP or PTP. Furthermore, mixing studies show a statistically significantly lower aPTT when HTX is mixed with PTP versus HTX mixed with NPP. Thus, autotransfusion of HTX would likely produce a hypercoagulable state in vivo, and should not be used in place of other blood products to resuscitate a trauma patient. The autotransfusion of HTX may, however, be of use in a resource-limited environment where other blood products are not available.

A small amount can make a difference: a prospective human study of the paradoxical coagulation characteristics of hemothorax.

BACKGROUND: The evacuated hemothorax has been poorly described because it varies with time, it has been found to be incoagulable, and its potential effect on the coagulation cascade during autotransfusion is largely unknown. METHODS: This is a prospective descriptive study of adult patients with traumatic chest injury necessitating tube thoracostomy. Pleural and venous samples were analyzed for coagulation, hematology, and electrolytes at 1 to 4 hours after drainage. Pleural samples were also analyzed for their effect on the coagulation cascade via mixing studies. RESULTS: Thirty-four subjects were enrolled with a traumatic hemothorax. The following measured coagulation factors were significantly depleted compared with venous blood: international normalized ratio (>9 vs 1.1) (P < .001) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) (>180 vs 24.5 seconds) (P < .001). Mixing studies showed a dose-dependent increase in coagulation dilutions through 1:8 (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: An evacuated hemothorax does not vary in composition significantly with time and is incoagulable alone. Mixing studies with hemothorax plasma increased coagulation, raising safety concerns.

The etiology of pneumoperitoneum in the 21st century.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine the origin of free intraperitoneal air in this era of diminishing prevalence of peptic ulcer disease and imaging studies. In addition, we attempted to stratify the origin of free air by the size of the air collection. METHODS: We queried our hospital database for "pneumoperitoneum" from 2005 to 2007 and for proven gastrointestinal perforation from 2000 to 2007. Massive amount of free air was defined as any air pocket greater than 10.0 cm. RESULTS: Among patients with free air, the predominant causes were perforated viscus (41%) and postoperative (<8 days) residual air (37%). For patients with visceral perforation, only 45% had free air on imaging studies, and for these patients, the predominant cause was peptic ulcer (16%), diverticulitis (16%), trauma (14%), malignancy (14%), bowel ischemia (10%), appendicitis (6%), and endoscopy (4%). The likelihood that free air was identified on an imaging study by lesion was 72% for perforated peptic ulcer, 57% for perforated diverticulitis, but only 8% for perforated appendicitis. The origin of massive free air was equally likely to be gastroduodenal, small bowel, or colonic perforation. CONCLUSION: The cause of free air when surgical pathology is the source has substantially changed from previous reports. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level IV.

Autotransfusion of hemothorax blood in trauma patients: is it the same as fresh whole blood?

BACKGROUND: Autotransfusable shed blood has been poorly characterized in trauma and may have similarities to whole blood with additional benefits. METHODS: This was a prospective descriptive study of adult patients from whom ≥50 mL of blood was drained within the first 4 hours after chest tube placement. Pleural and venous blood samples were analyzed for coagulation, hematology, and electrolytes. RESULTS: Twenty-two subjects were enrolled in 9 months. The following measured coagulation factors of hemothorax were significantly depleted compared with venous blood: international normalized ratio (>9 in contrast to 1.1, P < .001), activated partial thromboplastin time (>180 in contrast to 28.5 seconds, P < .001), and fibrinogen (<50 in contrast to 288 mg/dL, P < .001). The mean hematocrit (26.4 in contrast to 33.9), (P = .003), hemoglobin (9.3 in contrast to 11.8 g/dL, P = .004), and platelet count (53 in contrast to 174 K/µL, P < .001) of hemothorax were significantly lower than venous blood. A hemothorax volume of 726 mL was calculated to be equivalent to 1 U of red blood cells. CONCLUSIONS: Hemothorax blood contains significantly decreased coagulation factors and has lower hemoglobin when compared with venous blood.