A randomized trial of the inflammatory cytokines levels and the blood transfusion rate between miniaturized tubing group and conventional tubing group in congenital heart disease open heart surgeries.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to compare the inflammatory cytokines levels of the miniaturized and conventional extracorporeal circuit system. The miniaturized extracorporeal circuit system may be fewer possible inflammation-induced or blood transfusion-related complications. METHODS: We performed a prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 101 patients undergoing congenital heart surgery with CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass, weight ≤15 kg, age ≤2 years). Patients were divided into two different CPB groups randomly by random data form. Blood samples at five different time points and the ultrafiltration fluid before and after CPB were collected in all patients. IL-6, IL-8, and TNF alpha were respectively tested with Abcam ELISA kit. RESULTS: The IL-6 level of blood serum in two groups had no statistical differences between the two groups at all time points. The IL-8 level of blood serum in two groups had no statistical differences right after anesthesia and 5 min after CPB. However, IL-8 level was significantly higher in conventional extracorporeal circuit group than that in miniaturized extracorporeal circuit group at 6 h, 12 h and 24 h after CPB. Blood serum TNF alpha in conventional extracorporeal circuit group was significantly higher at 6 h after CPB than that in miniaturized extracorporeal circuit group. No statistical differences in TNF alpha were found between two groups right after anesthesia and at 5 min after CPB, 12 h and 24 h after CPB. In ultrafiltration fluid, no statistical differences were found in IL-6, IL-8 nor TNF alpha between two groups in all time. No statistical differences were found in ICU (intensive care unit) stay and mechanical ventilation time between the two groups. The blood transfusion rate was significantly lower in miniaturized extracorporeal circuit group. CONCLUSION: Implementing the miniaturized extracorporeal circuit system could decrease the inflammatory cytokines at a certain level. The blood transfusion rate is significantly lower in miniaturized extracorporeal circuit group This indicates the miniaturized extracorporeal circuit system might be a safer CPB strategy with fewer possible inflammation-induced or blood transfusion-related complications.

Impact of miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass circuits on ultrafiltration during congenital heart surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) system decreased the usage of ultrafiltration (UF), and to explore whether the non-UF with miniaturized CPB strategy could get good clinical results during congenital heart surgery. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing congenital heart surgery with CPB at Shenzhen Children's Hospital from 1 May 2015 to 30 September 2019. We classified patients to UF with miniaturized CPB group, non-UF with miniaturized CPB group, UF with conventional CPB group and non-UF with conventional CPB group. RESULTS: Of the 2145 patients, 721 (33.6%) were in the conventional CPB group, and 1424 (66.4%) were in the miniaturized CPB group. The UF rate was significantly lower in the miniaturized CPB group compared with that in the conventional CPB group (12.5% vs. 76.8%, p < 0.001). Compared with patients in the other groups, patients in the non-UF with miniaturized CPB group had a shorter postoperative MV time (p < 0.05), and a shorter length of stay in the ICU (p < 0.001) and hospital (p < 0.001). The age of children in the UF with miniaturized CPB group was relatively younger (median: 1.5 months, IQR: 0.3-4.6 months), and the preoperative weight was relatively lower (median: 3.9 kg, IQR: 3.2-5.4 kg). Moreover, this group of children had a relatively longer postoperative MV time and length of stay in the ICU and hospital. CONCLUSION: The miniaturized CPB system could decrease the usage of UF. Good results were achieved in children who did not use UF based on the miniaturized CPB circuit system during congenital heart surgery.

Effect of retrograde autologous priming based on miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass in children undergoing open heart surgery: A STROBE compliant retrospective observational study.

To evaluate the effectiveness of retrograde autologous priming (RAP) based on miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit in children undergoing open heart surgery.We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients (≤15 kg) who underwent open heart surgery with CPB in our center from January 1, 2017, to July 31, 2019. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for significant covariates, and multivariable stratified analysis was used to assess the association of the RAP technique with clinical outcomes.A total of 1111 patients were analyzed. There were 355 (32.0%) children who underwent RAP, and 756 (68.0%) were in the non-RAP group. After propensity score matching, there were a total of 638 patients, with 319 patients in each group. The bloodless priming rate was significantly higher (P = .013), and the ultrafiltration rate was significantly lower (P = .003) in the RAP group than in the non-RAP group. Compared with patients in the non-RAP group, patients in the RAP group had a shorter postoperative mechanical ventilation time (P < .001) and shorter lengths of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) (P < .001) and the hospital (P < .001). No differences were noted in postoperative hematocrit (P = .920), postoperative 24-hour blood loss (P = .435), and hospital mortality (P = .563). In the stratified analysis, the difference remained statistically significant (P < .05) when the patient weight was >4 kg or the Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery (STAT) category was <3. However, when the patient weight was ≤4 kg or the STAT category was ≥3, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of bloodless priming, ultrafiltration, postoperative mechanical ventilation time, or length of stay in the ICU or the hospital (P > .05).The RAP technique based on miniaturized CPB system was safe and effective for children who underwent congenital heart surgery. The RAP technique can significantly reduce the priming volume, improve the rate of bloodless priming, and reduce blood product application. It was also associated with a shorter postoperative mechanical ventilation time and shorter lengths of stay in the ICU and the hospital.