Effect of intermediate care on mortality following emergency abdominal surgery. The InCare trial: study protocol, rationale and feasibility of a randomised multicentre trial.

BACKGROUND: Emergency abdominal surgery carries a 15% to 20% short-term mortality rate. Postoperative medical complications are strongly associated with increased mortality. Recent research suggests that timely recognition and effective management of complications may reduce mortality. The aim of the present trial is to evaluate the effect of postoperative intermediate care following emergency major abdominal surgery in high-risk patients. METHODS AND DESIGN: The InCare trial is a randomised, parallel-group, non-blinded clinical trial with 1:1 allocation. Patients undergoing emergency laparotomy or laparoscopic surgery with a perioperative Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of 10 or above, who are ready to be transferred to the surgical ward within 24 h of surgery are allocated to either intermediate care for 48 h, or surgical ward care. The primary outcome measure is all-cause 30-day mortality. We aim to enrol 400 patients in seven Danish hospitals. The sample size allows us to detect or refute a 34% relative risk reduction of mortality with 80% power. DISCUSSION: This trial evaluates the benefits and possible harm of intermediate care. The results may potentially influence the survival of many high-risk surgical patients. As a pioneer trial in the area, it will provide important data on the feasibility of future large-scale randomised clinical trials evaluating different levels of postoperative care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01209663.

Proactive administration of platelets and plasma for patients with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: evaluating a change in transfusion practice.

BACKGROUND: Continued hemorrhage remains a major contributor of mortality in massively transfused patients and those who survive have a higher platelet (PLT) count and a shorter prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) than nonsurvivors. It was considered that early substitution with PLTs and fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) would prevent development of coagulopathy and thus improve survival. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Survival of patients undergoing surgery for a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) was compared after implementing a proactive transfusion therapy encompassing two pooled buffy-coat PLT concentrates (PBPCs) immediately when a rupture of the aorta was suspected and again 30 minutes before aortic unclamping together with FFP administered in a 1:1 ratio to the amount of red blood cells (RBCs) with that of a control group receiving transfusion therapy according to existing recommendations. RESULTS: The intervention group (n = 50) had a higher PLT count at arrival at the intensive care unit compared to the control group (n = 82; 155 x 10(9)/L vs. 69 x 10(9)/L; p < 0.0001), shorter APTT (39 sec vs. 44 sec; p < 0.001), fewer postoperative transfusions (RBCs, 2 vs. 6; FFP, 2 vs. 4; and PBPCs, 0 vs. 1; p < 0.01), and a higher 30-day survival rate (66% vs. 44%; p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that proactive administration of PLTs and FFP improves coagulation competence, reduces postoperative hemorrhage, and increases survival in massively bleeding rAAA patients.

Supraorbital cutaneous blood flow rate during carotid endarterectomy.

BACKGROUND: The supraorbital skin region is supplied by the supraorbital artery, which is a branch of the internal carotid artery. The supraorbital cutaneous blood flow rate may therefore be influenced by changes in the internal carotid artery flow during carotid endarterectomy. METHODS: The supraorbital cutaneous blood flow rate was measured by the application of heat to the skin and following the subsequent dissipation of the heat in seven patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. At the same time, the oxygenation in the right and left frontal region was monitored by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). RESULTS: During cross-clamping of the carotid artery, the ipsilateral NIRS-determined frontal oxygenation tended to decrease [67 +/- 13% to 61 +/- 11% (P = 0.06); contralateral 68 +/- 11% to 66 +/- 8%] as did the supraorbital cutaneous blood flow rate from 56 +/- 23 to 44 +/- 7 ml 100 g(-1) min(-1). With the opening of the external carotid artery, the NIRS-determined frontal oxygenation reversed to 66 +/- 8% (P<0.05) on the ipsilateral side, with no significant change on the contralateral side and the supraorbital cutaneous blood flow rate increased to 53 +/- 11 (P<0.05). Opening of the internal carotid artery did not significantly affect the NIRS (67 +/- 8% and 69 +/- 9%; ipsilateral, contralateral), but the supraorbital cutaneous blood flow rate increased to 88 +/- 10 ml 100 g(-1) min(-1) (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Cross-clamping of the internal carotid artery affects the supraorbital cutaneous blood flow rate as well as the frontal lobe oxygenation.