Anesthesia and intensive care unit care in pediatric kidney transplantation: An international survey.

BACKGROUND: Despite the high perioperative risk profile, international guidelines for anesthesia and intensive care unit (ICU) care in pediatric kidney transplantation do not exist. Optimizing hemodynamics can be challenging in these patients, while scientific data to guide decisions in hemodynamic monitoring, hemodynamic targets, and perioperative fluid management are lacking. The limited annual number of pediatric kidney transplantations, even in reference centers, necessitates the urge for international collaboration to share knowledge and develop research and guidelines. The aim of this study was to collect data on current perioperative anesthesia and ICU care practices in pediatric kidney transplantation. METHODS: An international survey with an anonymized link was sent from a validated electronic data capture system (Castor). Inclusion criteria were: medical doctor in anesthesia, (ICU), or pediatric nephrology working in a pediatric kidney transplantation specialized center; and signed informed consent. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Thirty-three records were analyzed. Responders were anesthesiologists (58%), pediatric nephrologists (30%), and pediatric intensivists (12%), representing 13 countries worldwide. About half of the centers (48%) performed more than 10 pediatric kidney transplantations a year. Perioperative hemodynamic support was guided by intra-arterial blood pressure (88%), central venous pressure (CVP; 88%), and cardiac output (CO; 39%). The most variation was seen in the hemodynamic targets CVP and CO, fluid administration, and inotrope/vasopressor use. The protocolized use of furosemide (46%) and mannitol (61%) also varied between centers. Postoperative care for the youngest recipients occurred in the pediatric intensive care unit at all centers. CONCLUSION: The results of this survey reveal a large variation in anesthesia and ICU care in pediatric kidney transplantation centers worldwide, particularly in CVP and CO targets, hemodynamic therapy, and the use of furosemide and mannitol. These data identify areas for further research and can be a starting point for international research collaboration and guideline development.

Safety aspects of the PiCCO thermodilution-cardiac output catheter during magnetic resonance imaging at 3 Tesla.

Thermodilution cardiac output monitoring, using a thermistor-tipped intravascular catheter, is used in critically ill patients to guide hemodynamic therapy. Often, these patients also need magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnostic or prognostic reasons. As thermodilution catheters contain metal, they are considered MRI-unsafe and advised to be removed prior to investigation. However, removal and replacement of the catheter carries risks of bleeding, perforation and infection. This research is an in vitro safety assessment of the PiCCO™ thermodilution catheter during 3 T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (3T-MRI).  In a 3T-MRI environment, three different PiCCO™ catheter sizes were investigated in an agarose-gel, tissue mimicking phantom. Two temperature probes measured radiofrequency-induced heating; one at the catheter tip and one at a reference point. Magnetically induced catheter dislocation was assessed by visual observation as well as by analysis of the tomographic images. For all tested catheters, the highest measured temperature increase was 0.2 °C at the center of the bore and 0.3 °C under "worst-case" setting for the tested MRI pulse sequences. No magnetically induced catheter displacements were observed. Under the tested circumstances, no heating or dislocation of the PiCCO™ catheter was observed in a tissue mimicking phantom during 3T-MRI. Leaving the catheter in the critically ill patient during MRI investigation might pose a lower risk of complications than catheter removal and replacement.

Perioperative anesthesia care for the pediatric patient undergoing a kidney transplantation: An educational review.

Living-donor kidney transplantation is the first choice therapy for children with end-stage renal disease and shows good long-term outcome. Etiology of renal failure, co-morbidities, and hemodynamic effects, due to donor-recipient size mismatch, differs significantly from those in adult patients. Despite the complexities related to both patient and surgery, there is a lack of evidence-based anesthesia guidelines for pediatric kidney transplantation. This educational review summarizes the pathophysiological changes to consider and suggests recommendations for perioperative anesthesia care, based on recent research papers.

Cardiac output-guided hemodynamic therapy for adult living donor kidney transplantation in children under 20 kg: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: A living-donor (adult) kidney transplantation in young children requires an increased cardiac output to maintain adequate perfusion of the relatively large kidney. To achieve this, protocols commonly advise liberal fluid administration guided by high target central venous pressure. Such therapy may lead to good renal outcomes, but the risk of tissue edema is substantial. AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the transpulmonary thermodilution technique to measure cardiac output in pediatric recipients. The second aim was to evaluate whether a cardiac output-guided hemodynamic therapy algorithm could induce less liberal fluid administration, while preserving good renal results and achieving increased target cardiac output and blood pressure. METHODS: In twelve consecutive recipients, cardiac output was measured with transpulmonary thermodilution (PiCCO device, Pulsion). The algorithm steered administration of fluids, norepinephrine and dobutamine. Hemodynamic values were obtained before, during and after transplantation. Results are given as mean (SD) [minimum-maximum]. RESULTS: Age and weight of recipients was 3.2 (0.97) [1.6-4.9] yr and 14.1 (2.4) [10.4-18] kg, respectively. No complications related to cardiac output monitoring occurred. After transplantation, cardiac index increased with 31% (95% CI = 15%-48%). Extravascular lung water and central venous pressure did not change. Fluids given decreased from 158 [124-191] mL kg-1 in the first 2 patients to 80 (18) [44-106] mL kg-1 in the last 10 patients. The latter amount was 23 mL kg-1 less (95% CI = 6-40 mL kg-1 ) than in one recent study, but similar to that in another. After reperfusion, all patients received norepinephrine (maximum dose 0.45 (0.3) [0.1-0.9] mcg kg-1  min-1 ). Patient and graft survivals were 100% with excellent kidney function at 6 months post-transplantation. CONCLUSION: Transpulmonary thermodilution-cardiac output monitoring appeared to be safe and feasible. Using the cardiac output-guided algorithm led to excellent renal results with a trend toward less fluids in favor of norepinephrine.