Background: The increase in internal diameter (ID) and cross-sectional area (CSA) may facilitate better arterial catheterization. Since an increase in body temperature can cause peripheral vasodilation, we aimed to determine if local warming of the radial artery (RA) catheterization site could improve the success rate of catheterization. Methods: This randomized, controlled study enrolled 160 patients aged >18 years who were scheduled for heart surgery. They were randomized into non-warming palpation (NP), non-warming ultrasonography-guided (NU), warming palpation (WP), and warming ultrasonography-guided (WU) groups. After induction, the baseline RA ultrasonography images were collected. In the warming groups (WP, WU), local warming was applied on the catheterization site. Before catheterization, the RA ultrasonography images were collected. The primary outcome was the first-attempt success rate. The secondary outcomes included the ID and CSA of the RA and overall complications. Results: Totally 152 adults were included in the analysis. The first-attempt success rates in each of the four groups were not significantly different (P=0.985). The rates in the non-warming (NP + NU) and warming (WP + WU) groups were also not different (P=0.827). Unlike non-warming group, the warming group had increased ID (3.34±0.78 vs. 3.02±0.73 mm; P<0.001) and CSA (6.9±2.8 vs. 5.8±2.4 mm2; P<0.001) compared with baseline. Conclusions: Local warming for peripheral artery catheterization does not increase the first-attempt success rate in adults undergoing cardiac surgery; however, it can increase the ID and CSA of the RA and prevent vasospasm. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04969692.
Andersen-Tawil syndrome (ATS) is a rare genetic disease characterized by a triad of episodic flaccid muscle weakness, ventricular arrhythmias, and physical anomalies. ATS patients have various cardiac arrhythmias that can cause sudden death. Implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is required when life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias do not respond to medical treatment. An 11-year-old girl underwent surgery for an ICD implantation. For general anesthesia in ATS patients, anesthesiologists should focus on the potentially difficult airway, serious cardiac arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia (VT), and delayed recovery from neuromuscular blockade. We followed the difficult airway algorithm, avoided drugs that can precipitate QT prolongation and fatal cardiac arrhythmias, and tried to maintain normoxia, normocarbia, normothermia, normoglycemia, and pain control for prevention of sympathetic stimulation. We report the successful application of general anesthesia for ICD implantation in a pediatric patient with ATS and recurrent VT.
Background: Pediatric patients are at high risk of massive bleeding after cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Fibrinogen is essential for coagulation; however, pediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) present abnormal fibrinogen function. The pre- and post-operative fibrinogen level may affect the bleeding and transfusion amount in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. However, the relationship between plasma fibrinogen levels and the bleeding and transfusion amount in pediatric cardiac surgery remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the association of pre-CPB fibrinogen levels (PreFib) and post-CPB fibrinogen levels (PostFib) with postoperative bleeding and transfusion volume in pediatric cardiac surgery. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 375 newborns and infants who underwent cardiac surgery under CPB for CHD. The primary endpoint was the correlation of the PreFib and PostFib values, as well as their difference (FibGap), with the bleeding and transfusion amount within 24 postoperative hours. Results: There was no correlation of the PreFib, PostFib, and FibGap values with the bleeding and transfusion amounts at postoperative 24 hours. However, patients with PreFib and PostFib values of <150 and <100 mg/dL, respectively, showed a significantly higher frequency of postoperative platelet (PLT) transfusion. In patients with complex CHD, PreFib showed a weak negative correlation with the bleeding amount at postoperative 24 hours and the number of PLT-transfused patients. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that in pediatric patients with CHD who cannot undergo point-of-care (POC) tests, those presenting PreFib and PostFib values of <150 and <100 mg/dL, respectively, have a significantly higher frequency of postoperative PLT transfusion.
