Endovascular aortic arch repair under monitored anaesthesia care: maximizing microinvasiveness.

Patients with aortic arch pathologies after surgery for type-A acute aortic dissection represent a challenging population since open surgery is associated with a non-negligible rate of mortality and complications. Microinvasive endovascular aortic arch repair Arch-Thoracic EndoVascular Aortic Repair (Ar-TEVAR) has shown promising results in high-risk patients. Ar-TEVAR is usually performed under general anaesthesia. We report the case of an 83-year-old man with a history of ascending aorta replacement for type-A acute aortic dissection who was referred for an anastomotic pseudoaneurysm. Ar-TEVAR using an off-the-shelf single-branch aortic arch stent graft was chosen. In order to further minimize procedural invasiveness, monitored anaesthesia care (local anaesthesia with sedation and analgesia) was performed since it provides less stress on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and overall leads to a faster recovery especially in elderly patients.

Early Physiologic Effects of Prone Positioning in COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms underlying oxygenation improvement after prone positioning in COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome have not been fully elucidated yet. The authors hypothesized that the oxygenation increase with prone positioning is secondary to the improvement of ventilation-perfusion matching. METHODS: In a series of consecutive intubated COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome patients receiving volume-controlled ventilation, the authors prospectively assessed the percent variation of ventilation-perfusion matching by electrical impedance tomography before and 90 min after the first cycle of prone positioning (primary endpoint). The authors also assessed changes in the distribution and homogeneity of lung ventilation and perfusion, lung overdistention and collapse, respiratory system compliance, driving pressure, optimal positive end-expiratory pressure, as assessed by electrical impedance tomography, and the ratio of partial pressure to fraction of inspired oxygen (Pao2/Fio2; secondary endpoints). Data are reported as medians [25th to 75th] or percentages. RESULTS: The authors enrolled 30 consecutive patients, all analyzed without missing data. Compared to the supine position, prone positioning overall improved ventilation-perfusion matching from 58% [43 to 69%] to 68% [56 to 75%] (P = 0.042), with a median difference of 8.0% (95% CI, 0.1 to 16.0%). Dorsal ventilation increased from 39% [31 to 43%] to 52% [44 to 62%] (P < 0.001), while dorsal perfusion did not significantly vary. Prone positioning also reduced lung overdistension from 9% [4 to 11%] to 4% [2 to 6%] (P = 0.025), while it did not significantly affect ventilation and perfusion homogeneity, lung collapse, static respiratory system compliance, driving pressure, and optimal positive end-expiratory pressure. Pao2/Fio2 overall improved from 141 [104 to 182] mmHg to 235 [164 to 267] mmHg (P = 0.019). However, 9 (30%) patients were nonresponders, experiencing an increase in Pao2/Fio2 less than 20% with respect to baseline. CONCLUSIONS: In COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome patients, prone positioning overall produced an early increase in ventilation-perfusion matching and dorsal ventilation. These effects were, however, heterogeneous among patients.

A practical guide to patient position and complication management in neurosurgery: a systematic qualitative review.

PURPOSE: Adequate patient positioning is of paramount importance in neurosurgery. Complications related to the position are common and make up for more than 16% of the claims towards anaesthesiologists and neurosurgeons. This paper aims to provide the anaesthesiologist with a practical guide to avoid common pitfalls related to the patient positioning process. METHOD: We performed a systematic review of the medical literature for the identification, screening, and inclusion of articles. The bibliographic search was conducted on June 1st, 2021 by two of the authors. In this review, we included articles indexed by MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, or Google Scholar. RESULTS: We retrieved a total of 5706 unique papers from our initial search. However, after the initial screening, 5363 papers were removed is not related to our research leaving a total of 343 papers. We examined the full text of all the 343 articles including 68 of them in the final qualitative analysis. DISCUSSION: In this review we examine the most common neurosurgical positions: supine, sitting, lateral, park-bench, prone, jack-knife, and knee-chest. For each of them, the proper positioning and related complications are described. Particular attention is given to the prevention and management of these complications, providing a practical guide for clinicians.

Electrical impedance tomography: A compass for the safe route to optimal PEEP.

Setting the proper level of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is a cornerstone of lung protective ventilation. PEEP keeps the alveoli open at the end of expiration, thus reducing atelectrauma and shunt. However, excessive PEEP may contribute to alveolar overdistension. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive bedside tool that monitors in real-time ventilation distribution. Aim of this narrative review is summarizing the techniques for EIT-guided PEEP titration, while providing useful insights to enhance comprehension on advantages and limits of EIT for current and future users. EIT detects thoracic impedance to alternating electrical currents between pairs of electrodes and, through the analysis of its temporal and spatial variation, reconstructs a two-dimensional slice image of the lung depicting regional variation of ventilation and perfusion. Several EIT-based methods have been proposed for PEEP titration. The first described technique estimates the variations of regional lung compliance during a decremental PEEP trial, after lung recruitment. The optimal PEEP value is represented by the best compromise between lung collapse and overdistension. Later on, a second technique assessing alveolar recruitment by variation of the end-expiratory lung impedance was validated. Finally, the global inhomogeneity index and the regional ventilation delay, two EIT-derived parameters, showed promising results selecting the optimal PEEP value as the one that presents the lowest global inhomogeneity index or the lowest regional ventilation delay. In conclusion EIT represents a promising technique to individualize PEEP in mechanically ventilated patients. Whether EIT is the best technique for this purpose and the overall influence of personalizing PEEP on clinical outcome remains to be determined.

Breast Regional Anesthesia Practice in the Italian Public Health System (BRA-SURVEY): A Survey-Based National Study.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. Surgery is a mainstay therapy unfortunately burdened by complications as severe postoperative pain. Regional anesthesia may play a role in a multimodal strategy for prevention and treatment of postoperative pain. The main purpose of this survey was to investigate the rate of use of regional anesthesia techniques in patients undergoing breast surgery in the Italian public hospital system. METHODS: We designed an online survey that consisted of 22 questions investigating the anesthesia management of breast surgery, particularly focused on regional anesthesia. The survey lasted from November 18, 2019 to February 28, 2020. Directors of anesthesia departments of 168 Italian public health system hospitals were contacted and invited to forward the survey to every anesthesiologist in their unit. RESULTS: A total of 935 anesthesiologists received the survey; among them 460 entered the final analysis. Regional anesthesia was not used by 44.6% of the anesthesiologists and lack of experience/training was the main cause (75.6%). Logistic regression models revealed that anesthesiologists with more than 15 years of experience (odds ratio [OR] = 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33-0.93) or working most of their days in intensive care unit (ICU) compared to operating theater (OR = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.14-0.43) were less likely to perform regional anesthesia techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Low implementation of regional anesthesia techniques in breast surgery emerges from our survey and the major reason cited is a lack of proper training. An improved training program in regional anesthesia, especially in residents' curricula, could be useful to increase its rate of use and to standardize its practice.

Two Consecutive Runs of Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Peripartum Patient with COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) may be required to treat critically ill patients with COVID-19-associated severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We report the case of a 43-year-old peripartum patient, who underwent two sequential V-V ECMO runs. The first extracorporeal support was established for COVID-19 ARDS, as characterized by severe hypoxemia and hypercapnia (arterial partial pressure of oxygen to inspired oxygen fraction ratio 85 mmHg and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide 95 mmHg) and reduction of respiratory system static compliance to 25 mL/cmH2O, unresponsive to mechanical ventilation and prone positioning. After 22 days of lung rest, V-V ECMO was successfully removed and ventilator weaning initiated. A second V-V ECMO was required 7 days later, because of newly onset ARDS due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa ventilator-associated pneumonia. The second V-V ECMO run lasted 12 days. During both V-V ECMO runs, anticoagulation and ventilator settings were titrated through bedside thromboelastometry and electrical impedance tomography, respectively, without major complications. The patient was successfully decannulated, weaned from mechanical ventilation, and finally discharged home without oxygen therapy. At one-month follow-up, she showed good general conditions and no sign of respiratory failure.

Patients in intensive care unit for COVID-19 pneumonia: the lung ultrasound patterns at admission and discharge. An observational pilot study.

BACKGROUND: During COVID-19 pandemic, optimization of the diagnostic resources is essential. Lung Ultrasound (LUS) is a rapid, easy-to-perform, low cost tool which allows bedside investigation of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. We aimed to investigate the typical ultrasound patterns of COVID-19 pneumonia and their evolution at different stages of the disease. METHODS: We performed LUS in twenty-eight consecutive COVID-19 patients at both admission to and discharge from one of the Padua University Hospital Intensive Care Units (ICU). LUS was performed using a low frequency probe on six different areas per each hemithorax. A specific pattern for each area was assigned, depending on the prevalence of A-lines (A), non-coalescent B-lines (B1), coalescent B-lines (B2), consolidations (C). A LUS score (LUSS) was calculated after assigning to each area a defined pattern. RESULTS: Out of 28 patients, 18 survived, were stabilized and then referred to other units. The prevalence of C pattern was 58.9% on admission and 61.3% at discharge. Type B2 (19.3%) and B1 (6.5%) patterns were found in 25.8% of the videos recorded on admission and 27.1% (17.3% B2; 9.8% B1) on discharge. The A pattern was prevalent in the anterosuperior regions and was present in 15.2% of videos on admission and 11.6% at discharge. The median LUSS on admission was 27.5 [21-32.25], while on discharge was 31 [17.5-32.75] and 30.5 [27-32.75] in respectively survived and non-survived patients. On admission the median LUSS was equally distributed on the right hemithorax (13; 10.75-16) and the left hemithorax (15; 10.75-17). CONCLUSIONS: LUS collected in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure at ICU admission and discharge appears to be characterized by predominantly lateral and posterior non-translobar C pattern and B2 pattern. The calculated LUSS remained elevated at discharge without significant difference from admission in both groups of survived and non-survived patients.

Are thromboelastometric and thromboelastographic parameters associated with mortality in septic patients? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Thromboelastometry/elastography (ROTEM/TEG) showed promising results for diagnosis of sepsis-induced coagulopathy, but their association with the outcome is unclear. Our aim was to assess any difference in ROTEM/TEG measurements between septic survivors and non-survivors. METHODS: Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were investigated. The research aimed to include any randomized or observational study: i) on septic adult patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or Emergency Department (ED); ii) including ROTEM/TEG; iii) assessing mortality. RESULTS: Seven prospective and four retrospective observational studies (952 patients) were included. According to the INTEM/kaolin-assay, clotting time (CT)/R (standardized mean difference(SMD) -0.29, 95% CI -0.49 to -0.09, p = 0.004) and clot formation time (CFT)/K (SMD -0.42, 95% CI -0.78 to -0.06, p = 0.02) were shorter in survivors. According to the EXTEM-assay, CT was shorter (MD -11.66 s, 95% CI -22.59 to -0.73, p = 0.04), while MCF was higher (MD 3.49 mm, 95% CI 0.43 to 6.55, p = 0.03) in survivors. A hypocoagulable profile was more frequent in non-survivors (OR 0.31, 95%CI 0.18 to 0.55, p < 0.0001). Overall, the risk of bias of the included studies was moderate and the quality of evidence low. CONCLUSIONS: Hypocoagulability and lower MCF in EXTEM may be associated with higher mortality in sepsis.

Anterior Spinal Artery Steal Syndrome Complicated by Ruptured Flow-Related Aneurysm of the Anterior Radiculomedullary Artery.

BACKGROUND: Anterior spinal artery steal syndrome, radiculomedullary artery aneurysms, and pulmonary arteriovenous malformations with a systemic origin are each, considered individually, exceptional conditions. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe the coexistence of all these conditions and their pathophysiologic relationship by presenting the case of a woman who referred to the emergency department for loss of consciousness and a history of 2 days of medullary symptoms and a subsequent acute respiratory failure. Detailed imaging revealed a subarachnoid hemorrhage due to the rupture of a spinal aneurysm located in a C8 radiculomedullary artery that had its flow reversed toward the deep cervical artery from which a systemic to pulmonary arteriovenous malformation originated. CONCLUSIONS: Eventually, the lesion was treated with the exclusion of the left C8 spinal segmental branch and embolization of the arteriovenous malformation.

Predictors of deep-vein thrombosis in subarachnoid hemorrhage: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a severe subtype of hemorrhagic stroke, and deep-vein thrombosis is a frequent complication detected in these patients. In addition to other well-established risk factors, the early activation of coagulation systems present in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage could potentially play a role in the incidence of deep-vein thrombosis. This study aims to identify possible predictors for deep-vein thrombosis related to subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on patients with a diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage who presented to our institution between 1 January 2014 and 1 August 2018. We reviewed electronic medical records and analyzed several parameters such as Fisher scale, World Federation of Neurosurgical Surgeons scale, aneurysm site, surgical or endovascular treatment, decompressive craniectomy, vasospasm, infection (meningitis and pneumonia), presence of motor deficit, length of stay in the ICU, length of hospital stay, number of days under ventilator support, d-dimer at hospitalization, and the time to thromboprophylaxis (days). RESULTS: The univariate analysis showed that intraparenchymal cerebral hemorrhage, d-dimer at hospitalization, the time to thromboprophylaxis, motor deficit, and aneurysm located at the internal carotid artery were statistically significant factors. Intraparenchymal cerebral hemorrhage (OR 2,78 95%CI 1.07-7.12), motor deficit (OR 3.46; 95%CI 1.37-9.31), and d-dimer at hospitalization (OR 1.002 95% CI 1.001-1.003) were demonstrated as independent risk factors for deep-vein thrombosis. Length of hospital stay was also found to be significantly longer in patients who developed deep-vein thrombosis (p value 0.018). CONCLUSION: Elevated d-dimer level at the time of hospitalization, motor deficit, and the presence of an intraparenchymal hemorrhage are independent risk factors for deep-vein thrombosis. Patients with DVT also had a significantly longer hospital stay. Even though further studies are needed, patients with elevated d-dimer at hospitalization and intraparenchymal cerebral hemorrhage may benefit from a more aggressive screening strategy for deep-vein thrombosis.

[Pulse pressure variation guided fluid therapy during kidney transplantation: a randomized controlled trial]. / Reposição de volume orientada pela variação da pressão de pulso durante transplante renal: estudo randomizado controlado.

PURPOSE: Kidney transplantation is the gold-standard treatment for end stage renal disease. Although different hemodynamic variables, like central venous pressure and mean arterial pressure, have been used to guide volume replacement during surgery, the best strategy still ought to be determined. Respiratory arterial Pulse Pressure Variation (PPV) is recognized to be a good predictor of fluid responsiveness for perioperative hemodynamic optimization in operating room settings. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a PPV-guided fluid management strategy is better than a liberal fluid strategy during kidney transplantation surgeries. Identification of differences in urine output in the first postoperative hour was the main objective of this study. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, single blind, randomized controlled trial. We enrolled 40 patients who underwent kidney transplantation from deceased donors. Patients randomized in the PPV Group received fluids whenever PPV was higher than 12%, patients in the Free Fluid Group received fluids following our institutional standard care protocol for kidney transplantations (10mL.kg-1.h-1). RESULTS: Urinary output was similar at every time-point between the two groups, urea was statistically different from the third postoperative day with a peak at the fourth postoperative day and creatinine showed a similar trend, being statistically different from the second postoperative day. Urea, creatinine and urine output were not different at the hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: PPV-guided fluid therapy during kidney transplantation significantly improves urea and creatinine levels in the first week after kidney transplantation surgery.

Pulse pressure variation guided fluid therapy during kidney transplantation: a randomized controlled trial / Reposição de volume orientada pela variação da pressão de pulso durante transplante renal: estudo randomizado controlado

Abstract Purpose: Kidney transplantation is the gold-standard treatment for end stage renal disease. Although different hemodynamic variables, like central venous pressure and mean arterial pressure, have been used to guide volume replacement during surgery, the best strategy still ought to be determined. Respiratory arterial Pulse Pressure Variation (PPV) is recognized to be a good predictor of fluid responsiveness for perioperative hemodynamic optimization in operating room settings. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a PPV guided fluid management strategy is better than a liberal fluid strategy during kidney transplantation surgeries. Identification of differences in urine output in the first postoperative hour was the main objective of this study. Methods: We conducted a prospective, single blind, randomized controlled trial. We enrolled 40 patients who underwent kidney transplantation from deceased donors. Patients randomized in the "PPV" group received fluids whenever PPV was higher than 12%, patients in the "free fluid" group received fluids following our institutional standard care protocol for kidney transplantations (10 mL.kg-1. h-1). Results: Urinary output was similar at every time-point between the two groups, urea was statistically different from the third postoperative day with a peak at the fourth postoperative day and creatinine showed a similar trend, being statistically different from the second postoperative day. Urea, creatinine and urine output were not different at the hospital discharge. Conclusion: PPV guided fluid therapy during kidney transplantation significantly improves urea and creatinine levels in the first week after kidney transplantation surgery.

Resumo Objetivo: Transplante renal é o tratamento padrão-ouro na doença renal em estágio terminal. Embora diferentes variáveis hemodinâmicas, tais como pressão venosa central e pressão arterial média, têm sido usadas para orientar a estratégia de reposição volêmica durante a cirurgia, a melhor estratégia ainda não foi determinada. A Variação da Pressão de Pulso (VPP) durante o ciclo respiratório é reconhecida como um bom preditor da resposta à infusão de volume para otimização hemodinâmica perioperatória no centro cirúrgico. O objetivo do estudo foi estudar se a estratégia de reposição de volume orientada por VPP é melhor do que a estratégia liberal de reposição de volume durante cirurgia de transplante renal. O principal objetivo do estudo foi identificar diferença no débito urinário na primeira hora do pós-operatório. Método: Realizamos estudo prospectivo, unicego, randomizado, controlado. Incluímos 40 pacientes submetidos a transplante renal de doador cadáver. Pacientes randomizados para o Grupo VPP receberam volume quando a VPP estava acima de 12%, e os pacientes no Grupo Reposição Liberal receberam volume de acordo com o nosso protocolo institucional padrão de assistência para transplante renal (10 mL.kg-1.h-1). Resultados: O débito urinário foi semelhante em todos os tempos nos dois grupos, a ureia foi estatisticamente diferente a partir do terceiro dia do pós-operatório com pico no quarto dia do pós-operatório e a creatinina apresentou tendência semelhante, tornando-se estatisticamente diferente a partir do segundo dia do pós-operatório. Ureia, creatinina e débito urinário não estavam diferentes na alta hospitalar. Conclusões: A terapia orientada por VPP durante transplante renal melhorou de forma significativa os níveis de ureia e creatinina na primeira semana pós-transplante renal.