SARS-CoV-2 Fulminant Myocarditis.

An 18-year-old male without prior medical history developed fulminant myocarditis concomitant to severe COVID-19 pneumonia, which was confirmed using serial cardiac magnetic resonance. This may have important diagnostic, monitoring, and pathogenic implications. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).

An unidentified endobronchial object in a newly transplanted lung.

A fiberoptic examination is recommended at the end of lung transplantation for bronchial toilet and to check the bronchial anastomoses. This procedure permitted detection of a 10 × 4-mm piece of plastic of unknown origin in the left lingular bronchus and suggests that bronchoscopy should be performed before implanting the transplanted lung.

Intraoperative occurrence of a pneumopericardium during double-lung transplantation.

Pneumopericardium is rare and has been reported secondary to chest trauma. We report a case of tension pneumopericardium occurring during double-lung transplantation, where intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography first showed a hypokinetic left ventricle and a few minutes later a compression of its anterolateral portion due to pneumopericardium. Although the pericardium was opened, left ventricular function remained depressed, necessitating extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, which was withdrawn after 48 h of assistance when left ventricular function had recovered. The patient was extubated on the seventh postoperative day but died of multiorgan failure on the 64 th postoperative day.

Transesophageal and contact ultrasound echographic assessments of pulmonary vessels in bilateral lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic visualization of the vascular anastomosis of lung grafts can be difficult. The goal of this prospective study was to compare intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography and contact ultrasound. METHODS: Vessel imaging and Doppler analysis obtained before chest closure by both techniques were compared in 18 bilateral lung transplant recipients. RESULTS: Twenty-four arteries in 36 and 45 pulmonary veins in 72 were recorded using transesophageal echocardiography versus 34 and 60 by contact ultrasound (p = 0.05). Views of the left pulmonary artery (p = 0.04) and of the left superior and inferior pulmonary veins (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively) were more often obtained with contact ultrasound. Measurements of vessel diameters were similar by both methods except for the left superior vein, which was smaller by the transesophageal approach (p = 0.002). In 1 patient, inferior venous diameters could not be obtained by either method. Nine arterial and 47 venous velocities were recorded by transesophageal echocardiography versus 21 and 33 by contact ultrasound (p = 0.001). Contact ultrasound produced better left pulmonary artery recordings (p = 0.02), whereas transesophageal echocardiography was more effective on venous velocities. Left inferior vein velocity was twofold higher using transesophageal echocardiography (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest clinicians should exercise caution when making treatment decisions when using transesophageal echocardiography alone.

Factors associated with early graft dysfunction in cystic fibrosis patients receiving primary bilateral lung transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) occurs in 10-25% of cases and remains responsible for significant morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation. Our goal was to explore donor and recipient variables and procedure factors that could be related to early graft failure in cystic fibrosis patients receiving bilateral lung transplantation, the PGD grade being derived from the PaO(2)/FiO(2) ratio measured at the sixth post-operative hour. METHODS: Data from 122 cystic fibrosis patients having undergone lung transplantation in six transplant centres in France were retrospectively analysed. Donor and recipient variables, procedure characteristics and anaesthesia management items were recorded and analysed with regard to the PaO(2)/FiO(2) ratio at the sixth post-operative hour. Recipients were divided into three groups according to this ratio: Grade I PGD, when PaO(2)/FiO(2) >300 mmHg or extubated patients, Grade II, when PaO(2)/FiO(2) = 200-300 mmHg, and Grade III, when PaO(2)/FiO(2) <200 mmHg or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation still required. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were Grade I, 32 patients Grade II and 42 patients Grade III PGD. Oto's donor score, recipient variables and procedure characteristics were not statistically linked to PaO(2)/FiO(2) at the sixth post-operative hour. Ischaemic time of the last implanted graft and the lactate level at the end of the procedure are the only factors related to Grade III PGD in this group. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperlactataemia most probably reflects the severity of early PGD, which leaves graft ischaemic time as the only factor predicting early PGD in a multicentre population of cystic fibrosis lung graft recipients.

Turner syndrome and pregnancy: clinical practice. Recommendations for the management of patients with Turner syndrome before and during pregnancy.

Following the death in France by acute aortic dissection of two women with Turner syndrome who were pregnant following oocyte donation, the Director of the French Biomedicine Agency (Agence de la biomédecine) sent a letter to the President of the French College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FCOG). He requested the College's expertise in reviewing point-by-point the cases and risk factors and in determining whether there are grounds to propose additional measures complementary to the recommendations made by the Haute autorité de santé or French National Authority for Health (HAS) in 2008 in terms of indication and monitoring of patients. A joint practice committee of the FCOG, the French Cardiologic Society, the French Chest and Cardiovascular Surgery Society, the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, the French Endocrine Society, the French study group for oocyte donation, and the Biomedicine Agency defined the exact questions to be put to the experts, chose these experts, followed them up and drafted the synthesis of recommendations resulting from their work. The questions concerned the check-up before pregnancy of Turner patients, contraindication and acceptance of pregnancy, information for the patients, and recommendations for antenatal care, delivery and postnatal follow-up.

Incidence and significance of cardiac troponin I release in severe trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and significance of troponin I release and its mechanism are unknown in severe trauma patients. The characteristics of this release were prospectively studied in such patients and correlated with presence of shock, existence of myocardial contusion, and outcome. METHODS: During a 24-month period, serial electrocardiogram recordings and troponin I measurements were performed in all trauma patients admitted at a surgical intensive care unit. The diagnosis of a significant myocardial contusion was made on electrocardiographic criteria. According to the time course of troponin I, three groups of patients were defined a priori: very transient (/= 2 microg/l), and sustained (> 36 h) and significant release (troponin I > 2 microg/l). In the last group, coronary artery angiography was performed. RESULTS: The incidence of troponin I release was 12% (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.6-14.4%) in 728 patients. A significant myocardial contusion was found in 35 patients (5%; 95% CI, 3.4-6.6%) and may occur in the absence of chest trauma and without troponin I release. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of troponin I for the diagnosis of myocardial contusion were 63, 98, 40, and 98%, respectively. Troponin I release was observed in 54 early (> 48 h) survivors (7%; 95% CI, 5.6-9.6%) without preexisting coronary artery disease. A sustained and significant release of troponin I (17 patients) was frequently associated with chest trauma (82%) and constantly with electrocardiographic abnormalities. A coronary artery injury was found in 7 patients (2 major and 5 minor vascular injuries) (1% of the whole group; 95% CI, 0.4-2.0%). Mortality was similar in early survivors with (15%; 95% CI, 7-27%) or without (12%; 95% CI, 9-14%) troponin I release. The odds ratio for late mortality was 1.32 (95% CI, 0.61-2.85) in patients with troponin I release. CONCLUSIONS: Serial electrocardiogram recordings and troponin I assessments may be proposed for initial screening in high-risk trauma patients to detect anatomical cardiac injuries through the time course of circulating protein. Troponin I release does not have a prognosis value in trauma patients.

Effect of isoproterenol on the cardiac troponin I degradation and release during early TNFalpha-induced ventricular dysfunction in isolated rabbit heart.

We studied the consequences of an early phase of TNFalpha-induced LV dysfunction and of its treatment by isoproterenol on an isolated rabbit heart preparation. Two dosages of TNFalpha (2 and 4 microg) were infused, followed by isoproterenol (ISO), infused by increasing concentrations from 10 to 10 M. Left ventricular developed pressure (DP) was recorded. Creatine kinase (CKtot) and cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) were measured in the effluent perfusate. An anatomic score was calculated by histologic examination of the hearts while a structural analysis of cTnI was done. TNFalpha induced a dose-dependent decrease in DP (-43 +/- 18% for 4 microg) without change in coronary vascular resistances, which was not followed by biochemical or structural abnormalities. TNFalpha reduced the maximum effect (Emax) of ISO on DP (mean DeltaDPmaxISO = -40% for 4 microg) without change in the concentration leading to half Emax (ED50ISO). ISO treatment of TNFalpha (4 microg)-induced LV dysfunction resulted in a selective release of cTnI, myocardial tissue contraction bands, and a significant proteolysis of cTnI. Within the limits of the model, the myocardial injury reported during severe sepsis would not be related to an early cytotoxic effect of TNFalpha but could be attributed to an enhancement of the effects of isoproterenol by TNFalpha.

Endotracheal tube cuff pressure is unpredictable in children.

UNLABELLED: The use of cuffed tracheal tubes in children younger than 8 yr of age has recently increased, although cuff hyperinflation may cause tracheal mucosal damage. In this study, we sought to measure the cuff pressure (P(cuff)) after initial free air inflation (iP(cuff)) and to follow its evolution throughout the duration of 50% nitrous oxide (N(2)O) anesthesia. One-hundred-seventy-four children, aged 0 to 9 yr, fulfilling the following criteria, were studied: 1). weight of 3-35 kg; 2). ASA physical status I or II; 3). elective surgery; 4). anesthesia with tracheal intubation using a cuffed tube and lasting at least 45 min; and 5). gas mixture containing 50% N(2)O. Free air inflation results in variable iP(cuff), with hyperinflation in 39% of cases. Numerous gas removals were required to maintain P(cuff) less than 25 cm H(2)O in 85% of the patients. The number of deflations decreased with the duration of mechanical ventilation and was small after 105 min. No difference was observed among the different cuffed tube sizes. We conclude that iP(cuff) is unpredictable after free air inflation and that numerous gas removals are required to maintain P(cuff) less than 25 cm H(2)O during N(2)O anesthesia in children. IMPLICATIONS: Free inflation of the tracheal tube cuff, controlled only by the palpation of the pilot balloon, is not reliable and results in extremely variable (and sometimes very high) initial cuff pressures in children. In addition, nitrous oxide anesthesia may result in cuff hyperinflation requiring numerous gas removals.