Nonintubated versus Intubated Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in Patients with End-Stage Lung Emphysema and Hypercapnia.

Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) represents an important treatment option in carefully selected patients with end-stage lung emphysema. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of nonintubated LVRS compared to intubated LVRS in patients with preoperative hypercapnia and lung emphysema. Between April 2019 and February 2021, n = 92 patients with end-stage lung emphysema and preoperative hypercapnia undergoing unilateral video-assisted thoracoscopic LVRS (VATS-LVRS) performed in epidural anesthesia and mild sedation (nonintubated, group 1) or conventional general anesthesia (intubated, control, group 2) were prospectively enrolled in this study. Data were retrospectively analyzed. In all patients, low-flow veno-venous extracorporeal lung support (low-flow VV ECLS) was applied as a bridge through LVRS. Ninety-day mortality was considered as the primary outcome. Secondary endpoints included: chest tube duration, hospital stay, intubation and conversion to general anesthesia. Intergroup analysis showed no significant difference between the baseline data and patients' demographics. N = 36 patients underwent nonintubated surgery. VATS-LVRS under general anesthesia was performed in n = 56 patients. The mean duration of postoperative VV ECLS support was 3 ± 1 day in group 1 compared to 4 ± 1 in group 2. The 90-day mortality rate was 3% in group 1 compared to 7% in group 2. In group 1, all chest tubes were removed 5 ± 1 day (range 4-32 days) and 8 ± 1 day (range 4-44 days) in the control group after the surgery (p < 0.02). Prolonged chest tube therapy (>8 days) was observed in n = 3 patients in group 1 and n = 11 patients in the control group. The mean ICU stay was 4 ± 1 days in group 1 compared to 8 ± 2 days in the control group (p = 0.04). The mean hospital stay was significantly shorter in the nonintubated group 1 (6 ± 2 days vs. 10 ± 4 days, p = 0.01). Conversion to general anesthesia was necessary in one patient due to severe pleural adhesions. Nonintubated VATS-LVRS in patients with end-stage lung emphysema and hypercapnia is effective and well tolerated. Compared to general anesthesia, a reduction in mortality, chest tube duration, ICU and hospital stay and lower rate of prolonged air leak was observed. VV ECLS increases intraoperative safety and mitigates postoperative complications in such "high-risk" patients.

Lung Volume Reduction Surgery Reduces Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated With Severe Lung Emphysema and Hypercapnia.

Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) represents a standard surgical approach for patients with severe pulmonary emphysema. One of the relevant risk factors for LVRS is the presence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The aim of this study is to assess the postoperative changes in pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) after LVRS for patients with severe pulmonary emphysema compared with preoperative measures. N = 61 consecutive patients with severe pulmonary emphysema and preoperative evidence for PAH (pulmonary arterial systolic pressure [PASP] ≥ 35 mmHg) were prospectively included into this study. In all patients, thoracoscopic LVRS was performed. PASP was assessed by echocardiography before surgery, early postoperatively, and 3 months after surgery. Data were prospectively recorded and analyzed retrospectively. Primary end points were the postoperative changes in PASP as well as the 90 day mortality rate. Secondary endpoints included: pulmonary function test, exercise capacity, quality of life, and dyspnea symptoms (Borg scale). Early after surgery, a significant reduction in PASP was observed at the day of discharge and at 3 month follow-up. In n = 34 patients, no tricuspid valve regurgitation was detectable anymore suggesting normal PAP. In n = 3 patients, venovenous extracorporeal lung support (VV ECLS) was already implemented preoperatively. In the remaining cases, VV ECLS was applied intraoperatively and continued postoperatively. Mean duration of postoperative ECLS support was 2 days. Four patients died due to acute right heart failure, two patients from sepsis with multiorgan failure, and one patient from acute pulmonary embolism. Ninety day mortality was 11.5 %. A significant improvement was postoperatively observed regarding the performance status, dyspnea scale, as well as quality of life. This study suggests a beneficial effect of LVRS on PAP, which may ultimately help to protect and stabilize right ventricular function. Further studies, implementing pre- and postoperative right heart catheterizations including invasive PAP evaluation, are necessary to support the findings in this study in greater detail.

Blood purification therapy in patients with severe COVID-19 requiring veno-venous ECMO therapy: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with severe manifestations of COVID-19 might exhibit characteristics of a sepsis-like syndrome that can progress to multiple organ failure and ultimately death. Underlying mechanism have been explored and suggest a profound dysregulation of the immune system associated with hyperinflammation, hemodynamic instability and respiratory failure. Besides standard intensive care treatment, approaches modulating the dysregulated immune response, such as CytoSorb hemoadsorption, have been used. However, data of ECMO-dependent patients in comparison to a control cohort remain scarce. METHODS: Included were 26 critically ill COVID-19 patients requiring high-flow veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (high-flow VV ECMO) therapy due to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), of whom 16 were additionally treated with an extracorporeal hemoadsorption device, and compared to a control group of 10 patients. Assessed were levels of inflammatory markers, vasopressor requirements, oxygenation parameters, as well as clinically relevant outcome variables. Data were prospectively recorded and retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Treatment with the applied multimodal therapy approach resulted in a stabilization in hemodynamics, a control of the hyperinflammatory response as evidenced by a significant reduction in inflammatory mediators, as well as a marked improvement in lung function. No device related adverse events were observed while treatment appeared safe and feasible. CONCLUSION: Treatment of a critically ill COVID-19 ARDS patients with combined VV ECMO support and hemoadsorption therapy led to a rapid and sustained hemodynamic stabilization, a control of the uncontrolled inflammatory response and an improvement in oxygenation. Given these signals pointing toward a patient-oriented benefit of extracorporeal hemoadsorption therapy in those patients, future controlled, randomized studies should focus on the investigation of the appropriate timing and dosing of this promising treatment modality.

Multidisciplinary management of pleural infection after ventricular assist device implantation.

BACKGROUND: Postsurgical pleural infection is a life-threatening complication after implantation of artificial devices such as ventricular assist devices (VADs). The treatment can be challenging and the evidence in the literature is very limited. Here we report our multidisciplinary approach of the management of pleural infection after VAD implantation. METHODS: Between March 2014 and December 2019, 33 patients developed postoperative pleural infection after VAD implantation and underwent thoracic surgical intervention at our institution. All patients were prospectively enrolled in this analysis. Data were retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcome was the 90-day mortality rate. Length of ICU stay related to pleural infection, chest tube duration, re-thoracotomy rate and length of ventilatory support represented secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The 90-day mortality rate was 6% (2 patients). The mean ICU stay related to the pleural infection was 6 days (2-24 days). Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was performed in all patients. Conversion to thoracotomy was necessary in 12 cases. Decortication and parietal pleurectomy in addition to hematoma and empyema removal was performed in all patients. Due to diffuse bleeding, packing of the thoracic cavity with temporary thoracic closure was necessary in 10 patients. Depacking was performed after a mean of 3 days (3-7 days). Recurrent empyema or bleeding after definitive chest closure was not observed. Lung resection was performed in 3 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic surgical management of pleural infection in patients after VAD implantation is challenging and complicated due to the inevitable anticoagulative therapy. A perioperative multidisciplinary management which includes the early involvement of thoracic surgical expertise helps to improve survival in this very complex patient cohort.

Combined Use of CytoSorb and ECMO in Patients with Severe Pneumogenic Sepsis.

BACKGROUND: High morbidity and mortality are frequently reported in intensive care patients suffering from severe sepsis with systemic inflammation. With the development of severe respiratory failure, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is often required. In this study, cytokine adsorption therapy in combination with ECMO is applied in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to severe pneumogenic sepsis. The efficacy of this therapy is evaluated compared with a historical cohort without hemoadsorption therapy. METHODS: Between January and May 2018, combined high-flow venovenous ECMO and CytoSorb therapy (CytoSorb filter connected to ECMO circuit) was applied in patients (n = 13) with pneumogenic sepsis and ARDS. These patients were prospectively included (CytoSorb group). Data from patients (n = 7) with pneumogenic sepsis and ECMO therapy were retrospectively analyzed (control group). RESULTS: All patients survived in the CytoSorb group, where the 30-day mortality rate reached 57% in the control group. After CytoSorb therapy, we instantly observed a significant reduction in procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels compared with the control group. Within 48 hours, the initial high doses of catecholamine could be weaned off only in the CytoSorb group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that CytoSorb in combination with ECMO is an effective therapy to prevent escalation of sepsis with rapid weaning off high-dose catecholamine infusions and quick reduction in PCT and CRP levels. Optimal timing of immunomodulatory therapy and impact on ECMO-related inflammation still need to be furtherly investigated.

Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Lung Support as a Bridge to or Through Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in Patients with Severe Hypercapnia.

Extracorporeal lung support (ECLS) represents an essential support tool especially for critically ill patients undergoing thoracic surgical procedures. Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is an important treatment option for end-stage lung emphysema in carefully selected patients. Here, we report the efficacy of veno-venous ECLS (VV ECLS) as a bridge to or through LVRS in patients with end-stage lung emphysema and severe hypercapnia. Between January 2016 and May 2017, 125 patients with end-stage lung emphysema undergoing LVRS were prospectively enrolled into this study. Patients with severe hypercapnia caused by chronic respiratory failure were bridged to or through LVRS with low-flow VV ECLS (65 patients, group 1). Patients with preoperative normocapnia served as a control group (60 patients, group 2). In group 1, VV ECLS was implemented preoperatively in five patients and in 60 patients intraoperatively. Extracorporeal lung support was continued postoperatively in all 65 patients. Mean length of postoperative VV ECLS support was 3 ± 1 day. The 90 day mortality rate was 7.8% in group 1 compared with 5% in group 2 (p = 0.5). Postoperatively, a significant improvement was observed in quality of life, exercise capacity, and dyspnea symptoms in both groups. VV ECLS in patients with severe hypercapnia undergoing LVRS is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option. In particular, it increases the intraoperative safety, supports de-escalation of ventilatory strategies, and reduces the rate of postoperative complications in a cohort of patients considered "high risk" for LVRS in the current literature.

[Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Thoracic Surgery: the Anesthesiologist's Perspective]. / Extrakorporale Membranoxygenierung in der Thoraxchirurgie: die Sicht des Anästhesisten.

"Enhanced Recovery after Surgery" programs have been developed for thoracic surgery over the last couple of years. Besides minimally invasive surgical techniques, there are a number of anaesthesiological aspects like the choice of short acting anaesthetics, the use of regional analgesia, a balanced intraoperative fluid therapy, the avoidance of postoperative nausea and vomiting and, most importantly, protective ventilation, that need to be considered. In patients undergoing thoracic surgery procedures with preexisting severe limitations in pulmonary function, protective ventilation under the conditions of one lung ventilation often leads to severe dysfunction of pulmonary gas exchange. In this situation, establishing veno-venous membrane oxygenation (vvECMO) is a sufficient and safe method to facilitate perioperative treatment of these patients. Postoperatively, patients benefit from the continuation of the conscious vvECMO by augmentation of necessary therapeutic procedures such as physical and respiratory therapy or early mobilisation as well as healing of air leakage of the operated lung. To avoid bleeding complications, ECMO can be operated without anticoagulation intraoperatively with heparin-coating of the tube system. Postoperatively, heparin, argatroban or bivalirudin are options for anticoagulation. New techniques like minimally-invasive thoracic surgery under regional anaesthesia and sedation can potentially be developed further using vvECMO support in the future.