Fístula aorto-entérica y ley de Murphy / Aorto-enteric fistula and Murphy's law

OBJETIVO: Reflejar nuestra frustración al perder un paciente, no porque su infrecuente patología sea de por sí muy grave, sino por el acumulo sobreañadido de otros motivos diagnósticos, y terapéuticos en un entorno hospitalario de epidemia Covid-19. MÉTODO: Primero describimos el proceso diagnóstico, terapéutico y evolutivo (27 febrero al 25 marzo 2020) de un varón de 73 años portador de una fístula aorto-entérica secundaria a un bypass aorto-bifemoral, implantado doce años antes en otro hospital. Después presentamos nuestra experiencia (1978-2020) en este tipo de situaciones, y finalmente realizamos una revisión de la literatura (1953-2020) al respecto. RESULTADOS: A) Caso clínico: ausencia de diagnóstico precoz, fracaso de la técnica operatoria elegida, importantes complicaciones postoperatorias (hemorragia, infarto cerebral y neumonía bilateral por coronavirus) que finalizo en exitus. B) Experiencia personal: cuatro casos (incluido el referido). C) Revisión de la literatura: tres revisiones sistemáticas: 564 casos (1953-1993); 386 casos en 58 publicaciones (1991-2006), 823 pacientes en 216 publicaciones (1995-2015) y 20 casos en 14 publicaciones (2016-2020). CONCLUSIÓN: Si en situaciones normales una fístula aorto-entérica es una condición que amenaza seriamente la vida del paciente (hemorragia y/o infección), no debe extrañar que en situaciones excepcionales esa situación de gravedad se incremente. No obstante, de estas malas experiencias estamos obligados a sacar enseñanzas que beneficien a otros en el futuro

OBJECTIVE: To reflect our frustration when losing a patient, not because their infrequent pathology is in itself very serious, but because of the accumulation of other diagnostic and therapeutic reasons in a hospital environment of the Covid-19 epidemic. METHOD: First we describe the diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutionary process (February 27 to March 25, 2020) of a 73-year-old male with an aorto-enteric fistula secondary to an aorto-bifemoral bypass, implanted twelve years earlier in another hospital. Then we present our experience (1978-2020) in this type of situation, and finally we carried out a review of the literature (1953-2020) in this regard. RESULTS: A) Clinical case: absence of early diagnosis, failure of the chosen operative technique, significant postoperative complications (hemorrhage, cerebral infarction and bilateral coronavirus pneumonia) that ended in death. B) Personal experience: four cases (including the referred one). C) Literature review: three systematic reviews: 564 cases (1953-1993); 386 cases in 58 publications (1991-2006), 823 patients in 216 publications (1995-2015) and 20 cases in 14 publications (2016-2020). CONCLUSION: If in normal situations an aorto-enteric fistula is a condition that seriously threatens the patient's life (hemorrhage and / or infection), it should not be surprising that in exceptional situations this serious situation increases. However, from these bad experiences we are obliged to draw lessons that will benefit others in the future

Bacterial translocation as a source of Dacron-graft contamination in experimental aortic operation: the importance of controlling SIRS.

BACKGROUND: Several experimental studies have shown the beneficial effects of nitric oxide (NO) in the modulation of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Nitric oxide is involved in and affects almost all stages in the development of inflammation. We have attempted to ascertain whether the nitric oxide donor molsidomine prevents aortic graft contamination through control of the SIRS and a decrease in bacterial translocation (BT). METHODS: Twenty-four mini-pigs were divided into 4 groups. The animals were subjected to suprarenal aortic/iliac cross-clamping (for 30 minutes) and by-pass with a Dacron-collagen prosthetic graft impregnated in rifampicin. Groups: 1) sham (aortic dissection alone); 2) cross-clamping and bypass; 3) hemorrhage of 40% of total blood volume before cross-clamping and by-pass; and 4) the same as in group 3 but also including the administration of the NO donor molsidomine (4 mg/kg) 5 minutes before cross-clamping. VARIABLES: 1) bacteriology of mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), kidney, blood, and prosthesis; 2) serum TNF-alpha (ELISA); and 3) iNOS expression in kidney and liver (Western blot). RESULTS: Aortic cross-clamping with or without hemorrhage was associated with BT in 80% and 100% of the animals, respectively. About 86% of the bacteria isolated in the graft were also present in MLN. This contamination coincided with an increase in TNF-alpha and with a greater expression of iNOS. Molsidomine administration decreased TNF-alpha and iNOS, decreased BT (from 100% to 20% of the animals), and decreased graft contamination (from 83% to 20%). CONCLUSIONS: The present model induces high levels of BT and SIRS, both acted as sources of contamination for the implanted Dacron graft. Molsidomine administration decreased the presence of bacteria in the graft by controlling BT and modulating SIRS.

P- and E-selectin blockade can control bacterial translocation and modulate systemic inflammatory response.

Bacterial translocation is an important phenomenon in clinical medicine and leads to an increase in patient morbidity and mortality by multiple organ failure. The selectin family plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammation, causing an increase in leukocyte-endothelium interactions and inducing a greater leukocyte's migration. This study considered the effect of a sulfo derivative of Sialyl-Lewis(X), GM 1998-016, that will block the P- and E-selectins interaction with a ligand, the Sialyl-Lewis(X), valuing the modulation of the systemic inflammatory response and the induced translocation. Seventy-five Wistar male rats were injected intraperitoneally with Zymosan A and treated with different doses of GM 1998-016 according to study groups. Measurements of values of qualitative and quantitative microbiology, neutrophil infiltration (myeloperoxidase), oxygen free radicals (superoxide anion, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and gluthatione peroxidase), and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta) were taken at different times after Zymosan administration. A significant decrease of bacterial translocation, both local (MLN) and systemic (p < .05), was observed, with a decrease in the neutrophil infiltration (p < .001), the oxygen free radicals production (p < .01) and the studied cytokines (p < .01). In conclusion, GM 1998-016 showed a protective effect in an in vivo experimental model of bacterial translocation, downregulating the inflammatory response and the leukocyte-endothelium interactions.