COVID-19 in the Perioperative Period of Cardiovascular Surgery: the Brazilian Experience.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the clinical course and outcomes of patients submitted to cardiovascular surgery in Brazil and who had developed symptoms/signs of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the perioperative period. METHODS: A retrospective multicenter study including 104 patients who were allocated in three groups according to time of positive real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2): group 1, patients who underwent cardiac surgery > 10 days after positive RT-PCR; group 2, patients with a positive RT-PCR within 10 days before or after surgery; group 3, patients who presented positive RT-PCR > 10 days after surgery. The primary outcome was mortality and secondary outcomes were postoperative complications, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, and postoperative days of hospitalization. RESULTS: The three groups were similar with respect to age, the European System of Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score, and comorbidities, except hypertension. Postoperative complications and death were significantly higher in groups 2 and 3 than in group 1, and no significant difference between groups 2 and 3 was seen. Group 2 showed a high prevalence of surgery performed as an urgent procedure. Although no significant differences were observed in ICU length of stay, total postoperative hospitalization time was significantly higher in group 3 than in groups 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 affecting the postoperative period of patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery is associated with a higher rate of morbidity and mortality. Delaying procedures in RT-PCR-positive patients may help reduce risks of perioperative complications and death.

COVID-19 in the perioperative period of cardiovascular surgery: the brazilian experience

Abstract Introduction: We investigated the clinical course and outcomes of patients submitted to cardiovascular surgery in Brazil and who had developed symptoms/signs of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the perioperative period. Methods: A retrospective multicenter study including 104 patients who were allocated in three groups according to time of positive real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2): group 1, patients who underwent cardiac surgery > 10 days after positive RT-PCR; group 2, patients with a positive RT-PCR within 10 days before or after surgery; group 3, patients who presented positive RT-PCR > 10 days after surgery. The primary outcome was mortality and secondary outcomes were postoperative complications, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, and postoperative days of hospitalization. Results: The three groups were similar with respect to age, the European System of Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score, and comorbidities, except hypertension. Postoperative complications and death were significantly higher in groups 2 and 3 than in group 1, and no significant difference between groups 2 and 3 was seen. Group 2 showed a high prevalence of surgery performed as an urgent procedure. Although no significant differences were observed in ICU length of stay, total postoperative hospitalization time was significantly higher in group 3 than in groups 1 and 2. Conclusion: COVID-19 affecting the postoperative period of patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery is associated with a higher rate of morbidity and mortality. Delaying procedures in RT-PCR-positive patients may help reduce risks of perioperative complications and death.

Catheter-based transendocardial delivery of autologous bone-marrow-derived mononuclear cells in patients listed for heart transplantation.

Growing evidence suggests that transplantation of autologous bone-marrow mononuclear cells (ABMMNCs) can improve the perfusion and contractile function of ischemic myocardium. This procedure could potentially benefit transplant candidates awaiting a donor heart. To study the safety and feasibility of ABMMNC injection, we performed a prospective, nonrandomized, open-label study in 5 heart transplant candidates with severe ischemic heart failure. Each patient underwent baseline single-photon emission computed tomography, a ramp treadmill protocol, 2-dimensional echocardiography, 24-hour Holter monitoring, and signal-averaged electrocardiography, which were repeated at 2 and 6 months. Transendocardial delivery of ABMMNCs was done with the aid of electromechanical mapping to identify viable myocardium. Each patient received 15 ABMMNC injections of 0.2 cc each. There were no deaths, significant arrhythmias, or other major complications. The ABMMNC injection reduced the amount of ischemic myocardium (not statistically significant). More important, exercise test results improved significantly. Myocardial volume oxygen consumption increased from 10.6 +/- 3 mL/kg/min (baseline) to 16.3 +/- 7 mL/kg/min (2 months) and 23 +/- 7 mL/kg/min (6 months) (P = 0.0091). In 4 of the 5 cases, this was such an improvement that the patients were no longer eligible for cardiac transplantation. In addition, metabolic equivalents improved from 3.03 +/- 0.66 (baseline) to 4.65 +/- 1.99 (2 months) and 6.5 +/- 2.0 (6 months) (P = 0.0092). In conclusion, ABMMNC injections were performed safely and resulted in improved exercise capacity. This technique may hold promise as an alternative to medical management in patients with severe ischemic heart failure who are ineligible for conventional revascularization.

Manuseio do canal arterial patente no prematuro com síndrome de angústia respiratória: ligadura ou indometacina? / Management of persistent ductus arteriosus in premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome: ligation or indomethacin?

A presença de canal arterial patente (PCA) com grande shunt sistêmico-pulmonar no prematuro com síndrome de angústia respiratória (SAR) está quase sempre associada a insuficiência cardíaca, displasia bronco pulmonar, enterocolite necrotizante, hemorragia intracraniana e morte. A ligadura do canal melhora a complacência pulmonar, reduz, significativamente, o tempo de assistência ventilatória e melhora o estado geral do paciente. Depois da introduçao, nesta última década, da indometacina para a interrupçao do PCA, no prematuro, vários estudos vêm procurando estabelecer as vantagens de uma forma de tratamento sobre a outra. O propósito do nosso estudo é comparar os resultados obtidos em 48 pacientes (pts) (Grupo 1) submetidos a ligadura cirúrgica, nos últimos 8 anos, com 28 pts. (Grupo 2) nos quais a indometacina foi, preferentemente, utilizada. A idade gestacional média do Grupo 1 foi de 29,13 + 2,33 semanas (24-34) e de 28,39 + 2,30 semanas (25-32) no Grupo 2. O peso médio foi de 954,17 + 220,68 g (540-1750 g) no Grupo 1 e de 923,21 + 191,74 g (550-1400 g) no Grupo 2. Trinta e três (60,75 por cento) dos pts. do Grupo 1 eram menores do que 1000 g (prematuros extremos), enquanto que 21 do Grupo 2 (75,0 por cento) estavam nessa condiçao. Nove pacientes (32,1 por cento) do Grupo 2 foram transferidos para o Grupo 1, devido ao insucesso da terapêutica com a indometacina, ou pela intolerância às doses indicadas. A ligadura foi realizada na própria unidade de terapia intensiva em 31 pts. (64,5 por cento). A técnica empregada tem sido a de uma toracotomia póstero-lateral pequena, com preservaçao dos músculos do tórax e abertura pelo 3( ou 4( espaço intercostal. Por via extrapleural, o canal é alcançado e ligado com dois clips metálicos, inicialmente, o tórax era rotineiramente drenado, apenas quando havia abertura da pleura. Mais recentemente, mesmo com a pleura aberta, somente sao drenados os casos que apresentam pneumotórax prévio, ou entao sangramento excessivo. A mortalidade no Grupo 1 foi de 18,75 por cento (9 pts.) e, no Grupo 2, de 25,0 por cento (7 pts.). Quatro pacientes do Grupo 2 transferidos para o Grupo 1 faleceram. As causas de óbito no Grupo 1 foram sépsis e hemorragia intracraniana; no Grupo 2, sépsis, enterocolite necrotizante com perfuraçao localizada, hemorragia intracraniana e pneumotórax. Nos dois grupos, a mortalidade foi significantemente maior nos prematuros extremos. A despeito dos problemas de comparaçao entre os 2 grupos e das conclusoes limitadas que podem ser retiradas de um estudo retrospectivo e nao randomizaçao, acreditamos que os resultados da ligadura cirurgica sao nitidamente superiores aos obtidos com o uso da indometacina.