Preoperative COVID-19 and Postoperative Mortality in Cancer Surgery: A South Korean Nationwide Study.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the impact of preoperative COVID-19 on early postoperative mortality in patients undergoing time-sensitive cancer surgery. METHODS: This retrospective, nationwide cohort study included adult patients who underwent various cancer (thyroid, breast, stomach, colorectal, hepatobiliary, genitourinary, lung, and multiple cancer) surgeries under general anesthesia in South Korea in 2022. Patients were grouped according to the duration from the date of COVID-19 confirmation to the date of surgery (0-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks, 5-6 weeks, and ≥7 weeks). Patients without preoperative COVID-19 also were included. Multivariable logistic regression analysis with Firth correction was performed to investigate the association between preoperative COVID-19 and 30-day and 90-day postoperative mortality. The covariates encompassed sociodemographic factors, the type of surgery, and vaccination status in addition to the aforementioned groups. RESULTS: Of the 99,555 patients analyzed, 30,933 (31.1%) were preoperatively diagnosed with COVID-19. Thirty-day mortality was increased in those who underwent surgery within 0-2 weeks after diagnosis of COVID-19 (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-2.12; P = 0.038); beyond 2 weeks, there was no significant increase in mortality. A similar pattern was observed for 90-day mortality. Full vaccination against COVID-19 was associated with reduced 30-day (OR 0.38; 95% CI 0.29-0.50; P < 0.001) and 90-day (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.33-0.46; P < 0.001) mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer surgery within 2 weeks of COVID-19 diagnosis was associated with increased early postoperative mortality. These findings support current guidelines that recommend postponing elective surgery for at least 2 weeks after the diagnosis of COVID-19.

Volatile Anesthetic Use Versus Total Intravenous Anesthesia for Patients Undergoing Heart Valve Surgery: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have suggested that volatile anesthetic use may improve postoperative outcomes after cardiac surgery compared to total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) owing to its potential cardioprotective effect. However, the results were inconclusive, and few studies have included patients undergoing heart valve surgery. METHODS: This nationwide population-based study included all adult patients who underwent heart valve surgery between 2010 and 2019 in Korea based on data from a health insurance claim database. Patients were divided based on the use of volatile anesthetics: the volatile anesthetics or TIVA groups. After stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), the association between the use of volatile anesthetics and the risk of cumulative 1-year all-cause mortality (the primary outcome) and cumulative long-term (beyond 1 year) mortality were assessed using Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 30,755 patients included in this study, the overall incidence of 1-year mortality was 8.5%. After stabilized IPTW, the risk of cumulative 1-year mortality did not differ in the volatile anesthetics group compared to the TIVA group (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-1.07; P = .602), nor did the risk of cumulative long-term mortality (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.93-1.04; P = .579) at a median (interquartile range) follow-up duration of 4.8 (2.6-7.6) years. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with TIVA, volatile anesthetic use was not associated with reduced postoperative mortality risk in patients undergoing heart valve surgery. Our findings indicate that the use of volatile anesthetics does not have a significant impact on mortality after heart valve surgery. Therefore, the choice of anesthesia type can be based on the anesthesiologists' or institutional preference and experience.

Association Between Individualized Versus Conventional Blood Glucose Thresholds and Acute Kidney Injury After Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to compare individualized and conventional hyperglycemic thresholds for the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery. DESIGN: This was an observational study. SETTING: The study took place in a single-center tertiary teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery between January 2012 and November 2021 were enrolled. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Two blood glucose thresholds were used to define intraoperative hyperglycemia. While the conventional hyperglycemic threshold (CHT) was 180 mg/dL in all patients, the individualized hyperglycemic threshold (IHT) was calculated based on the preoperative hemoglobin A1c level. Various metrics of intraoperative hyperglycemia were calculated using both thresholds: any hyperglycemic episode, duration of hyperglycemia, and area above the thresholds. Postoperative AKI associations were compared using receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression analysis. Among the 2,427 patients analyzed, 823 (33.9%) developed AKI. The C-statistics of IHT-defined metrics (0.58-0.59) were significantly higher than those of the CHT-defined metrics (all C-statistics, 0.54; all p < 0.001). The duration of hyperglycemia (adjusted odds ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.16) and area above the IHT (1.003; 1.001-1.004) were significantly associated with the risk of AKI, except for the presence of any hyperglycemic episode. None of the CHT-defined metrics were significantly associated with the risk of AKI. CONCLUSIONS: Individually defined intraoperative hyperglycemia better predicted postcardiac surgery AKI than universally defined hyperglycemia. Intraoperative hyperglycemia was significantly associated with the risk of AKI only for the IHT. Target blood glucose levels in cardiac surgical patients may need to be individualized based on preoperative glycemic status.

Comparison of recovery profiles between total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol or remimazolam reversed with flumazenil in patients undergoing breast surgery: A randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Remimazolam, a short acting benzodiazepine, is being used for general anaesthesia. The results of studies comparing recovery after propofol with that of remimazolam are inconsistent. Given that flumazenil reverses the sedative effects of remimazolam, we hypothesised that it would speed up recovery from remimazolam general anaesthesia. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this trial was to compare the speed of recovery from general anaesthesia between propofol and remimazolam reversed with flumazenil in patients undergoing minimally invasive breast surgery. DESIGN: Randomised, single-centre, double-blind controlled trial. SETTING: A tertiary teaching hospital in South Korea from August 2022 to December 2022. PATIENTS: Adult patients (≥19 years of age) about to undergo general anaesthesia for scheduled breast cancer surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly allocated to either the propofol or the remimazolam/flumazenil group. The emergence process was monitored by only one anaesthesiologist. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the time to eye opening to command during recovery from the general anaesthesia. Time to removal of the supraglottic airway (SGA) time to discharge, and the Riker sedation agitation scale (SAS) score (1 to 4) during emergence were compared as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The remimazolam group had a significantly shorter mean time to eye opening than the propofol group [127 ±â€Š51 vs. 314 ±â€Š140 s; mean difference 187 s (95% confidence interval (CI), 133 to 241 s; P  < 0.001]. The remimazolam group also had shorter times to SGA removal [169 ±â€Š51 vs. 366 ±â€Š149 s; mean difference 198 s (95% CI, 140 to 255 s); P  < 0.001] and time to discharge from the operating room [243 ±â€Š55 vs. 449 ±â€Š159 s; mean difference 206 s (95% CI, 145 to 267 s); P  < 0.001]. The SAS scores during emergence also differed significantly, with 1 patient in the propofol group and 25 in the remimazolam group attaining scores of 4 ( P  < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Administration of remimazolam with flumazenil may be a promising option for patients undergoing breast cancer surgery, providing faster recovery and better SAS scores than propofol during emergence from general anaesthesia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05435911).

Effects of intraoperative inspired oxygen fraction (FiO2 0.3 vs 0.8) on patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: the CARROT multicenter, cluster-randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: To maintain adequate oxygenation is of utmost importance in intraoperative care. However, clinical evidence supporting specific oxygen levels in distinct surgical settings is lacking. This study aimed to compare the effects of 30% and 80% oxygen in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). METHODS: This multicenter trial was conducted in three tertiary hospitals from August 2019 to August 2021. Patients undergoing OPCAB were cluster-randomized to receive either 30% or 80% oxygen intraoperatively, based on the month when the surgery was performed. The primary endpoint was the length of hospital stay. Intraoperative hemodynamic data were also compared. RESULTS: A total of 414 patients were cluster-randomized. Length of hospital stay was not different in the 30% oxygen group compared to the 80% oxygen group (median, 7.0 days vs 7.0 days; the sub-distribution hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83-1.16; P = 0.808). The incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury was significantly higher in the 30% oxygen group than in the 80% oxygen group (30.7% vs 19.4%; odds ratio, 1.94; 95% CI 1.18-3.17; P = 0.036). Intraoperative time-weighted average mixed venous oxygen saturation was significantly higher in the 80% oxygen group (74% vs 64%; P < 0.001). The 80% oxygen group also had a significantly greater intraoperative time-weighted average cerebral regional oxygen saturation than the 30% oxygen group (56% vs 52%; P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing OPCAB, intraoperative administration of 80% oxygen did not decrease the length of hospital stay, compared to 30% oxygen, but may reduce postoperative acute kidney injury. Moreover, compared to 30% oxygen, intraoperative use of 80% oxygen improved oxygen delivery in patients undergoing OPCAB. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03945565; April 8, 2019).

Association between intraoperative plantar regional oxygen saturation and acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most common complications after cardiac surgery, associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) continuously measures regional oxygen saturation(rSO2) in real-time. This exploratory retrospective study aimed to investigate the association between intraoperative plantar rSO2 and postoperative AKI in cardiac surgery patients. Between August 2019 and March 2021, 394 patients were included. Plantar and cerebral rSO2 were monitored using NIRS intraoperatively. The primary outcome was AKI within 7 postoperative days. The nonlinear association between plantar rSO2, cerebral rSO2, and mean arterial blood pressure (MBP) and AKI was assessed, and plantar rSO2<45% was related to an increased risk of AKI. Multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that longer duration and higher area under the curve below plantar rSO2<45% and MBP<65 mmHg were more likely to be associated with increased odds of AKI. In additional multivariable regression analyses, association between plantar rSO2<45% and AKI was still maintained after adjusting the duration or AUC of MBP<65 mmHg as a covariate. Cerebral rSO2 levels were not associated with AKI. Independent of MAP, intraoperative plantar rSO2 was associated with AKI after cardiac surgery. However, intraoperative cerebral rSO2 was not associated with AKI. Intraoperative plantar rSO2 monitoring may be helpful in preventing AKI.

Relationship between intraoperative dopamine infusion and postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing open abdominal aorta aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most common complications in patients undergoing open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Dopamine has been frequently used in these patients to prevent AKI. We aimed to clarify the relationship between intraoperative dopamine infusion and postoperative AKI in patients undergoing open AAA repair. METHODS: We analyzed 294 patients who underwent open AAA repair at a single tertiary center from 2009 to 2018, retrospectively. The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative AKI, determined by the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes definition, after open AAA repair. Secondary outcomes included survival outcome, hospital and intensive care unit length of stay, and postoperative renal replacement therapy (RRT). RESULTS: Postoperative AKI occurred in 21.8% (64 out of 294 patients) The risk of postoperative AKI by intraoperative dopamine infusion was greater after adjusting for risk factors (odds ratio [OR] 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-5.89; P = 0.028) and after propensity score matching (OR 3.22; 95% CI 1.12-9.24; P = 0.030). On the contrary, intraoperative norepinephrine use was not associated with postoperative AKI (use vs. no use; 19.3 vs. 22.4%; P = 0.615). Patients who used dopamine showed higher requirement for postoperative RRT (6.8 vs. 1.2%; P = 0.045) and longer hospital length of stay (18 vs. 16 days, P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative dopamine infusion was associated with more frequent postoperative AKI, postoperative RRT, and longer hospital length of stay in patients undergoing AAA repair, when compared to norepinephrine. Further prospective randomized clinical trial may be necessary for this topic.

Association Between Intraoperative Hyperoxia and Acute Kidney Injury After Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: Optimal oxygen management during cardiac surgery has not been established, and studies on the effects of perioperative hyperoxia on postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) are scarce. The association between intraoperative hyperoxia and AKI after cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass was evaluated for the present study. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: A tertiary teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass from November 2006-December 2018. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The area above arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) threshold of 300 mmHg (AOT300, mmHg × h) was used as a metric of intraoperative hyperoxia and was associated with postoperative AKI, using the logistic regression analysis. Data also were fitted using the restricted cubic spline model. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using different PaO2 thresholds (150, 200, 250, and 350 mmHg). A total of 2,926 patients were analyzed. Intraoperative AOT300 independently was associated with the risk of AKI (odds ratio 1.0009; 95% confidence interval 1.0002-1.0015). A PaO2 increment of 100 mmHg above PaO2 300 mmHg for an hour was associated with an increased risk of AKI by 9.4% (1.0009100 ≈ 1.094). In the spline model, the log-odds of AKI increased as AOT300 increased. In the sensitivity analyses, AOT250 and AOT350 also significantly were associated with the risk of AKI, whereas AOT150 and AOT200 were not. As the PaO2 threshold increased from 150 to 350 mmHg, the odds ratio gradually increased. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative hyperoxia significantly was associated with the risk of AKI after cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass.

Effects of calcium chloride coadministered with neostigmine on neuromuscular blockade recovery: A double-blind randomised study.

BACKGROUND: Ionised calcium plays an important role in neuromuscular transmission, but its effects on the reversal of nondepolarising neuromuscular blockade have not been fully evaluated. OBJECTIVE: We examined whether calcium chloride coadministered with neostigmine could enhance the rate of neuromuscular recovery. DESIGN: Randomised double-blind trial. SETTING: A tertiary teaching hospital. PATIENTS: In total, 53 patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia with neuromuscular monitoring by acceleromyography using a TOF-Watch SX monitor. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly allocated to receive either 5 mg kg of calcium chloride (calcium group, n = 26) or the same volume of normal saline (control group, n = 27) coadministered with 25 µg kg of neostigmine and 15 µg kg of atropine at the end of surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary end point was the neuromuscular recovery time [time from neostigmine administration to recovery of the TOF ratio (TOFr) to 0.9]. Secondary end points included the TOFr at 5, 10 and 20 min after neostigmine administration and the incidence of postoperative residual curarisation (PORC), defined as a TOFr less than 0.9 at each time point. RESULTS: The neuromuscular recovery time was significantly faster in the calcium group than in the control group (median [Q1 to Q3]; 5.0 [3.0 to 7.0] vs. 6.7 [5.7 to 10.0] min, respectively; P = 0.007). At 5 min after neostigmine administration, the TOFr was higher [87 (74 to 100) vs. 68 (51 to 81)%, respectively; P = 0.002] and the incidence of PORC was lower (50.0 vs. 81.5%, respectively; P = 0.016) in the calcium group than in the control group. There were no differences between the two groups with respect to the TOFr or incidence of PORC at 10 and 20 min after neostigmine administration. CONCLUSION: Calcium chloride coadministered with neostigmine enhanced neuromuscular recovery in the early period of nondepolarising neuromuscular blockade reversal.

Increased tracheal cuff pressure during insertion of a transoesophageal echocardiography probe: A prospective, observational study.

BACKGROUND: Excessive tracheal cuff pressure reduces tracheal mucosal blood flow and increases tracheal morbidity. Inserting a transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) probe has been shown to increase tracheal cuff pressure. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of inserting a TOE probe on tracheal cuff pressure and compare the effect in patients who received a single-lumen endotracheal tube (SLT) with those who received a double-lumen endotracheal tube (DLT). DESIGN: A prospective, observational study. SETTING: Single-centre trial, study period from October 2013 to January 2014. PATIENTS: Forty-four adult patients scheduled for elective cardiothoracic surgery requiring intraoperative TOE monitoring. INTERVENTIONS: After tracheal intubation with a SLT (n = 22) or DLT (n = 22), the tracheal cuff was inflated to 18 mmHg (25 cmH2O) with air. Tracheal cuff pressure was monitored continuously for 5 min after inserting the TOE probe. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was steady-state tracheal cuff pressure after insertion of the TOE probe. RESULTS: Median (interquartile range, IQR) tracheal cuff pressure stabilised at 3 (2 to 3) min in the SLT group and at 2 (1 to 3) min in the DLT group. Steady-state cuff pressure was significantly higher in the DLT group than that in the SLT group [36.7 (31.3 to 44.1) vs. 31.3 (29.6 to 35.7) cmH2O; (P = 0.03)]. Steady-state cuff pressure more than 40 cmH2O was observed in two patients (18.2%) in the SLT group and nine patients (40.9%) in the DLT group (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Insertion of a TOE probe increased tracheal cuff pressure in both the SLT and DLT groups. The increase in cuff pressure was greater in patients who received a DLT. Frequent measurement and adjustment of cuff pressure should be emphasised particularly when TOE is used in patients receiving a DLT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02034643.

Intraoperative Normal Saline Administration and Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Normal saline is still used in patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with normonatremia. We investigated whether the normal saline administered during LDLT is associated with the increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) compared with the balanced crystalloids. METHODS: We reviewed 1011 cases undergoing LDLT. The primary exposure variable was normal saline administered intraoperatively compared with the balanced crystalloid. To compare the risk of AKI after adjusting for potential confounders of baseline characteristics and surgical parameters, a propensity score matching analysis was performed. As a sensitivity analysis, ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed for AKI using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). RESULTS: The incidence of AKI was significantly higher in the saline group (n = 88/174, 50.6%) than in the balanced group (n = 67/174, 38.5%) after matching (P = .010). The incidence of stage 2 or 3 AKI was also significantly higher in the saline group (n = 26/174, 14.9%) than in the balanced group (n = 43/174, 24.7%) after matching (P = .022). The length of hospital stay was significantly longer in the saline group than in the balanced group after matching. Ordinal logistic regression analysis using IPTW showed that the saline group showed a significant association of saline administration with the risk of AKI (odds ratio 1.23, 95% CI 1.05-1.28, P = .013). CONCLUSION: Our propensity score analysis using propensity score matching and IPTW showed that normal saline administration during LDLT is associated with a high risk of postoperative AKI and longer hospital stays. However, our results should be interpreted carefully due to the relatively long period of data collection.

The impact of preoperative coronavirus disease 19 infection on early postoperative mortality during the vaccination era: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the optimal surgical timing in patients with preoperative coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection to minimize postoperative morbidity and mortality during the COVID-19 vaccination era. METHODS: The Korean nationwide data on patients who underwent standard surgery under general anesthesia in 2021 were analyzed. Patients were categorized based on the time from COVID-19 diagnosis to surgery: 0-4, 5-8, > 8 weeks, and those without preoperative COVID-19 infection. Multivariable logistic regression analysis, considering preoperative COVID-19 vaccination status (fully vaccinated vs. unvaccinated or partially vaccinated), was performed to associate the preoperative COVID-19 infection timing with 30- and 90-day postoperative mortality and 30-day respiratory complications. RESULTS: Among the 750,175 included patients, 28.2% were preoperatively fully vaccinated. Compared with patients without prior COVID-19 infection, those who had surgery 0-4 weeks (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 4.28, 95% CI [1.81, 10.13], P = 0.001) and 5-8 weeks (adjusted OR: 3.38, 95% CI [1.54, 7.44], P = 0.002) after COVID-19 infection had a significantly increased risk of 30-day mortality. Preoperative full vaccination was significantly associated with a decrease in 90-day mortality (adjusted OR: 0.93, 95% CI [0.89, 0.98], P = 0.007) and 30-day respiratory complications (adjusted OR: 0.85, 95% CI [0.82, 0.87], P < 0.001), but not with 30-day mortality (P = 0.916). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 infection eight weeks preoperatively was associated with an increased 30-day postoperative mortality. Preoperative full vaccination was not associated with 30-day mortality but was related to lower risk of 90-day mortality and 30-day respiratory complications.

Remimazolam-flumazenil provides fast recovery from general anesthesia compared to propofol during radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

The optimal anesthetic agent for radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) and its impact on the recovery profiles remain uncertain. We compared the recovery and hemodynamic parameters between the remimazolam-flumazenil and propofol groups during RFCA. Patients were randomized into the remimazolam-flumazenil and propofol groups. The primary outcome measure was the time to eye opening following the discontinuation of anesthetic agents. Secondary outcomes included time to extubation, time to discharge from the operating room, intraprocedural hemodynamic variables and postoperative quality outcomes. Fifty-three patients were included in the final analysis (n = 26 in the remimazolam-flumazenil and n = 27 in the propofol group). The time to eye opening was significantly shorter in the remimazolam-flumazenil group compared to the propofol group (median [interquartile range]: 174 [157-216] vs. 353 [230-483] s, P < 0.001). The mean blood pressure and bispectral index were significantly higher in the remimazolam-flumazenil group compared to the propofol group (mean difference [95% CI], 7.2 [1.7-12.7] mmHg and 6 [3-8]; P = 0.011 and < 0.001, respectively), which were within target ranges in both groups. Other secondary outcomes were comparable between the groups. Consequently, remimazolam emerges as a promising anesthetic agent, characterized by rapid recovery and stable hemodynamics, during RFCA of AF.Trial registration: NCT05397886.

Retrospective analysis of the feasibility and safety of external jugular vein cannulation in surgical patients.

BACKGROUND: Establishing intravenous (IV) access is an essential procedure in surgical patients. External jugular vein (EJV) cannulation can be a good alternative for patients forwhom it is difficult to establish peripheral IV access. We aimed to investigate the feasibilityand safety of EJV cannulation in surgical patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of EJV cannulation in patients who underwent anesthesia for surgery at a tertiary hospital between 2010 and 2021. We collectedclinical characteristics, including EJV cannulation-related variables, from the anesthetic records. We also investigated the EJV cannulation-related complications, which included anyEJV cannulation-related complications (insertion site swelling, infection, thrombophlebitis,pneumothorax, and arterial cannulation) within 7 days after surgery, from the electronicmedical records during the hospitalization period for surgery. RESULTS: We analyzed 9,482 cases of 9,062 patients for whom EJV cannulation was performed during anesthesia. The most commonly performed surgery was general surgery(49.6%), followed by urologic surgery (17.5%) and obstetric and gynecologic surgery (15.7%).Unplanned EJV cannulation was performed emergently during surgery for 878 (9.3%) cases.The only EJV cannulation-related complication was swelling at the EJV-cannula insertion site(65 cases, 0.7%). There was only one case of unplanned intensive care unit admission dueto swelling related to EJV cannulation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed the feasibility and safety of EJV cannulation for surgical patients with difficult IV access or those who need additional large-bore IV access during surgery. EJV cannulation can provide safe and reliable IV access with a low risk of major complications in a surgical patient.

Retrospective analysis of the incidence and predictors of postoperative nausea and vomiting after orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) commonly occurs after spinal anesthesia; however, its incidence rate and predictors have been scarcely studied. Therefore, we aimed to investigate its incidence rate and potential predictors. METHODS: The electronic medical records of 6,610 consecutive patients undergoing orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia were reviewed between January 2016 and December 2020. The primary outcome was PONV incidence within 24 h after spinal anesthesia. Along with its incidence rate, we investigated its predictors using multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the 5,691 patients included in the analysis, 1,298 (22.8%) experienced PONV within 24 h after spinal anesthesia. Female sex (odds ratio [OR]: 3.23, 95% CI [2.72, 3.83], P < 0.001), nonsmoker (OR: 2.12, 95% CI [1.46, 3.07], P < 0.001), history of PONV (OR: 1.52, 95% CI [1.26, 1.82], P < 0.001), prophylactic 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonist use (OR: 0.35, 95% CI [0.24, 0.50], P < 0.001), prophylactic steroid use (OR: 0.53, 95% CI [0.44, 0.62], P < 0.001), baseline heart rate ≥ 60 beats/min (OR: 1.38, 95% CI [1.10, 1.72], P = 0.005), and postoperative opioid use (OR: 2.57, 95% CI [1.80, 3.67], P < 0.001), were significant predictors of the primary outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed the common incidence of PONV after spinal anesthesia and its significant predictors. A better understanding of its predictors may provide important information for its management.

Impact of Enhanced in-Hospital Infection Prevention During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Postoperative Pneumonia in Older Surgical Patients.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the impact of enhanced in-hospital infection prevention during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on postoperative pneumonia in older surgical patients. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of consecutive patients ≥70 years who underwent elective surgery between 2017 and 2021 at our institution. All perioperative variables were retrieved from the electronic medical records. The primary outcome was new-onset postoperative pneumonia during the hospitalization period. Since February 2020, our institution implemented a series of policies to enhance infection prevention, hence patients were divided into groups according to whether they underwent surgery before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. An interrupted time series analysis was performed to evaluate the difference between pre- and post-intervention slopes of the primary outcome. Results: Among the 29,387 patients included in the study, 10,547 patients underwent surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there was a decreasing trend of the monthly incidence rate of postoperative pneumonia compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no statistical significance in the trend (slope before COVID-19 period: ß-coefficient, -0.007; 95% CI, -0.022 to 0.007). Conclusion: Our study revealed that enhanced in-hospital infection prevention implemented to manage the COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly affect the decreasing trend of postoperative pneumonia at our institution.

Effects of low versus high inspired oxygen fraction on myocardial injury after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Oxygen therapy is used in various clinical situation, but its clinical outcomes are inconsistent. The relationship between the fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and clinical outcomes has not been well studied. We investigated the association of FIO2 (low vs. high) and myocardial injury in patients undergoing TAVI. METHODS: Adults undergoing transfemoral TAVI under general anesthesia were randomly assigned to receive FIO2 0.3 or 0.8 during procedure. The primary outcome was the area under the curve (AUC) for high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) during the first 72 h following TAVI. Secondary outcomes included the AUC for postprocedural creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB), acute kidney injury and recovery, conduction abnormalities, pacemaker implantation, stroke, myocardial infarction, and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Between October 2017 and April 2022, 72 patients were randomized and 62 were included in the final analysis (n = 31 per group). The median (IQR) AUC for hs-cTnI in the first 72 h was 42.66 (24.82-65.44) and 71.96 (35.38-116.34) h·ng/mL in the FIO2 0.3 and 0.8 groups, respectively (p = 0.066). The AUC for CK-MB in the first 72 h was 257.6 (155.6-322.0) and 342.2 (195.4-485.2) h·ng/mL in the FIO2 0.3 and 0.8 groups, respectively (p = 0.132). Acute kidney recovery, defined as an increase in the estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥ 25% of baseline in 48 h, was more common in the FIO2 0.3 group (65% vs. 39%, p = 0.042). Other clinical outcomes were comparable between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The FIO2 level did not have a significant effect on periprocedural myocardial injury following TAVI. However, considering the marginal results, a benefit of low FIO2 during TAVI could not be ruled out.

Norepinephrine preserved flap blood flow compared to phenylephrine in free transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap breast reconstruction surgery: A randomized pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Vasopressors are used in up to 85% of cases during free flap surgery. However, their use is still debated with concerns of vasoconstriction-related complications, with rates up to 53% in minor cases. We investigated the effects of vasopressors on flap blood flow during free flap breast reconstruction surgery. We hypothesized that norepinephrine may preserve flap perfusion better than phenylephrine during free flap transfer. METHODS: A randomized pilot study was performed in patients undergoing free transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap breast reconstruction. Patients with peripheral artery disease, allergies to study drugs, previous abdominal operations, left ventricular dysfunction, or uncontrolled arrhythmias were excluded. Twenty patients were randomized to receive either norepinephrine (0.03-0.10 µg/kg/min) or phenylephrine (0.42-1.25 µg/kg/min) (each n = 10) to maintain a mean arterial pressure of 65-80 mmHg. The primary outcome was differences in mean blood flow (MBF) and pulsatility index (PI) of flap vessels after anastomosis measured using transit time flowmetry in the two groups. Secondary outcomes included flap loss, necrosis, thrombosis, wound infection, and reoperation within 7 days postoperatively. RESULTS: After anastomosis, MBF showed no significant change in the norepinephrine group (mean difference, -9.4 ± 14.2 mL/min; p = 0.082), whereas it was reduced in the phenylephrine group (-7.9 ± 8.2 mL/min; p = 0.021). PI did not change in either group (0.4 ± 1.0 and 1.3 ± 3.1 in the norepinephrine and phenylephrine groups; p = 0.285 and 0.252, respectively). There were no differences in secondary outcomes between the groups. CONCLUSION: During free TRAM flap breast reconstruction, norepinephrine seems to preserve flap perfusion compared to phenylephrine. However, further validation studies are required.

Effects of sugammadex versus neostigmine on postoperative nausea and vomiting after general anesthesia in adult patients:a single-center retrospective study.

We aimed to compare the effect of sugammadex to that of neostigmine with respect to the occurrence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) during the first 24 h following general anesthesia. This retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery under general anesthesia in 2020 at an academic medical center in Seoul, South Korea. The exposure groups were determined according to whether the patient received sugammadex or neostigmine as a reversal agent. The primary outcome was PONV occurrence during the first 24 h postoperatively (overall). The association between the type of reversal agent and primary outcome was investigated using logistic regression while adjusting for confounding variables using stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (sIPTW). Of the 10,912 patients included in this study, 5,918 (54.2%) received sugammadex. Sugammadex was associated with a significantly lower incidence of overall PONV (15.8% vs. 17.7%; odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79-0.97; P = 0.010) after sIPTW. In conclusion, compared with neostigmine/glycopyrrolate, sugammadex use has a lower risk of PONV during the first 24 h following general anesthesia.