Amplitude-Integrated Electroencephalography for Early Recognition of Brain Injury in Neonates with Critical Congenital Heart Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To study perioperative amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) as an early marker for new brain injury in neonates requiring cardiac surgery for critical congenital heart disease (CHD). STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective observational cohort study investigated 76 neonates with critical CHD who underwent neonatal surgery. Perioperative aEEG recordings were evaluated for background pattern (BGP), sleep-wake cycling (SWC), and ictal discharges. Spontaneous activity transient (SAT) rate, inter-SAT interval (ISI), and percentage of time with an amplitude <5 µV were calculated. Routinely obtained preoperative and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging of the brain were reviewed for brain injury (moderate-severe white matter injury, stroke, intraparenchymal hemorrhage, or cerebral sinovenous thrombosis). RESULTS: Preoperatively, none of the neonates showed an abnormal BGP (burst suppression or worse) or ictal discharges. Postoperatively, abnormal BGP was seen in 18 neonates (24%; 95% CI, 14%-33%) and ictal discharges was seen in 13 neonates (17%; 95% CI, 8%-26%). Abnormal BGP and ictal discharges were more frequent in neonates with new postoperative brain injury (P = .08 and .01, respectively). Abnormal brain activity (ie, abnormal BGP or ictal discharges) was the single risk factor associated with new postoperative brain injury in multivariable logistic regression analysis (OR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.3-12.3; P = .02). Postoperative SAT rate, ISI, or time <5 µV were not associated with new brain injury. CONCLUSION: Abnormal brain activity is an early, bedside marker of new brain injury in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery. Not only ictal discharges, but also abnormal BGP, should be considered a clear sign of underlying brain pathology.

Effects of esketamine sedation compared to morphine analgesia on hydrostatic reduction of intussusception: A case-cohort comparison study.

BACKGROUND: Hydrostatic or pneumatic reduction of intussusception is an invasive procedure that is stressful and may be painful for a child. Resistance of the child may increase the duration of the procedure and decrease success rate of reduction. Analgesia can help to reduce pain, but not necessarily resistance. General anesthesia increases success rate of reduction. However, it requires the presence of an anesthesiologist, and may lead to anesthesia-related complications. Procedural sedation with esketamine could be a safe alternative. AIM: The aim of this study was to compare hydrostatic reduction using morphine analgesia compared to procedural sedation with esketamine in terms of success rate, adverse events, and duration of reduction. METHODS: A retrospective case-cohort comparison study was performed with two groups of patients who had undergone hydrostatic reduction for ileocolic intussusception and received morphine analgesia (n = 37) or esketamine sedation (n = 20). Until July 2013, reduction was performed after intravenously administered morphine. Hereafter, a new protocol for procedural sedation was implemented and reduction was performed after administration of esketamine. Cases were matched for age and duration of symptoms. RESULTS: No adverse events requiring intervention other than administration of oxygen were reported for either group. Success rate of reduction using esketamine sedation was 90% vs 70% using morphine analgesia, risk ratio (RR) 1.29, 95% CI[0.93-1.77]. Recurrence rate using esketamine sedation was 10% vs 15% using morphine analgesia, RR 0.67, 95% CI[0.12-3.57]. Reduction time was shorter using esketamine sedation (Median 5 minutes, IQR 9 minutes) vs morphine analgesia (Median 8 minutes, IQR 16 minutes, P = .04, Median difference 3, 95% CI[-1.50-8.75]). Median hospital stay in the esketamine group was 1.5 days (IQR 1.8) vs 2 days (IQR 5.3) in the morphine group. CONCLUSION: No serious adverse events were recorded. In comparison to morphine analgesia, with esketamine there was weak evidence for a higher success rate, lower recurrence rate, shorter duration, and shorter length of hospital stay.

Neurological injury after neonatal cardiac surgery: a randomized, controlled trial of 2 perfusion techniques.

BACKGROUND: Complex neonatal cardiac surgery is associated with cerebral injury. In particular, aortic arch repair, requiring either deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) or antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP), entails a high risk of perioperative injury. It is unknown whether ACP results in less cerebral injury than DHCA. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-seven neonates with an aortic arch obstruction presenting for univentricular or biventricular repair were randomized to either DHCA or ACP. Preoperatively and 1 week after surgery, magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 36 patients (1 patient died during the hospital stay). The presence of new postoperative cerebral injury was scored, and results were entered into a sequential analysis, which allows for immediate data analysis. After the 36th patient, it was clear that there was no difference between DHCA and ACP in terms of new cerebral injury. Preoperatively, 50% of patients had evidence of cerebral injury. Postoperatively, 14 of 18 DHCA patients (78%) had new injury versus 13 of 18 ACP patients (72%) (P=0.66). White matter injury was the most common type of injury in both groups, but central infarctions occurred exclusively after ACP (0 vs. 6/18 [33%]; P=0.02). Early motor and cognitive outcomes at 24 months were assessed and were similar between groups (P=0.28 and P=0.25, respectively). Additional analysis revealed lower postoperative arterial Pco2 as a risk factor for new white matter injury (P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In this group of neonates undergoing complex cardiac surgery, we were unable to demonstrate a difference in the incidence of perioperative cerebral injury after ACP compared with DHCA. Both techniques resulted in a high incidence of new white matter injury, with central infarctions occurring exclusively after ACP. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01032876.

Reporting critical incidents in a tertiary hospital: a historical cohort study of 110,310 procedures.

PURPOSE: Investigation of adverse events associated with anesthetic procedures is a method of quality control that identifies topics to improve clinical care and patient safety. Most research to date has been based on closed claim registries and anonymous reports which have specific limitations. Therefore, to evaluate a hospital's reporting system, the present study was designed to describe critical incidents that anesthesiologists voluntarily and non-anonymously reported through an anesthesia information management system. METHODS: This is a historical observational cohort study on patients (age > 18 yr) undergoing anesthetic procedures in a tertiary referral hospital. A 20-item list of complications, as developed by the Netherlands Society of Anesthesiologists, was prospectively completed for each procedure. All critical incidents registered in the anesthesia information management system were then reclassified into 95 different critical incidents in a reproducible way. RESULTS: There were 110,310 procedures performed in 65,985 patients, and after excluding 158 reports that did not depict a critical incident, 3,904 critical incidents in 3,807 (3.5%) anesthetic procedures remained. Technical difficulties with regional anesthesia (n = 445; 40 per 10,000 anesthetics; 95% confidence interval [CI], 36 to 44), hypotension (n = 432; 39 per 10,000 anesthetics; 95% CI, 35 to 43), and unexpected difficult intubation (n = 216; 20 per 10,000 anesthetics; 95% CI, 18 to 23) were the most frequently documented critical incidents. CONCLUSION: Accurate measurement and monitoring of critical incidents is crucial for patient safety. Despite the risk of underreporting and probable misclassification of manual reporting systems, our results give a comprehensive overview on the occurrence of voluntarily reported anesthesia-related critical incidents. This overview can direct development of a new reporting system and preventive strategies to decrease the future occurrence of critical incidents.

Anesthesia-related critical incidents in the perioperative period in children; a proposal for an anesthesia-related reporting system for critical incidents in children.

BACKGROUND: The incidence, type and severity of anesthesia-related critical incidents during the perioperative phase has been investigated less in children than in adults. AIM: The aim of the study was to identify and analyze anesthesia-related critical incidents in children to identify areas to improve current clinical practice, and to propose a specialized anesthesia-related critical incidence registration for children. METHOD: All reported pediatric anesthesia-related critical incidents reported on a voluntary reporting based on a 20-item complication list of the Dutch Society of Anesthesiology between January 2007 and August 2013 were analyzed. An anesthesia-related critical incident was defined as 'any incident that affected, or could have affected, the safety of the patient while under the care of an anesthetist'. As the 20-item complications list was too crude for detailed analyses, all critical incidents were reclassified into the more detailed German classification lists with the adjustment of specific items for children (in total 10 categories with 101 different subcategories). RESULTS: During the 6-year period, a total of 1214 critical incidents were reported out of 35 190 anesthetics (cardiac and noncardiac anesthesia cases). The most frequently reported incidents (46.5%) were related to the respiratory system. Infants <1 year, children with ASA physical status III and IV, and emergency procedures had a higher rate of adverse incidents. CONCLUSION: Respiratory events were the most reported commonly critical incidents in children. Both the Dutch and German existing lists of critical incident definitions appeared not to be sufficient for accurate classification in children. The present list can be used for a new registration system for critical incidents in pediatric anesthesia.

Minimizing the risk of preoperative brain injury in neonates with aortic arch obstruction.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether prenatal diagnosis lowers the risk of preoperative brain injury by assessing differences in the incidence of preoperative brain injury across centers. STUDY DESIGN: From 2 prospective cohorts of newborns with complex congenital heart disease studied by preoperative cerebral magnetic resonance imaging, one cohort from the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU) and a combined cohort from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and University of British Columbia (UBC), patients with aortic arch obstruction were selected and their imaging and clinical course reviewed. RESULTS: Birth characteristics were comparable between UMCU (n = 33) and UCSF/UBC (n = 54). Patients had a hypoplastic aortic arch with either coarctation/interruption or hypoplastic left heart syndrome. In subjects with prenatal diagnosis, there was a significant difference in the prevalence of white matter injury (WMI) between centers (11 of 22 [50%] at UMCU vs 4 of 30 [13%] at UCSF/UBC; P < .01). Prenatal diagnosis was protective for WMI at UCSF/UBC (13% prenatal diagnoses vs 50% postnatal diagnoses; P < .01), but not at UMCU (50% vs 46%, respectively; P > .99). Differences in clinical practice between prenatally diagnosed subjects at UMCU vs UCSF/UBC included older age at surgery, less time spent in the intensive care unit, greater use of diuretics, less use of total parenteral nutrition (P < .01), and a greater incidence of infections (P = .01). In patients diagnosed postnatally, the prevalence of WMI was similar in the 2 centers (46% at UMCU vs 50% at UCSF/UBC; P > .99). Stroke prevalence was similar in the 2 centers regardless of prenatal diagnosis (prenatal diagnosis: 4.5% at Utrecht vs 6.7% at UCSF/UBC, P = .75; postnatal diagnosis: 9.1% vs 13%, respectively, P > .99). CONCLUSION: Prenatal diagnosis can be protective for WMI, but this protection may be dependent on specific clinical management practices that differ across centers.

Clinical and neuroimaging characteristics of cerebral sinovenous thrombosis in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Neonates with congenital heart disease may have an increased risk of cerebral sinovenous thrombosis, but incidence rates are lacking. This study describes the clinical and neuroimaging characteristics of cerebral sinovenous thrombosis in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: Forty neonates (78% male) requiring neonatal univentricular or biventricular cardiac repair using cardiopulmonary bypass were included. All underwent preoperative (median postnatal day 7) and postoperative (median postoperative day 7) magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, including venography, to detect cerebral sinovenous thrombosis. Clinical characteristics were compared between cerebral sinovenous thrombosis positive and cerebral sinovenous thrombosis negative neonates. RESULTS: Postoperatively, cerebral sinovenous thrombosis was diagnosed in 11 neonates (28%), with the transverse sinus affected in all, and involvement of multiple sinuses in 10 (91%). Preoperatively, signs of thrombosis were seen in 3 cases (8%). Focal infarction of the basal ganglia was significantly more common in cerebral sinovenous thrombosis positive than cerebral sinovenous thrombosis negative neonates (P = .025). Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis positive neonates spent more time in the intensive care unit preoperatively (P = .001), had lower weight (P = .024) and lower postmenstrual age (P = .030) at surgery, and had prolonged use of a central venous catheter (P = .023) and a catheter placed in the internal jugular vein more often (P = .039). Surgical and postoperative factors were not different between new postoperative cerebral sinovenous thrombosis positive and cerebral sinovenous thrombosis negative neonates. CONCLUSIONS: Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis might be more common than previously understood in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery. In our study, cerebral sinovenous thrombosis was associated with a higher risk of additional intra-parenchymal brain injury.

The feasibility of office-based propofol sedation for dental care in patients with intellectual disability by sedation practitioners.

BACKGROUND: The quality of oral health care for intellectually disabled patients is a significant challenge due to behavioral issues. Intravenous propofol sedation may be useful to relieve the anxiety and fear, and make dental procedures more acceptable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of propofol sedation, by trained nonmedical sedation practitioners, during dental treatments in an office-based setting. METHODS: Intellectually disabled patients (124) were subjected to restorative dental procedures and moderately sedated using intravenous propofol. Vital signs, cooperation of the patient, and sedation depth were continuously assessed. RESULTS: Propofol sedation was effective for dental treatment. All procedures resulted in a sufficient level of sedation without moderate or severe complications. CONCLUSION: Propofol sedation can be safely and effectively performed in an office-based setting by sedation practitioners, who have experience in propofol sedation and are trained in the care of patients with disabilities.

Increasing duration of circulatory arrest, but not antegrade cerebral perfusion, prolongs postoperative recovery after neonatal cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) and antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP) are 2 cardiopulmonary bypass techniques applied in aortic arch repair. In recent literature, cerebral effects of both techniques have received most attention, whereas the consequences for other organs have not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, in this study, the impact of duration of DHCA and ACP on postoperative recovery was analyzed in a cohort of neonates undergoing aortic arch reconstruction. METHODS: All consecutive neonates who underwent aortic arch reconstruction from 2004 to 2009 were included in this retrospective study. Length of stay on the intensive care unit (ICU-LOS), duration of mechanical ventilation, inotrope score, and areas under the curve (AUC) for lactate and creatinine were compared with respect to durations of DHCA and ACP, respectively. Correction for confounders was performed using multivariable linear regression. RESULTS: Eighty-three neonates were included, with a 30-day mortality of 4.8%. Longer duration of DHCA was associated with longer ICU-LOS both in univariable and multivariable analyses. Similarly, duration of mechanical ventilation and lactate and creatinine AUCs increased with duration of DHCA. Inotrope score was only associated with DHCA duration in univariable analysis. Duration of ACP did not affect any of the outcome parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing duration of DHCA, but not ACP, during neonatal aortic arch reconstruction prolongs short-term postoperative recovery. This suggests all efforts should be made to reduce the duration of DHCA to the shortest period possible, which may be achieved by exclusive use of ACP or a combination of the 2 perfusion techniques.

Bedside prediction rule for infections after pediatric cardiac surgery.

PURPOSE: Infections after pediatric cardiac surgery are a common complication, occurring in up to 30% of cases. The purpose of this study was to develop a bedside prediction rule to estimate the risk of a postoperative infection. METHODS: All consecutive pediatric cardiac surgery procedures between April 2006 and May 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome variable was any postoperative infection, as defined by the Center of Disease Control (2008). All variables known to the clinician at the bedside at 48 h post cardiac surgery were included in the primary analysis, and multivariable logistic regression was used to construct a prediction rule. RESULTS: A total of 412 procedures were included, of which 102 (25%) were followed by an infection. Most infections were surgical site infections (26% of all infections) and bloodstream infections (25%). Three variables proved to be most predictive of an infection: age less than 6 months, postoperative pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) stay longer than 48 h, and open sternum for longer than 48 h. Translation into prediction rule points yielded 1, 4, and 1 point for each variable, respectively. Patients with a score of 0 had 6.6% risk of an infection, whereas those with a maximal score of 6 had a risk of 57%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.72-0.83). CONCLUSIONS: A simple bedside prediction rule designed for use at 48 h post cardiac surgery can discriminate between children at high and low risk for a subsequent infection.

Low-flow antegrade cerebral perfusion attenuates early renal and intestinal injury during neonatal aortic arch reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) and antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP) are 2 cardiopulmonary bypass strategies mainly used in aortic arch reconstructions. It has been suggested that during ACP, abdominal organs are better protected than during DHCA owing to partial perfusion via collaterals. We tested this hypothesis using intraoperative near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), lactate measurements, and biomarkers for early abdominal injury in neonates undergoing complex aortic arch repair. METHODS: Neonates scheduled for aortic arch reconstruction via median sternotomy between 2009 and 2011 were randomized to either DHCA or ACP. During surgery, regional oxygen saturations of the abdomen were monitored using NIRS. Immediately aafter DHCA or ACP, lactate concentrations from the inferior vena cava were compared with those from the arterial cannula. Postoperatively, biomarkers for early abdominal organ injury were measured in urine. RESULTS: Twenty-five neonates were analyzed (DHCA, n = 12; ACP, n = 13). Procedures were performed at 18°C, and ACP flow was set at 35 to 50 mL · kg(-1) · min(-1). Median abdominal NIRS value during DHCA was 31% (IQR, 28%-41%) whereas during ACP it was 56% (IQR, 34%-64%; P < .01 between groups). Immediately after DHCA, median lactate from the inferior vena cava was 4.2 mmol/L (IQR, 3.3-5.3 mmol/L) compared with 3.1 mmol/L (IQR, 2.9-4.4 mmol/L) after ACP (P = .03). Postoperatively, biomarkers for renal and intestinal damage (gluthatione s-transferase and intestinal fatty acid binding protein, respectively) were higher in the DHCA group than for the ACP group (P = .03, P = .04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These results substantiate earlier suggestions that ACP provides more abdominal organ protection than DHCA in neonates undergoing aortic arch reconstruction.