Preoperative optimization of cardiovascular hemodynamics improves outcome in peripheral vascular surgery. A prospective, randomized clinical trial.

The hypothesis that optimizing hemodynamics using pulmonary artery (PA) catheter (preoperative 'tune-up') would improve outcome in patients undergoing limb-salvage arterial surgery was tested. Eighty-nine patients were randomized to preoperative tune-up either in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) (group 1) or the preinduction room (group 2) or to control (group 3). The tune-up consisted of fluid loading, afterload reduction, and/or inotropic support to achieve predetermined endpoints. Patients with a PA catheter had significantly fewer adverse intraoperative events (p less than 0.05), less postoperative cardiac morbidity (p less than 0.05), and less early graft thrombosis (p less than 0.05) than the control group. The overall study mortality rate was 3.4%, with a mortality rate of 9.5% in the control group and 1.5% in the PA catheter groups. There were no differences in ICU length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, or total hospital costs, although the percentage of cost from complications was higher in group 3 (p greater than 0.05). In this group of patients, preoperative cardiac assessment and optimization is associated with improved outcome.     

Cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy in adult patients after cardiac surgery is not useful for monitoring absolute values but may reflect trends in venous oxygenation under clinical conditions

OBJECTIVE: Cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was evaluated for use in monitoring global oxygenation in adult patients after cardiac surgery. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized clinical monitoring study. SETTING: Intensive care unit for cardiac surgery; university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 35 patients scheduled for cardiac surgery with insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter; patients with known cerebral-vascular perfusion disturbances were excluded. INTERVENTIONS: Noninvasive cerebral NIRS oxygen saturation (rSO(2)) and conventional intensive care monitoring parameters were assessed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Simple regression analysis was used to assess the correlation of rSO(2) to hemodynamic parameters. There was fair-to-moderate intersubject correlation to hemoglobin concentration (r = 0.45, p < 0.0001) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SmvO(2)) (r = 0.33, p < 0.0001). Sensitivity and specificity of rSO(2) to detect substantial (>or=1 standard deviation) changes in mixed venous oxygen saturation were 94% and 81%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cerebral NIRS in adult patients might not be the tool to replace mixed venous oxygen monitoring. Further work has to be done to assess its potential to reflect intraindividual trends.     

Factors that predict prolonged length of stay after aortic surgery

OBJECTIVES: In this era of managed health care, third-party payers insist that surgeons minimize hospital stay even after major operations such as aortic surgery. We attempted to identify risk factors that predict prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS) so that realistic expectations can be established for these patients who frequently are at high-risk. METHODS: In 1994 a clinical pathway for aortic surgery was implemented at our hospital. Between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 2000, data including identifiable risk factors and LOS were reviewed for 240 patients who underwent elective infrarenal aortic surgery to treat aneurysmal (n = 179) or occlusive (n = 61) disease. Risk factors were analyzed to determine their effect on LOS. Data for patients who underwent endovascular, emergency, or concomitant cardiac surgery were excluded from analysis. RESULTS: In-hospital mortality was 0.4% (1 of 240 patients), and morbidity was 18% (44 of 240 patients). Mean LOS was 8.2 +/- 5.7 days for all patients, 6.9 +/- 2.9 days for those without complications, and 13.8 +/- 6.7 days for patients with complications (P <.0001). Factors that predicted prolonged LOS (Kaplan-Meier method) included age older than 75 years (P =.0004), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; P =.0351), intraoperative blood loss more than 500 mL (P =.0006), duration of surgery more than 5 hours (P <.0001), wound infection (P =.0311), and postoperative complications overall (P <.0001). Remaining factors associated with prolonged LOS (Cox regression analysis) included age older than 75 years (P =.0050), COPD (P =.0445), and complications overall (P =.0094). CONCLUSION: The only identifiable preoperative risk factors that correlated with increasing LOS after elective infrarenal aortic surgery (multivariate analysis) were increasing age and COPD. Third-party payers should allow longer hospitalization for patients older than 75 years and for patients with significant pulmonary disease.     

Outcome of lung transplantation for patients requiring concomitant cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND: The clinical results of lung transplantation and concomitant cardiac surgery are unclear. The effect of cardiopulmonary bypass on the pulmonary allograft is controversial, and the effect of cardiac arrest and cardiac surgery in this setting is unknown. Our aim was to review the operative results and long-term survival in this group of patients. METHODS: A retrospective review of all lung transplantations between 1988 and 2003 was performed. Patients who had concomitant cardiac surgery during lung transplantation were compared with those who underwent lung transplantation alone. The variables analyzed included allograft ischemic times, use of cardiopulmonary bypass, early graft dysfunction, postoperative morbidity, survival, length of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the intensive care unit, and overall hospital stay. RESULTS: During this period, 35 of 700 lung transplant recipients (15 single and 20 bilateral transplantations) underwent concomitant cardiac surgery. The cardiac procedures were for patent foramen ovale (n = 18), atrial septal defect (n = 9), ventricular septal defect (n = 2), coronary bypass (n = 4), and "other" (n = 2). Allograft ischemic time, use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, length of hospital stay, operative mortality, and survival were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Ventilator time and intensive care unit stay were longer in the cardiac surgery group. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac surgery at the time of lung transplantation can be performed with acceptable morbidity and mortality. The immediate and long-term survival in these patients is similar to that of other lung transplant recipients. Lung transplantation should continue to be offered to patients with normal ventricular function who require concomitant limited cardiac surgery.     

How common is severe pulmonary hypertension after pediatric cardiac surgery?

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension may result in significant morbidity and mortality after pediatric cardiac surgery. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and outcome of severe pulmonary hypertension, defined as a ratio of pulmonary to systemic arterial pressure equal to or greater than 1.0, after cardiac surgery in children. METHODS: Data from all children younger than 18 years who had undergone cardiothoracic surgery from January 1, 1994, to December 31, 1998, were examined. To find children with severe pulmonary hypertension, we reviewed intensive care unit charts from patients who had been monitored with a pulmonary artery catheter after the operation (n = 151), had received mechanical ventilation for more than 4 days after the operation (n = 124), or had died in the operating room or the intensive care unit (n = 22). Intraoperative and postoperative measurements of mean pulmonary arterial pressure and postoperative echocardiographic studies during the first 3 postoperative days were used to select the children. RESULTS: During the study period, 1349 children (including 164 neonates and 511 infants, median age 12 months) underwent cardiac operations with an overall perioperative mortality of 22 patients (1.6%). Twenty-seven children (2%, median age 4.2 months) had severe pulmonary hypertension. Of these, 2 (7.4%) died within 30 days of the operation, and 3 others (11%) died within a year (median follow-up 53 months). Nitric oxide inhalation was used in 5 of the 27 cases, and it probably saved the life of 1 patient, may have helped in 1 case, and had no discernible effect in 3 cases. Severe pulmonary hypertension was most common after correction of complete atrioventricular septal defects (14%, n = 12/85). Thirteen of 131 children with Down syndrome (9.9%) had severe pulmonary hypertension. CONCLUSION: Severe postoperative pulmonary hypertension occurred after 2% of the cardiac procedures and in most cases was managed successfully with conventional treatment and had a favorable postoperative outcome. The low incidence relative to previous reports may reflect the benefits of early correction and improved intraoperative and postoperative care.     

Risk factors for prolonged stay in the intensive care unit and on the ward after cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND: Prolonged length of stay (LOS) after cardiac surgery has been associated with poor outcome and a considerable expenditure of health care resources. As our patient's demographics are changing, a continuing evaluation of the preoperative and intraoperative variables affecting LOS in the intensive care unit (ICU) and on the floor remains important. METHODS: This is a prospective study examining the determinants of prolonged LOS in 426 consecutive patients after cardiac surgery. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for an ICU stay > or =2 days and for a stay on the floor >7 days. Secondary outcome was the incidence of postoperative complications. RESULTS: Among all patients, 27.7% had a prolonged stay in the ICU. Univariate analysis revealed 13 perioperative variables that were significantly associated with prolonged stay. Independent predictors for extended ICU LOS included an ejection fraction <40% (RR 1.83; p = 0.04), high Parsonnet score (RR 2.23; p = 0.012), history of renal failure (RR 5.39; p = 0.001), and an emergency surgery (RR 2.43; p = 0.007). Furthermore, 30.5% of patients had an extended stay on the floor with female gender (RR 1.93; p = 0.009) and age (RR 2.55; p = 0.0001) being two independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: In this series of 426 consecutive patients, we have identified several perioperative risk factors associated with prolonged hospitalization that can help clinicians in their preoperative patient counseling, risk stratification, and selection. However, the most obvious use of these results is in allowing decision makers to implement specific strategies that would best allocate resources depending on the risk profile of cardiac patients.     

Choice of Primary Anesthetic Regimen Can Influence Intensive Care Unit Length of Stay after Coronary Surgery with Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Background: Volatile anesthetics protect the myocardium during coronary surgery. This study hypothesized that the use of a volatile agent in the anesthetic regimen would be associated with a shorter intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay (LOS), compared with a total intravenous anesthetic regimen.

Methods: Elective coronary surgery patients were randomly assigned to receive propofol (n = 80), midazolam (n = 80), sevoflurane (n = 80), or desflurane (n = 80) as part of a remifentanil-based anesthetic regimen. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent variables associated with a prolonged ICU LOS.

Results: Patient characteristics were similar in all groups. ICU and hospital LOS were lower in the sevoflurane and desflurane groups (P < 0.01). The number of patients who needed a prolonged ICU stay (> 48 h) was also significantly lower (propofol: n = 31; midazolam: n = 34; sevoflurane: n = 10; desflurane: n = 15; P < 0.01). Occurrence of atrial fibrillation, a postoperative troponin I concentration greater than 4 ng/ml, and the need for prolonged inotropic support (> 12 h) were identified as the significant risk factors for prolonged ICU LOS. Postoperative troponin I concentrations and need for prolonged inotropic support were lower in the sevoflurane and desflurane group (P < 0.01). Postoperative cardiac function was also better preserved with the volatile anesthetics. The incidence of other postoperative complications was similar in all groups.     

Opening of a new postanesthesia care unit: impact on critical care utilization and complications following major vascular and thoracic surgery

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of a new postanesthesia care unit (PACU) on intensive care unit (ICU) utilization, hospital length of stay, and complications following major noncardiac surgery. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS: From 1992 to 1999, 915 patients underwent either abdominal aortic reconstruction (n = 448) or lung resection for cancer (n = 467). Demographic, clinical, surgical, and anesthetic data, as well as perioperative complications, were abstracted from two institutional databases. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were divided in two study periods, before and after the opening of a new PACU (period 1992-1995 and period 1996-1999). MAIN RESULTS: Utilization of ICU decreased from 35% to 16% for vascular patients and from 57% to less than 4% for thoracic patients during the second period. Readmission to the ICU, perioperative mortality, and respiratory complications were comparable between the two periods. Patients with congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or renal insufficiency were more likely to be admitted to the ICU than the PACU. Following vascular surgery the frequency of cardiac complications decreased from 10.6% in 1992-1995 to 5.2% in 1996-1999 (p < 0.005), as well as the need for postoperative mechanical ventilation (25% vs. 12%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Increased availability of PACU beds resulted in reduced utilization of ICU resources without compromising patient care after major noncardiac surgery.     

Choice of primary anesthetic regimen can influence intensive care unit length of stay after coronary surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass

BACKGROUND: Volatile anesthetics protect the myocardium during coronary surgery. This study hypothesized that the use of a volatile agent in the anesthetic regimen would be associated with a shorter intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay (LOS), compared with a total intravenous anesthetic regimen. METHODS: Elective coronary surgery patients were randomly assigned to receive propofol (n = 80), midazolam (n = 80), sevoflurane (n = 80), or desflurane (n = 80) as part of a remifentanil-based anesthetic regimen. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent variables associated with a prolonged ICU LOS. RESULTS: Patient characteristics were similar in all groups. ICU and hospital LOS were lower in the sevoflurane and desflurane groups (P < 0.01). The number of patients who needed a prolonged ICU stay (> 48 h) was also significantly lower (propofol: n = 31; midazolam: n = 34; sevoflurane: n = 10; desflurane: n = 15; P < 0.01). Occurrence of atrial fibrillation, a postoperative troponin I concentration greater than 4 ng/ml, and the need for prolonged inotropic support (> 12 h) were identified as the significant risk factors for prolonged ICU LOS. Postoperative troponin I concentrations and need for prolonged inotropic support were lower in the sevoflurane and desflurane group (P < 0.01). Postoperative cardiac function was also better preserved with the volatile anesthetics. The incidence of other postoperative complications was similar in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: The use of sevoflurane and desflurane resulted in a shorter ICU and hospital LOS. This seemed to be related to a better preservation of early postoperative myocardial function.     

What Happens After Discharge? An Analysis of Long‐Term Survival in Cardiac Surgical Patients Requiring Prolonged Intensive Care

Abstract Background: Cardiac surgical patients with postoperative complications frequently require prolonged intensive care yet survive to hospital discharge. Methods: From January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2007, 11,541 consecutive patients underwent cardiac operations at a single academic institution. Of these, 11,084 (95.9%) survived to hospital discharge and comprised the study sample. Patients were retrospectively categorized into four groups according to intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS): <3 days, three to seven days, 7 to 14 days, and >14 days. Survival at 12 months was determined using the Social Security Death Index. Kaplan–Meier (KM) survival curves and Cox proportional hazards regression modeling (hazard ratio, HR) were used to analyze group differences in survival. Results: One‐year survival among the four groups according to ICU LOS was: <3 days, 97.0% (8407/8666); three to seven days, 91.2% (1481/1625); 7 to 14 days, 87.9% (356/405); and >14 days, 68.3% (265/388) (p < 0.001). Using multivariable regression analysis, adjusted overall mortality was significantly greater in patients with ICU LOS of three to seven days (HR = 1.51), 7 to 14 days (HR = 1.40), and >14 days (HR = 1.90) compared to patients with ICU LOS <3 days. Mortality among patients who survived more than six months postsurgery was significantly greater in patients with ICU LOS of three to seven days (HR = 1.37), 7 to 14 days (HR = 1.34), and >14 days (HR = 1.63). Conclusions: Although cardiac surgery patients with major postoperative complications frequently survive to hospital discharge, survival after discharge is significantly reduced in patients requiring prolonged ICU care. Reduced survival in patients with a high risk of complications and anticipated long ICU stays should be considered when discussing surgical versus nonsurgical options. (J Card Surg 2012;27:13‐19)     

快速康复外科在非小细胞肺癌患者围术期中的应用

目的探讨快速康复外科（fast—track surgery,FTS）在非小细胞肺癌（nonsmall—cell lung cancer,NSCLC）患者围术期中的应用。方法2007年9月至2010年5月对40例NSCLC患者围术期采用FTS模式（PTS组）;同期40例按传统手术外科（conservative treatment surgery,CTS）围术期处理的同种手术患者（CTS组）作对照。比较两组患者术后肺部并发症（肺部感染、肺不张、持续漏气大于7d）的发生率;同时分析两组的心血管事件、外科技术并发症、术后辅助通气时间、手术结束时体温、ICU停留时间（length of stay,LOS）及住院天数等。结果两组患者的年龄、性别、术前肺功能（forced expiratory volume in one second, FEV1 ）以及美国麻醉学会（ American Society of Anethesiologists, ASA）评分等差异无统计学意义。FTS组术后早期肺功能（FEV1）恢复较CTS组快（P〈0．05）,术后肺部并发症的发生率显著减少（34．21％比8．33％,P〈0．05）。两组LOS的中位数相差1d;FTS组住院天数明显低于CTS组,差异有统计学意义[（11．1±3．6）d比（16．6±5．7）d,P〈0．05]。结论FTS模式对NSCLC患者进行围术期处置,可减少术后肺部并发症等的发生率,促进患者早期康复。     

Prediction of prolonged length of stay in the intensive care unit after cardiac surgery: the need for a multi-institutional risk scoring system

Abstract   Background and aim of the study: Predictive models for the length of stay (LOS) in the intensive care unit (ICU) following cardiac surgery have been developed in the last decade. These risk models use different endpoint and risk factor definitions. This review discusses the need for a uniform multi-institutional risk scoring system for a prolonged ICU LOS. Methods: The MEDLINE database was searched for studies assessing the prognostic value of clinical variables predicting ICU LOS. Information on study design, patient population, extended ICU LOS definition, and predictors was retrieved. Results: There is no consensus on the definition of a prolonged ICU LOS. This is mainly because some studies take the continuous variables of "days in the intensive care unit" and try to make it dichotomous when actually the LOS should be analyzed as a "continuous variable." We also report a cardiac surgeon-related component. The most important risk factors were: increased age, no elective surgery, type of cardiac surgery, low left ventricular ejection fraction, recent myocardial infarction, history of pulmonary disease, history of renal disease, and reoperation/reexploration. Conclusions: There is a need for the development of a multi-institutional risk scoring system for prolonged ICU LOS following cardiac surgery. This predictive model could aid in quality assessment, practice improvement, patient counseling, and decision making. In order to develop this risk model, uniformed and standardized definitions are needed.     

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in vascular surgery: increasing prevalence

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a virulent organism that causes substantial infection-related morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. For example, MRSA infection of prosthetic vascular grafts can be limb- and life-threatening in surgical patients. We investigated the incidence of MRSA infection in vascular surgical patients who developed postoperative infectious complications. METHODS: Prospective data (including procedure, nature of complication, and outcome) were collected on all vascular surgery patients (n = 772) over a two-year period from January, 2000, to December, 2001. The study cohort included all patients who developed postoperative complications (n = 119, 15.4%), including infection, unplanned or prolonged intubation, metabolic abnormalities, and myocardial ischemia. Bacteriologic data of all clinical cultures were reviewed and infection-related outcomes were examined. RESULTS: Hospital-acquired infection occurred in 79 (66.4%) of 119 patients who developed postoperative complications. Review of microbiology data (total, 197 bacterial isolates) confirmed that gram-positive organisms were the leading cause of infections, with 120 gram-positive isolates (60.9%). Of the gram-positive isolates, S. aureus was the most common pathogen, isolated in 73 (60.8%) cultures. The single most prevalent organism was MRSA, identified in 42 of 73 (57.5%) of cultures. The site of MRSA infection was confirmed to be the surgical site (54.8%), sputum (17.0%), blood (14.3%), urine (9.5%), peritoneal fluid (2.4%), or catheter insertion site (2.4%). Only four patients had prior MRSA infection or colonization. Prosthetic vascular grafts were placed in 51 (42.9%) of the 119 vascular patients, and 26 patients (51.6%) acquired MRSA infection. Graft removal was required in three patients due to infection (MRSA infection in two patients, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in one patient). Forty percent of patients with MRSA infection required an amputation as their surgical procedure. No patient died of MRSA bacteremia during the study period. Mean hospital length of stay (LOS) was longer in patients with MRSA infection (29.6 d vs. 22.7 days, range 2-174 days, p < 0.05) compared to the total study cohort of vascular patients with postoperative infections. CONCLUSIONS: Methicillin-resistant S. aureus has emerged as the leading cause of postoperative infection in vascular surgery patients, and is associated with substantial morbidity, increased hospital LOS, and higher incidences of amputation and graft removal. Greater emphasis on preoperative screening protocols for MRSA colonization is warranted, in conjunction with aggressive infection control measures, alteration of preoperative prophylactic antimicrobial use in MRSA-colonized patients, and meticulous postoperative surveillance for MRSA infection. Furthermore, antimicrobial treatment of postoperative infectious complications in vascular surgery patients should include empiric coverage for MRSA in institutions where MRSA is endemic.     

A comparison of inhaled nitric oxide and milrinone for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in adult cardiac surgery patients

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relative effects of milrinone and nitric oxide on pulmonary and systemic hemodynamic responses in cardiac surgery patients with a history of pulmonary hypertension. DESIGN: Prospective and randomized. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-five adult cardiac surgery patients. INTERVENTIONS: Cardiac surgery patients with pulmonary hypertension were randomly assigned to one of three study groups: Group 1 patients (n = 15) were treated with intravenous milrinone on separation from cardiopulmonary bypass, group 2 patients (n = 15) with 20 ppm of inhaled nitric oxide, and group 3 patients (n = 15) with 40 ppm of inhaled nitric oxide. Heart rate, right ventricular ejection fraction, and pulmonary vascular resistance were measured throughout the perioperative period at specific data points. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There were no significant differences in demographics, anesthesia, surgery, or baseline hemodynamics among the groups. The group receiving 40 ppm nitric oxide had a significantly higher (p<0.05) right ventricular ejection fraction on arrival in the intensive care unit (40% v. 30% for the milrinone group and 33% for the nitric oxide 20 ppm group). The milrinone group required significantly more phenylephrine in the intensive care unit (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of pulmonary hypertension in adult cardiac surgery patients with inhaled nitric oxide compared with milrinone is associated with lower heart rates, higher right ventricular ejection fraction, and a lower requirement for treatment with vasopressor agents.     

Does gender influence resource utilization in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to examine if gender influences duration of tracheal intubation, blood transfusion needs, intensive care unit length of stay (ICULOS), postoperative length of stay (PLOS), and total length of stay (LOS) in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective study of consecutive patients undergoing OPCAB surgery. SETTING: University teaching hospital. Tertiary care referral center for cardiac surgery. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred seventy-two consecutive male and female patients undergoing OPCAB surgery. There were 110 women and 262 men. INTERVENTIONS: None.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Gender, duration of tracheal intubation, units of blood transfused, ICULOS, PLOS, and LOS were collected from the records of patients undergoing OPCAB surgery at the authors' institution over a period of 16 months. There were a total of 372 patients: 110 women and 262 men. Median intubation time was 4.5 hours for women and 4.0 hours for men (p = 0.749); 59.1% of women received red blood cells versus 31.3% of men (p < 0.001). Median ICU LOS was 1 day for women and 1 day for men (p = 0.597) Median PLOS was 4 days for women and 4 days for men. Median LOS was 8 days for women and 6 days for men (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Female sex was a predictor of increased blood transfusion and longer PLOS and LOS in patients undergoing OPCAB surgery. The study implies that female sex does not predict increased duration of tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation and ICULOS in this group of patients. Females undergoing OPCAB surgery require increased resource utilization as measured by increases in blood transfusion, PLOS, and LOS.     

Is prophylactic minitracheostomy beneficial in high-risk patients undergoing thoracotomy and lung resection?

A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether prophylactic minitracheostomy (PM) is beneficial in high-risk patients undergoing thoracotomy and lung resection. Altogether, 115 papers were found using the reported search, of which four represented the best evidence to answer the question. Three randomised controlled trials (RCT) compared a total of 161 patients who underwent thoracotomy and received either PM or standard postoperative treatment alone. Another non-RCT of 144 patients observed the reduction of toilet bronchoscopy with the increased use of PM. These are summarised in the Table. The studies assessed the benefit of PM inserted immediately after lung resection surgery in patients perceived as at high-risk of developing pulmonary complications. High-risk defined patients as those who smoked, have poor lung function, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, absence/failure of regional analgesia, and/or cerebrovascular accident. In the largest randomised study (102 patients), Bonde et al. [Bonde P, Papachristos I, McCraith A, Kelly B, Wilson C, McGuigan JA, McManus K. Sputum retention after lung operation: prospective randomized trial shows superiority of prophylactic minitracheostomy in high-risk patients. Ann Thorac Surg 2002;74:196-202] concluded that the PM group had a significant reduction in sputum retention and postoperative atelectasis. The authors also reported a reduction in the incidence of pneumonia and toilet bronchoscopy but this did not achieve statistical significance. Issa et al. [Issa MM, Healy DM, Maghur HA, Luke DA. Prophylactic minitracheotomy in lung resection. A randomized controlled study. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1991;101:895-900] were able to demonstrate a significant reduction in the rate of pneumonia in the PM group and Randell et al. [Randell TT, Tierala E, Lep?ntalo MJ, Lindgren L. Prophylactic minitracheostomy: a prospective, random control, clinical trial. Eur J Surg 1991;157:501-504] showed a significant reduction in postoperative atelectasis and toilet bronchoscopy in their PM group. Au et al. [Au J, Walker WS, Inglis D, Cameron EW. Percutaneous cricothyroidostomy (minitracheostomy) for bronchial toilet: results of therapeutic and prophylactic use. Ann Thorac Surg 1989;48:850-852] observed a reduction in toilet bronchoscopy from 9% to 4% in a four-year period; however, the authors could not directly relate this to the use of PM but believed it was likely. None of the studies demonstrated a statistical difference in mortality or intensive care unit or hospital length of 38 stay. All the studies reported some complications associated with minitracheostomy (MT) insertion, the incidence of which ranged from 5.6% to 57%. One percent of 227 patients who received MT in the studies experienced a life-threatening complication, the rest were minor and easily controlled. None of the complications resulted in death.     

Prevention of cardiac complications following non-cardiac surgery

It is the challenging task of the anaesthesiologist as primary peri-operative care provider to identify patients with unstable or high-risk conditions and ensure adequate care prior to, during and following surgery. Approximately 5% of the population undergoing non-cardiac surgery suffer from some form of peri-operative cardiac morbidity. The yearly costs associated with peri-operative cardiac complications can be as high as 2% of the total national health care budget. Active measures to prevent myocardial ischaemia will save more lives than monitoring and waiting until cardiac complications occur. There are no randomized controlled trials showing that prophylactic coronary revascularization reduces the cardiac risk of non-cardiac surgery. The anaesthesiologist has many means to influence the cardiac outcome of non-cardiac surgery. Peri-operative optimization of cardiac medication reduces the incidence of cardiac complications. Pre-operative optimization of high-risk surgical patients in the intensive care unit and prophylactic treatment with β-blockers will reduce the cardiac morbidity and mortality significantly. The use of local or regional anaesthesia techniques may influence the cardiac outcome following non-cardiac surgery. Maintaining the haemoglobin level between 9 and 10 g/ dl (haematocrit 0.28–0.33) and the temperature above 36°C in the peri-operative period will reduce cardiac morbidity and mortality. Future therapies probably consist of drugs that influence the inflammatory process in the atherosclerotic vascular wall, the opioid receptors, the clotting system and the potassium-dependent ATP channel. Ischaemic preconditioning as an intervention to improve cardiac outcome of non-cardiac surgery is a subject for future research.     

Effectiveness of pulmonary artery catheters in aortic surgery: A randomized trial

Purpose: To evaluate the routine use of pulmonary artery catheters (PAC) in patients who undergo aortic surgery. Methods: One hundred twenty patients were randomized to placement of PACs for perioperative monitoring and hemodynamic optimization (tune up) in the intensive care unit on the night before aortic operation, or to intravenous hydration in the ward and perioperative monitoring without PACs. Before randomization, all patients underwent routine adenosine thallium-201 scintigraphy. Results: To meet predetermined endpoints, 30 PAC patients (50%) received nitrates, inotropic agents, or both. PAC patients received more fluid in the preoperative period (p < 0.001) and in the first 24 hours after operation (p = 0.002) than control subjects. Eleven PAC patients (18%) and three control subjects (5%) had adverse intraoperative events (p = 0.02). There were 20 adverse postoperative events in 15 PAC patients (25%; nine cardiac, seven pulmonary, four acute tubular necrosis), which was not different compared with 11 postoperative events in 10 control subjects (17%; five cardiac, five pulmonary, one acute tubular necrosis). There were also no differences in duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit stay, or hospital stay between groups. Postoperative cardiac complications were more common among patients who had a history of congestive heart failure (p = 0.02; odds ratio, 3.75; confidence interval, 1.3 to 11) or reperfusion defects on adenosine thallium scintigraphy (p = 0.01; odds ratio, 3.4; confidence interval, 1.2 to 9.4), regardless of group. Conclusions: Routine use of PACs for perioperative monitoring with the above protocol during aortic surgery is not beneficial and may be associated with a higher rate of intraoperative complications. Preoperative tune up does not prevent postoperative cardiac, renal, and other complications. Variables such as cardiac risk factors and adenosine thallium scintigraphy may be more important predictors of cardiac events in patients who undergo aortic operations. (J Vasc Surg 1998;27:203-12.)     

Laparoscopic versus open colorectal surgery: cost-benefit analysis in a single-center randomized trial

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Studies comparing the costs of colorectal resection by laparoscopic (LPS) and open approaches are small sized or not randomized. The main purpose of this study is to compare the hospital costs of LPS and open colorectal surgery in a large series of randomized patients. METHODS: A total of 517 patients with colorectal disease were randomly assigned to LPS (n = 258) or open (n = 259) resection. The following costs were calculated: surgical instruments, operative room (OR) occupation, routine care, postoperative morbidity, and length of hospital stay (LOS). Follow-up for postoperative morbidity was carried out for 30 days after hospital discharge. RESULTS: Operative time was 37 minutes longer in the LPS group. Overall morbidity rate was 18.2% (47 of 258) in the LPS versus 34.7% (90 of 259) in the open group (P = 0.0005). The mean LOS was 9.9 (2.6) days in the LPS group and 12.4 (3.9) days in the open group (P < 0.0001). The additional OR charge in the LPS group was 1171 per patient randomized (864 due to surgical instruments and 307 due to longer time). The saving in the LPS group was 1046 per patient randomized (401 due to shorter LOS and 645 due to the lower cost of postoperative complications). The net balance resulted in 125 extra cost per patient allocated to the LPS group. CONCLUSIONS: The present cost-benefit analysis showed a slight additional cost in the LPS group. The better postoperative short-term outcome in patients receiving LPS had a key role to nearly balance the operative room charges due to laparoscopy.     

Octogenarians undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: resource utilization, postoperative mortality, and morbidity

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to examine resource utilization in octogenarians undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and compare it with usage in their younger cohorts at a tertiary care heart center. The resources examined were time to extubation, packed red blood cell transfusions, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), and preoperative and postoperative LOS. The study also examined differences in postoperative morbidity and mortality. DESIGN: Retrospective hospital follow-up study of consecutive patients undergoing CABG using a prospectively designed database. SETTING: University teaching tertiary care referral center for cardiac surgery. PARTICIPANTS: Seventeen hundred forty-six male and female patients undergoing CABG surgery, including 155 octogenarians and 1591 patients younger than 80 years. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Demographic, mortality, morbidity, and resource utilization data were collected from the records of patients undergoing CABG at the authors' institution over 3 years. There were 1746 patients: 155 octogenarians and 1591 nonoctogenarians. Octogenarians had a significantly higher incidence of preoperative stroke, peripheral vascular disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, congestive heart failure, and left main disease. They weighed significantly less, and had lower preoperative and postoperative hematocrit. There was a significantly higher percentage of women in the octogenarian group. Mean time from the end of surgery to endotracheal extubation was 9.3 hours for octogenarians and 6.3 hours for their younger cohorts (p < 0.001). Blood transfusion was required in 88.4% of octogenarians compared with 58.6% of nonoctogenarians (p < 0.001). Mean ICU LOS was 1.9 days for octogenarians and 1.4 days for nonoctogenarians (p < 0.001). Mean postoperative LOS was 8.7 days for octogenarians and 5.8 days for nonoctogenarians (p < 0.001). Clinical and demographic variables were correlated with age 80 years or older. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were constructed to show the combined effects of age and comorbid conditions on outcomes. Octogenarians had a significantly higher incidence of postoperative renal failure and neurologic complications. The 30-day mortality rate was 9.0% for the octogenarian group v 1.2% for the younger group (p < 0.001). Age 80 years or older was significantly associated with outcome, and was an independent predictor of increased resource utilization and postoperative mortality and morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that octogenarians undergoing CABG required increased resource utilization and had significantly higher morbidity, with increased incidence of postoperative renal failure, neurologic complications, and 30- day mortality. Age 80 years or older was an independent predictor of increased resource utilization, postoperative morbidity, and mortality.