Manutenção da anestesia inalatória com a máscara facial Janus para substituição de válvula aórtica transcateter: uma série de casos

Background and objectives

Aortic stenosis is the most common type of heart valve disease. Percutaneous aortic valve replacement has become the alternative for patients considered at high risk for surgery. Controlled mechanical ventilation with tracheal intubation has been the choice for this type of procedure, however the use of noninvasive ventilation in cardiac patients has shown to be beneficial. Janus is a novel full‐face mask that allows application of noninvasive ventilation support during anesthesia. Our main objective was to evaluate the feasibility of transcatheter aortic valve replacement with prolonged transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring under deep inhalational sedation delivered through a new mask for noninvasive ventilation.

Boarding ICU patients: Are our rounding practices subpar?

Introduction

Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) patients “boarding” in ICUs other than the designated home unit have been shown to suffer increased rates of complications. We hypothesized that ICU rounding practices are different when SICU patients are housed in home vs. boarding ICUs.

1000 trasplantes hepáticos consecutivos. Análisis descriptivo y evolución de un centro

Between 1991 and 2013, 1,000 liver transplantations were performed at Virgen del Rocio Hospital (Seville, Spain). A retrospective study was conducted, analyzing the characteristics of recipients and donors, indications, surgical technique, complications and survival in 2 different stages (1991-2002 vs. 2003-2013) coinciding with the implementation of the MELD scale as a prioritization model. The most frequent indication were of hepatopathy of hepatocellular origin in 48.8%. There was a significant increase in the indications for hepatocarcinoma (8.6% and 24.1% P = 0.03), and the rate of retransplantation (5.9% vs 9.6%, P = 0.04). There was a change in the age of donation, going from 27.7 years in 1990 to 62.9 years in 2012 (P = 0.001). The percentage of patients who did not require blood transfusion doubled (6.16 vs. 14.31%, P = .001). Survival of all patients after one, 5 and 10 years was 77, 63.5 and 51.3%, respectively.     

Laparoscopic Treatment of Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome: Analysis of Long-Term Outcomes and Predictive Factors

Background

Laparoscopic arcuate ligament release has been demonstrated a valid therapeutic option for arcuate ligament syndrome. Nevertheless, long-term follow-up and predictive factors have not been described for this treatment.

Methods

Clinical and surgical data and short- and long-term outcomes together with the impact of the degree of stenosis of the celiac trunk were analyzed in 13 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic arcuate ligament release between 2001 and 2013.

Results

Thirteen patients (12 F/1 M) underwent surgery. The median age was 32 years old, and their mean body mass index was 20.7 (range 14.7–25). The 13 patients presented with intense postprandial abdominal pain. Ten cases were associated with weight loss. The median duration of symptoms was 24 months (range 2–240). Three patients presented symptoms associated with superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Median operative time was 120 min (range 90–240), and there were no conversions to open surgery. Median hospital stay was 3 days (range 2–14). Over a median follow-up of 117 months (range 45–185), nine patients had excellent results although two required endovascular procedures at 70 and 24 months after surgery. Four patients (30.7%) experienced poor outcomes. When we analyzed the impact of the degree of occlusion of the celiac trunk, we observed that in patients with severe occlusion (>?70%), better results were obtained, with complete resolution of symptoms in 71% of cases.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic arcuate ligament release constitutes an excellent treatment for arcuate ligament syndrome. The degree of occlusion of the celiac trunk may be a factor predictive of long-term outcomes.