Postoperative pulmonary complications updating

Assessing the accuracy of the revised Cardiac Risk Index compared to the American Society of Anaesthesiologists physical status classification in predicting Pulmonary and Cardiac complications among non-cardiothoracic surgery patients at Muhimbili National Hospital: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) and the American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA-PS) classification system are two commonly used tools for preoperative risk assessment. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of RCRI compared to the ASA-PS classification system in preoperative risk assessment for pulmonary and cardiac problems among non-cardiothoracic surgery patients admitted at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH).

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study design conducted from August 2022 to April 2023 among 184 patients of 18 years and above admitted at MNH for elective non-cardiothoracic surgery. Data Analysis was conducted using STATA software version 16. Means and standard deviations were used to summarize continuous data. Frequencies and percentages were used to summarize categorical data. The logistic regression and ROC curve analysis were used to determine the correlation between variables.

RESULTS

The majority of patients (43.3%) had an RCRI score of 1 point, and 39.9% were classified as ASA class 1. Patients in ASA classes 3 and 4 had higher odds of developing cardiac and pulmonary complications (AUC = 0.75 and 0.77, respectively). Patients with an RCRI score of 2 or ≥ 3 points were also more likely to experience cardiac and pulmonary complications (AUC = 0.73 and 0.72, respectively). There was no significant difference in the predictive ability of the two tools. Both RCRI and ASA-PS classification systems were equally effective in predicting these complications.

CONCLUSION

Both the RCRI and the ASA-PS classification system demonstrated good predictive ability for cardiac and pulmonary complications among patients undergoing non-cardiothoracic surgery.

Ability of the integrated pulmonary index to predict impending respiratory events in the early postoperative period

BACKGROUND

In the early postoperative period, respiratory compromise is a significant problem. Standard-of-care monitoring includes respiratory rate (RR) and pulse oximetry, which are helpful; however, low SpO₂ is often a late sign during decompensation. The FDA-approved Capnostream-20p monitor records four variables (SpO₂, RR, End-tidal CO₂, heart rate), which are combined by fuzzy logic into a single, unit-less value (range 1-10) called the integrated pulmonary index (IPI). No published studies have assessed the performance of a low IPI to predict impending respiratory events.

METHODS

In this investigator-initiated study, adult patients undergoing general anesthesia were monitored with the Capnostream-20p monitor for up to 2 h during their recovery room stay. The study coordinator, who along with clinicians, was blinded to IPI values, recorded the time of any respiratory event, defined a priori as any one of eight respiratory-related interventions/conditions. The primary sensitivity endpoint (early detection success) was defined as at least 80% of events predicted by at least 2 consecutive low IPI (≤ 7) values within 2-15 min before an event occurred. Late detection was defined as low IPI values occurring with 2 min prior to or 2 min after the event occurred.

DISCUSSION

Of 358 patients, ≥ 1 respiratory event occurred in 183 (51.1%) patients. Of 802 total events, 606 were detected early (within 2-15 min prior to the event), and 653 were detected either early or late. Therefore, the sensitivity for early detection was 75.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 72.6-78.5%), which differed significantly from the 80% sensitivity goal by 4.4% (p = 0.0016). Sensitivity for total success (early or late) was 81.4% (95% CI: 78.7-84.1%), which was significantly different from the 90% on time sensitivity goal by 8.6% (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

A low IPI was 75.6% sensitive for early detection (within 2-15 min) prior to respiratory events but did not achieve our preset threshold of 80% for success.

Post-operative pulmonary complications after thoracic and upper abdominal procedures at referral hospitals in Amhara region, Ethiopia: a multi-center study

Background

Thoraco-abdominal surgery cuts through muscle, disrupting the normal structure and function of the respiratory muscles, resulting in lower lung volumes and a higher risk of developing post-operative pulmonary complications (PPC). PPC remains an important cause of post-operative morbidity and mortality and impacts the long-term outcomes of patients after hospital discharge. This study was aimed at determining the incidence and factors associated with postoperative pulmonary complications among patients who underwent thoracic and upper abdominal surgery in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.

Methods

A multi-center follow-up study was conducted from April 1, 2022, to June 30, 2022, at comprehensive specialized hospitals in Amhara regional state, northwest Ethiopia. 424 patients were consecutively included in this study, with a response rate of 100%. A chart review and patient interview were used to collect data. A logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the strength of the association of independent variables with postoperative pulmonary complications.The crude odds ratio (COR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval were computed. Variables with a p-value of <0.05 were considered statistically significant predictors of the outcome variable.

Results

The incidence of postoperative pulmonary complication was 24.5%. Emergency procedures, preoperative SpO₂ < 94%, duration of surgery >2 h, patients with a nasogastric tube, intraoperative blood loss >500 ml and post-operative albumin <3.5 g/dl were factors associated with pulmonary complications. The most common complications were pneumonia (9.9%) followed by respiratory infection (4.2%).

Conclusion

The incidence of postoperative pulmonary complication after thoracic and upper abdominal surgery remains high. Preoperative SpO₂, duration of surgery, patients having a nasogastric tube, intraoperative blood loss and post-operative albumin were factors associated with post-operative pulmonary complications.

Comparison of the effects of neostigmine and sugammadex on postoperative residual curarization and postoperative pulmonary complications by means of diaphragm and lung ultrasonography: a study protocol for prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial

Background

Postoperative residual curarization (PORC) may be a potential risk factor of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), and both of them will lead to adverse consequences on surgical patient recovery. The train-of-four ratio (TOFr) which is detected by acceleromyography of the adductor pollicis is thought as the gold standard for the measurement of PORC. However, diaphragm function recovery may differ from that of the peripheral muscles. Recent studies suggested that diaphragm ultrasonography may be useful to reveal the diaphragm function recovery, and similarly, lung ultrasound was reported for the assessment of PPCs in recent years as well. Sugammadex reversal of neuromuscular blockade is rapid and complete, and there appear to be fewer postoperative complications than with neostigmine. This study aims to compare the effects of neostigmine and sugammadex, on PORC and PPCs employing diaphragm and lung ultrasonography, respectively.

Methods/design

In this prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, patients of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status I–III, aged over 60, will be enrolled. They will be scheduled to undergo arthroplasty under general anesthesia. All patients will be allocated randomly into two groups, group NEO (neostigmine) and group SUG (sugammadex), using these two drugs for reversing rocuronium. The primary outcome of the study is the incidence of PPCs in the NEO and SUG groups. The secondary outcomes are the evaluation of diaphragm ultrasonography and lung ultrasound, performed by an independent sonographer before anesthesia, and at 10 min and 30 min after extubation in the post-anesthesia care unit, respectively.

Discussion

Elimination of PORC is a priority at the emergence of anesthesia, and it may be associated with reducing postoperative complications like PPCs. Sugammadex was reported to be superior to reverse neuromuscular blockade than neostigmine. Theoretically, complete recovery of neuromuscular function should be indicated by TOFr > 0.9. However, the diaphragm function recovery may not be the same matter, which probably harms pulmonary function. The hypothesis will be proposed that sugammadex is more beneficial than neostigmine to reduce the incidence of PPCs and strongly favorable for the recovery of diaphragm function in our study setting.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05040490. Registered on 3 September 2021

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13063-022-06328-3.

Application of and Clinical Research on Enhanced Recovery After Surgery in Perioperative Care of Patients With Supratentorial Tumors

PURPOSE

This study intends to explore the safety and effectiveness of the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in the perioperative care of patients with supratentorial tumors.

METHODS

A total of 151 supratentorial tumor patients were enrolled in this study, and they were divided into control group (n = 75) and observation group (n = 76) according to the random number table method. Patients in the control group received routine neurosurgery care, and patients in the observation group received enhanced recovery after surgery care. The incidence of perioperative complications, postoperative hospital stays, early postoperative eating time, catheter removal time, and time to get out of bed were observed for the two groups of patients, and the quality of postoperative recovery was evaluated.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in the basic data of the two groups of patients, such as age, gender, lesion location, and condition (P>0.05), and they were comparable. The observation group's postoperative eating time, catheter removal time, and time to get out of bed were significantly earlier than those of the control group. Postoperative hospital stays and hospitalization expenses were less than those of the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in postoperative hospital stay between the two groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Applying the ERAS concept to implement perioperative care for patients with supratentorial tumors is safe and effective. It can not only reduce after-surgical stress and accelerate postoperative recovery, but also shorten hospital stays and reduce hospital costs. It is worthy of clinical application.

Prediction of postoperative pulmonary complications using preoperative controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) significantly impact surgical outcome. We investigated the predictive ability of controlling nutritional status (CONUT) for PPC after lung resection in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We retrospectively reviewed data of 922 patients with NSCLC who underwent complete resection from January 2016–December 2017. We analyzed the frequency and characteristics of PPCs and compared receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of various prognostic models to predict PPCs. A CONUT score higher than 1 was considered as a high CONUT score. Total incidence of PPCs was 8.6% (n = 79). The proportion of pneumonia was significantly larger in the high CONUT group (P < 0.05). The CONUT consistently had a higher area under curve (AUC) value (0.64) than other prognostic models (prognostic nutritional index (PNI): AUC = 0.61, Glasgow prognostic score (GPS): AUC = 0.57, and assessment of respiratory risk in surgical patients in Catalonia (ARISCAT): AUC = 0.54). Multivariate analysis identified underweight [Odds ratio (OR) = 4.57, P = 0.002] and high CONUT score (OR = 1.91, P = 0.009) as independent PPCs prognostic factors. One-year mortality rate for high CONUT score was significantly higher (hazard ratio = 7.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.78–35.59). Preoperative CONUT score is an independent predictor of PPCs and 1-year mortality in patients with resectable NSCLC.

Predicting Pulmonary Complications Following Upper and Lower Abdominal Surgery: ASA vs. ARISCAT Risk Index

Objective

Postoperative pulmonary complications (POPC) account for a substantial proportion of risk related to surgery and anaesthesia. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification and the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia (ARISCAT) risk index correlate well with POPC. Here, we compared their accuracy in predicting pulmonary complications following upper and lower abdominal surgery.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients undergoing upper and lower abdominal surgery. We collected patients’ demographic data, comorbidities, preoperative pulmonary risk score, laboratory results, surgical data, respiratory tract infection history within one month before surgery, surgical urgency, ASA scores and pulmonary complications within one month after the surgery.

Results

We evaluated 241 patients [upper abdominal surgery (UAS) n=121; lower abdominal surgery (LAS) n=120; mean age 55.7±3.1 years]. In the UAS, 55.8% of the patients were male. In LAS, all patients were female. In both groups, the most common POPC was pleural effusion with compressive atelectasis (CA). Regarding risk score, in both groups, patients with high-risk developed a higher rate of pulmonary complications [UAS (50%), LAS (40%)]. In patients with low-risk scores, the rate of pulmonary complications was significantly lower than the intermediate and high-risk groups (p<0.001). A positive correlation was observed between preoperative risk score and complications (UAS r=0.34; LAS r=0.35 p<0.05). No association was observed between the ASA scores and POPC (p=0.8).

Conclusion

The ASA classification was found to be a weaker modality than ARİSCAT risk index to predict pulmonary complications after the upper and lower abdominal surgeries.

N-Acetylcysteine inhalation improves pulmonary function in patients received liver transplantation

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. The effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) inhalation on the incidence of PPCs and the outcomes of patients undergoing OLT is unknown. This prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted to investigate the effect of NAC inhalation during OLT on PPCs. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to the NAC group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30) to receive inhaled NAC or sterilized water, respectively, for 30 min before surgery and 3 h after reperfusion. The incidence of early PPCs and outcomes including survival rate were assessed. Biomarkers including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-8, Clara cell secretory protein (CC16), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) at T1 (before surgery) and T2 (at the end of operation) as well as in serum at T1, T2, T3 (12 h after operation), and T4 (24 h after operation). A total of 42 patients (20 in the NAC group and 22 in the control group) were enrolled in the final analysis. Atomization inhaled NAC significantly reduced the incidence of PPCs after OLT. The levels of TNF-α, IL-8, CC16, and ICAM-1 in EBC were significantly lower, and SOD activity was higher, at T2 in the NAC group; similar data were found in serum at T2, T3, and T4. In summary, perioperative NAC inhalation may reduce the incidence of PPCs and improve patient outcomes after OLT.

Retrospective Comparative Study on Postoperative Pulmonary Complications After Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Using the Melbourne Group Scale (MGS-2) Diagnostic Criteria

Background

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are associated with poor postoperative survival. However, there are no standard criteria for diagnosis of PPCs. This retrospective study aimed to explore the reliability of the Melbourne Group Scale version 2 (MGS-2) for determining PPCs after OLT.

Material/Methods

A total of 121 patients were divided into 3 groups. In the PPC and non-PPC groups, PPCs were determined to be present or absent in accordance with both the MGS-2 and the conventional broad criteria for diagnosis of PPCs; in the potential-PPC group, PPCs were determined to be present only in accordance with the conventional broad criteria. The perioperative risk factors for PPCs and prognosis of patients in potential-PPC group were all compared with non-PPC groups and PPC groups.

Results

The preoperative characteristics of patients in the potential-PPC group were similar to those in non-PPC group. The length of intensive care unit stay (2.26±0.22 vs. 4.75±0.47 days; P=0.017), duration of hospitalization (33.33±1.70 vs. 48.78±2.53 days; P<0.001), and treatment cost (28.01±1.78 vs. 38.35±1.85×10 000 yuan; P=0.018) were significantly less in the potential-PPC group than in the PPC group. Furthermore, in accordance with the MGS-2 criteria for diagnosis of PPCs, patients with PPCs showed poorer overall survival rates than those without (P=0.038).

Conclusions

The MGS-2 appears to be a more suitable and reliable tool for diagnosis of PPCs and to identify the post-OLT patients with poorer perioperative characteristics and prognosis.

[Analysis of Postoperative Complications and Risk Factors of Patients with Lung Cancer through Clavien-Dindo Classification]

背景与目的

术后并发症是肺切除术后患者死亡的重要原因。在本研究中，我们应用Clavien-Dindo并发症分级系统对肺癌术后并发症按照严重程度进行分级，并分析术后并发症的发生率，探讨不同分级术后并发症的危险因素。

方法

回顾性分析2013年6月-2014年12月四川大学华西医院胸外科966例行肺叶切除术的肺癌患者，依据术后30 d内是否发生并发症将此966例患者分为并发症组与无并发症组；同时根据Clavien-Dindo分级系统将并发症分为4级，并针对不同分级的并发症进行危险因素分析。

结果

966例患者中，并发症组占15.0%（145/966），发生总数380次；依据Clavien-Dindo分级系统将此380次并发症进行分级，其中Ⅰ级、Ⅱ级、Ⅲ级、Ⅳ级及以上分别占6.8%、75.3%、15.0%和2.9%。Logistic回归分析结果显示术前第1秒用力呼气容积（forded expiratory volume in one second, FEV₁）、肺一氧化碳弥散量（diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide of the lung single breath, DLco SB）及术前合并慢性阻塞性肺疾病（chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD）是术后并发症的独立危险因素；其中术前FEV₁是Ⅰ级、Ⅱ级、Ⅲ级及以上并发症的独立危险因素。

结论

在Clavien-Dindo分级系统下，Ⅱ级并发症在术后30天内最常见；FEV₁与术后并发症的发生密切相关，可作为评估术后并发症发生风险的可靠指标之一。

Incidência e fatores de complicações pulmonares pós-operatórias em pacientes submetidos à cirurgias de tórax e abdome

RESUMO Objetivos: avaliar a incidência de complicações pulmonares pós-operatórias em pacientes submetidos à cirurgias de tórax e abdome e os principais fatores envolvidos. Métodos: estudo analítico observacional prospectivo dos pacientes submetidos à cirurgias de tórax e abdome no Hospital Santo Antônio de Blumenau, SC. Os dados foram coletados dos prontuários eletrônicos e através de entrevistas estruturadas com os pacientes. Foram avaliados dados relativos às características dos pacientes e da cirurgia. A variável de desfecho foi a ocorrência de complicações pulmonares pós-operatórias. Resultados: foram estudados 314 pacientes, 65,6% do sexo feminino, com média de idade de 46,61 anos, 51,6% classificados como ASA II. Cirurgias por vídeo foram realizadas em 55,7% dos casos, abdominais em 85,4% e 61,5% dos procedimentos foram classificados como potencialmente contaminadas e de porte médio. O tempo médio de cirurgia foi de 126,65 minutos e os pacientes ficaram internados em média por 2,59 dias. A incidência de complicações pulmonares pós-operatórias foi de 11,5%. As complicações mais comuns foram a insuficiência respiratória, o derrame pleural e a pneumonia. Os fatores de risco mais importantes para estas complicações foram diabetes, internação hospitalar por mais de cinco dias e presença de doença pulmonar prévia. Os pacientes submetidos às cirurgias por vídeo apresentaram menor incidência de complicações. Conclusão: as complicações pulmonares pós-operatórias são frequentes e os fatores associados a maior risco foram diabetes, internação prolongada e presença de doença pulmonar prévia.