Acute subdural hematoma after aortic surgery: a retrospective comparative study

Perioperative EEG background and discharge abnormalities in children undergoing cardiac surgery: a prospective single-centre observational study

BACKGROUND

We analysed the characteristics of abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns before, during, and 48 h after cardiac surgery in patients with heterogeneous congenital heart disease to assess their relationship to demographic and perioperative variables and to early patient outcomes.

METHODS

In 437 patients enrolled in a single centre, EEG was evaluated for background (including sleep-wake cycle) and discharge (seizures, spikes/sharp waves, pathological delta brushes) abnormalities. Clinical data (arterial blood pressure, doses of inotropic drugs, and serum lactate concentrations) were recorded every 3 h. Postoperative brain MRI was performed before discharge.

RESULTS

Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative EEG was monitored in 139, 215, and 437 patients, respectively. Patients with a degree of preoperative background abnormalities (n=40) had more severe intraoperative and postoperative EEG abnormalities (P<0.0001). Intraoperatively, 106/215 (49.3%) patients progressed into an isoelectric EEG. Longer durations of isoelectric EEG were associated with more severe postoperative EEG abnormalities and brain injury on MRI (Ps≤0.003). Postoperative background abnormalities occurred in 218/437 (49.9%) patients, and 119 (54.6%) of them had not recovered after surgery. Seizures occurred in 36/437 (8.2%) patients, spikes/sharp waves in 359/437 (82.2%), and pathological delta brushes in 9/437 (2.0%). Postoperative EEG abnormalities correlated with degree of brain injury on MRI (Ps≤0.02). Demographic and perioperative variables were significantly correlated with postoperative EEG abnormalities, which in turn correlated with adverse clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative EEG abnormalities occurred frequently and correlated with numerous demographic and perioperative variables and adversely correlated with postoperative EEG abnormalities and early outcomes. The relation of EEG background and discharge abnormalities with long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes remains to be explored.

Neurosurgical Treatment of Patients with Posterior Fossa Acute Subdural Hematoma Right after Cardiac Surgery

As posterior fossa acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) right after cardiac surgery is extremely rare, the clinical course and optimal treatment strategy remain undetermined. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with posterior fossa ASDH right after cardiac surgery requiring neurosurgical treatment at our institution over a 7-year period and, in this study, discussed the neurosurgical strategy and clinical course. Collected data included clinical history, laboratory results, time course, symptoms, neurosurgical treatment, outcome at discharge, and imaging studies. All six patients were women who had no history of head trauma and had received antithrombotic therapy during the perioperative period of cardiac surgery. All patients showed lower platelets count and were diagnosed with ASDH within 3 days (longest time 64 h) right after cardiac surgery. After discontinuation of anticoagulation therapy and administration of reversal agents, they underwent emergency hematoma evacuation craniotomy (n = 5) or burr hole drainage surgery (n = 1), which were performed in the prone (n = 4) or lateral (n = 2) positions. Four of these patients showed favorable outcomes, and two showed poor outcomes. One of the poor-outcome patients received three antithrombotic therapies, and another developed rapidly progressive ASDH. Posterior fossa ASDH associated with antithrombotic therapy right after cardiac surgery is frequently found in women, and emergent neurosurgical treatment with anticoagulation discontinuation and reversal agent administration can be performed safely. Burr hole drainage surgery might be acceptable in nonsevere cases. By contrast, we must pay attention to cases receiving both anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs and rapid progression cases.

Postoperative Stroke After Type A Aortic Dissection Repair: Hemorrhage Versus Ischemia

BACKGROUND

Postoperative stroke is a severe and potentially disabling complication following surgical intervention for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). This retrospective study aims to compare the early and late outcomes between patients who had hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke after undergoing ATAAD repair surgery.

METHODS

Between January 2007 and June 2020, a total of 685 consecutive patients underwent ATAAD repair at our institution. Patients who had a preoperative stroke or were unconscious at presentation were excluded from this study. Of the 656 included for analysis, 102 (15.5%) patients had a postoperative stroke confirmed by computed tomography angiography. The strokes were classified into the ischemia group (n = 83, 12.7%) and hemorrhage group (n = 19, 2.9%). Clinical features, surgical information, postoperative complications, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores after discharge, and 5-year cumulative survival rates were compared.

RESULTS

Demographics, comorbidities, and presentations of ATAAD were similar between the two groups, except a higher rate of preoperative antithrombotic medication was found in the hemorrhage group. The hemorrhage group was associated with a higher complexity of aortic arch replacement, longer cardiopulmonary bypass, and aortic clamping times than the ischemia group. A higher in-hospital mortality rate (42.1% versus 20.5%; p = 0.048) and a higher median mRS score at the 3-month follow-up after discharge (6[3-6] versus 4[2-6]; p = 0.027) were found in the hemorrhage group. The hemorrhage group showed a lower 5-year cumulative survival rate (23.4% versus 57.8%; p = 0.003) compared with the ischemia group.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative hemorrhagic stroke was associated with poorer neurological outcomes and lower survival rates than those with ischemic stroke. Patients who have complex arch replacement, long cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic clamping times are at risk for postoperative hemorrhagic stroke and should have intensive neurological surveillance for early diagnosis and treatment after ATAAD repair surgery.

Acute Subdural Hematoma Complicating Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia: A Case Report

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an antibody-mediated drug reaction to heparin use that causes platelet aggregation, followed by thrombocytopenia. Despite the thrombocytopenia, the main complications of HIT are thromboembolic in nature rather than hemorrhagic, and in particular, intracranial hemorrhage is rare. Herein, we describe a case of atraumatic acute subdural hematoma secondary to HIT, which was treated by platelet transfusion and surgery. A 77-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for the treatment of severe aortic valve stenosis. Unfractionated heparin was administered during the preoperative period and during the aortic valve replacement surgery. Three days after the cardiac surgery, the patient presented with coma consistent with an acute subdural hematoma in the posterior fossa and obstructive hydrocephalus. Laboratory examination revealed a marked decrease of the platelet count to 40000/µL, and subsequent serological assay confirmed the diagnosis of HIT. The patient was treated by transfusion of platelets and fresh frozen plasma, and surgical removal of the hematoma. We started the administration of argatroban for substitution of heparin 4 days after the craniotomy. On day 13 after the neurosurgery, the patient developed cerebral infarction due to left middle cerebral artery occlusion and persistent right hemiparesis. We presented a rare case of the patient who developed acute subdural hematoma complicating HIT. Emergency craniotomy was successfully performed after administering platelet transfusions. Our experience with the present case suggests that platelet transfusions may be effective for performing emergency surgery for intracranial hemorrhage, even in patients with HIT.

Life-threatening subdural hematoma after aortic valve replacement in a patient with Heyde syndrome: a case report

Background

Heyde syndrome is known as a triad of calcific aortic stenosis, anemia due to gastrointestinal bleeding from angiodysplasia, and acquired type 2A von Willebrand disease. This acquired hemorrhagic disorder is characterized by the loss of the large von Willebrand factor multimers due to the shear stress across the diseased aortic valve. The most frequently observed type of bleeding in these patients is mucosal or skin bleeding, such as epistaxis, followed by gastrointestinal bleeding. On the other hand, intracranial hemorrhage complicating Heyde syndrome is extremely rare.

Case presentation

A 77-year-old woman presented to our hospital with severe aortic stenosis and severe anemia due to gastrointestinal bleeding and was diagnosed with Heyde syndrome. Although aortic valve replacement was performed without recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding, postoperative life-threatening acute subdural hematoma occurred with a marked midline shift. Despite prompt surgical evacuation of the hematoma, she did not recover consciousness and she died 1 month after the operation.

Conclusions

Postoperative subdural hematoma is rare, but it should be kept in mind as a devastating hemorrhagic complication, especially in patients with Heyde syndrome.