Successful weaning from extracorporal circulation using a pumpless extracorporal lung assist device in a patient with intraoperative hypercapnic lung failure during aortic valve replacement

We present a case of a 59-year-old female suffering from massive pulmonary edema with consecutive hypercapnic lung failure immediately following elective aortic valve replacement. Due to severe restrictive ventilation disorder, mechanical ventilation was inadequate. A pumpless lung assist (PECLA, iLA, Novalung®, Talheim, Germany)--a device for extracorporeal carbon dioxide elimination--was used for successful weaning from extracorporeal circulation (ECC). Within 24 hours respiratory function had normalized and the patient could be extubated. The further clinical course and follow-up at 3 months remained uneventful. This report describes the first intraoperative use of the PECLA device in a cardiac surgery patient to promote weaning from ECC.

Female gender does not increase perioperative risk in coronary bypass surgery

INTRODUCTION

Female gender has been identified as an independent risk factor for perioperative mortality in several risk scores for cardiac surgery. Since no explanation has been given for this, this study aimed to evaluate potential differences in the distribution of other risk factors between the genders.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

10 714 consecutive coronary bypass patients were analyzed retrospectively. The distribution of the risk factors as used in the EuroSCORE was evaluated. Diabetes mellitus was added to the analysis as an additional risk factor. Patients aged between 60 and 70 years without any additional risk factors were directly compared in a subgroup analysis. Statistical analysis was done using the T-test or chi-square test where appropriate.

RESULTS

Female patients were significantly older compared to male ones (69.1 ± 8.5 vs. 65.4 ± 4 years, P < 0.05). The distribution of the analyzed risk factors did not differ except for diabetes mellitus: female patients were more likely to present with diabetes (42 % vs. 29 %, P < 0.05) and in diabetic patients, the incidence of insulin dependency was higher in female patients (50 % vs. 33 %, P < 0.05). Overall perioperative mortality was higher in female patients (2.7 % vs. 1.8 %, P < 0.05). This difference increased when diabetes was present (3.9 % vs. 1.8 %, P < 0.05) and was even higher in insulin-dependent patients (4.9 % vs. 1.9 %, P < 0.05). However, when adjusting for age and diabetes, the differences were reduced. This was most evident when subgroups of age-adjusted patients without any additional risk factors were analyzed: no gender-specific difference in perioperative mortality was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Female gender itself did not present as an independent risk factor. The presence of diabetes mellitus increased the risk in female patients significantly more than in male patients. The higher prevalence of diabetes in female patients in combination with the older age at presentation might result in the higher overall mortality observed in female patients compared to men.

Combined cardiac surgical procedures in octogenarians: operative outcome

INTRODUCTION

The number of patients with an indication for cardiac surgery in their ninth decade of life is increasing. This study analyses the single-center results with combined and redo cardiac surgical procedures in octogenarians retrospectively.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Three groups were evaluated: (I) Two hundred and thirty six patients with combined cardiac surgical procedures, mean age 83.1 +/- 2.5 years, 107 male (129 female). Combined aortic valve replacement (AVR) and aorto coronary bypass (ACB) was done in 215, double valve replacement (DVR) in 21. (II) AVR + ACB-group: 215 patients out of group I. (III) Control group consisting of 124 patients with a mean age of 74.1 +/- 2.8 years (range 70-79.9 years) who received combined AVR and ACB. Risk stratification was done using the additive and logistic Euro-score; values are given as mean +/- standard deviation and were compared using either the t-test or the Chi-square test.

RESULTS

The observed mortality in group I was 9.3%. Re-intubation was observed in 10.2% and was one major risk factor for in-hospital mortality. As second risk factor, DVR could be identified. 14.8% required hemodialysis postoperatively, but this affected only the length of stay on intensive care unit (ICU) but not mortality. When comparing group II with group III, mortality was higher (10% vs. 4%), the need for hemodialysis was more frequent (16.3% vs. 4.9%), and the incidence of postoperative psycho-syndromes was also higher (26% vs. 8.1%, all: P < 0.05). The duration of ventilation (2.7 +/- 7.7 vs. 1.6 +/- 4.3 days) and the length of stay on ICU (8.2 +/- 8.8 vs. 5.7 +/- 6.4) were longer without reaching statistical significance (P > 0.05). The Euro-score overestimated the real mortality in all groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Octogenarians requiring combined cardiac surgical procedures required more resources and had a higher in-hospital mortality compared to younger patients. The observed in-hospital mortality was much lower than the predicted justifying the indication for surgical therapy in these patients. Patient selection, however, seems to be important but the Euro-score alone was rather ineffective in predicting poor outcome.

Mechanical Aortic and Mitral Valve Replacement in Infants and Children

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate early and late outcomes after mechanical systemic heart valve replacement in pediatric patients.

METHODS

Between October 1981 and December 2003, 32 children (mean age 7.2 +/- 5.4 years; 4 months - 15.9 years) underwent mechanical mitral (MVR, n = 17), aortic (AVR, n = 13) or double valve replacement (DVR, n = 2) with St. Jude Medical valves. Twenty-two patients (69 %) had undergone previous cardiac surgery. Anticoagulation self-management was used since 1995.

RESULTS

The operative mortality was 3.1 %. Perioperative complications were complete heart block (n = 5), ventricular fibrillation (n = 1) and myocardial infarction (n = 1) and were exclusively related to patients with MVR. Mean calculated valve size ratio (geometric prosthesis orifice area/normal valve size area) was 1.72 (1.07 - 2.85) for AVR and 1.4 (0.88 - 3.12) for MVR. Mean follow-up was 9.1 +/- 6.6 years (range 0.4 - 23.2 years, cumulative 283 patient-years). There were two late deaths in patients with MVR. Actuarial survival after 10 years was 93.8 %. Late complications were endocarditis (n = 2), minor hemorrhagic event (n = 1), and stroke (n = 1). Anticoagulation self-management is well accepted by all patients/parents. Overall 10-year freedom from any anticoagulation-related adverse event with phenprocoumon was 89.1 % (1.2 %/patient year). Nine patients required reoperations: redo-MVR (outgrowth of prostheses (n = 3), pannus overgrowth (n = 2), closure of paravalvular leak after AVR (n = 2), partial aortic valve thrombosis (n = 1) and redo-DVR (n = 1 for endocarditis). Freedom from reoperation after 10 years was 80.9 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Mechanical valve prostheses are a valuable option for left-sided heart valve replacement in pediatric patients. Perioperative morbidity was exclusively related to patients with MVR. Oversizing was often possible to avoid early reoperation for outgrowth. The operative mortality and long-term morbidity are acceptable. Anticoagulation self-management is safe and well accepted.