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Cerebral microcirculatory changes in rat with a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) at normothermia was investigated in relation to cerebrovascular disorders caused by surgical operation with CPB. The mean arterial pressure was changed from 50 to 200 mmHg by changing the pump flow-rate. A non-pulsatile flow model was developed by stopping the cardiac beat using a fibrillator. The pial microcirculation was visualized using fluorescence-labeled red cells and dextran, and was directly observed under a fluorescence videomicroscope during CPB. Based on the recorded videoimages, the arteriolar diameter and red cell velocity were measured, in which single arterioles with approximately 40 µm diameter were selected among the pial arterioles. It was shown that when the arterial pressure was changed: (1) arteriolar vasodilation or constriction appeared during pulsatile flow but it disappeared during non-pulsatile flow, and (2) the arteriolar red cell velocity increased or decreased linearly during non-pulsatile flow as well as pulsatile flow. The flow-rate was almost constant at a large range of the mean arterial pressure from 60 to 160 mmHg during pulsatile flow (autoregulation), but it increased or decreased during non-pulsatile flow with an increase or decrease in mean arterial pressure, respectively. It was suggested that pulsativity might be responsible for cerebral autoregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sinus tachycardia coupled with high-dose catecholamine is common after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The present study assessed the hemodynamic efficacy and safety of combination therapy using low-dose β1-selective adrenergic blocker (landiolol) and inotropes.Methods: This was a retrospective, single center, self-comparison study at post-anesthesia care unit within a tertiary care center. The study included adults who underwent cardiac surgery with CPB and received landiolol between April 2007 and November 2011. We assessed hemodynamic data prior to and 1 h after initiation of landiolol therapy.Results: We evaluated 11 patients who were administered 2.6 ± 1.3 μg/kg/min (mean ± SD) landiolol with sinus tachycardia and received catecholamine therapy after on-pump cardiovascular surgery. Landiolol administration led to a significant reduction in heart rate (HR; 112.4 ± 5.8 vs 126.0 ± 7.6 beats/min, p < 0.001), and a significant increase in stroke volume index (SVI) assessed by pulmonary artery catheterization (22.4 ± 5.4 vs. 18.9 ± 4.2 mL/m2, p = 0.04). Only one patient showed no HR reduction, whereas seven patients showed decreased HR and increased SVI (64, 95% confidence interval: 30-98%). Moreover, all five patients who received high-dose catecholamine support showed improved hemodynamics. In terms of safety, no patients required cessation of landiolol therapy.Conclusions: Low-dose landiolol therapy may safely decrease HR and improve hemodynamics among patients with sinus tachycardia receiving catecholamine treatment after cardiovascular surgery.Trial Registration: This study is retrospective. Registration number: 11. Duration of registration: April 2007~November 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) worsens patients' mortality, morbidity, and quality of life. Cardiopulmonary bypass is mandatory for cardiac surgery, but it induces intense inflammation. The presence of inflammation is a crucial part of pain sensitization. An extreme inflammatory response due to cardiopulmonary bypass might cause a high prevalence of CPSP after cardiac surgery. We hypothesized that the prevalence and severity of CPSP are higher in patients after on-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery than in those after off-pump CABG surgery. Methods: This prospective, observational study was performed on a cohort from a randomized trial (on-pump CABG: 81 patients, off-pump CABG: 86 patients). A questionnaire about the severity of surgical wound pain that evaluated pain with the numerical rating scale (NRS) was filled out by the patients. NRS responses for current pain, peak pain in the last 4 weeks, and average pain in the last 4 weeks were evaluated. The main outcomes were the severity of CPSP as evaluated using the NRS and the prevalence of CPSP. CPSP was defined as pain with an NRS score > 0. Differences in severity between groups were analyzed using multivariate ordinal logistic regression models adjusted for age and sex, and differences in prevalence between groups were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for age and sex. Results: The questionnaire return rate was 77.0%. During a median follow-up of 17 years, 26 patients complained of CPSP (on-pump CABG: 20 patients, off-pump CABG: 6 patients). Ordinal logistic regression showed that the NRS response for current pain (odds ratio [OR] 2.34; 95% CI 1.12–4.92; P = 0.024) and the NRS response for peak pain in the last 4 weeks (OR 2.71; 95% CI 1.35–5.42; P = 0.005) were significantly higher in patients who underwent on-pump CABG surgery than in those who underwent off-pump CABG. Logistic regression showed that on-pump CABG surgery was an independent predictor of CPSP (OR 2.59; 95% CI 1.06–6.31; P = 0.036). Conclusions: The prevalence and severity of CPSP are higher in patients with on-pump CABG surgery than in those with off-pump CABG surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiac surgery in frail patients has been reported to be associated with increased mortality and morbidity but may improve functional status of frail patients. Few studies have investigated the impact of cardiac surgery on the trajectory of postoperative frailty. We hypothesized that cardiac surgery in frail patients would improve frailty postoperatively. Method: This study included 71 patients over 65 years old who were scheduled for cardiac surgery via sternotomy or thoracotomy. Frailty was prospectively evaluated using the Kihon Checklist (KCL) at 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Patients were divided into three groups based on the preoperative KCL score: nonfrail, prefrail, and frail. The interaction between the degree of preoperative frailty and the trajectory of postoperative KCL scores was assessed. Results: The KCL score changed significantly over time (P < 0.001), and the KCL score trajectory differed significantly according to the degree of preoperative frailty (P for interaction = 0.003). In the frail group, the KCL score was significantly lower 3 months postoperatively than preoperatively (median 8, interquartile range [5, 9] versus median 9, interquartile range (9, 13), P = 0.029). Conclusion: The trajectory of postoperative KCL scores differed significantly depending on the degree of preoperative frailty. At 3 months after cardiac surgery, the KCL score of frail patients was significantly improved, while that in nonfrail patients was significantly deteriorated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD) is recommended during open or endovascular thoracic aortic repair. However, the incidence of CSFD complications is still high. Recently, CSF pressure has been kept high to avoid complications, but the efficacy of CSFD at higher pressures has not been confirmed. We hypothesize that CSFD at higher pressures is effective for preventing motor deficits., Methods: This prospective observational study included 14 hospitals that are members of the Japanese Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists. Patients who underwent thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic repair were divided into four groups: Group 1, CSF pressure around 10 mmHg; Group 2, CSF pressure around 15 mmHg; Group 3, CSFD initiated when motor evoked potential amplitudes decreased; and Group 4, no CSFD. We assessed the association between the CSFD group and motor deficits using mixed-effects logistic regression with a random intercept for the institution., Results: Of 1072 patients in the study, 84 patients (open surgery, 51; thoracic endovascular aortic repair, 33) had motor deficits at discharge. Groups 1 and 2 were not associated with motor deficits (Group 1, odds ratio (OR): 1.53, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.71-3.29, p = 0.276; Group 2, OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 0.62-4.82) when compared with Group 4. Group 3 was significantly more prone to motor deficits than Group 4 (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.27-5.17, p = 0.009)., Conclusion: CSFD is not associated with motor deficits in thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic repair with CSF pressure around 10 or 15 mmHg., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists.)

Measuring regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) after revascularization for moyamoya disease, as a type of ischemic cerebrovascular disease, is crucial. This study aims to validate our novel technology that combines near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with a frequency filter to extract the arterial component. We measured rCBF before and after revascularization for moyamoya disease and at the end of the surgery using NIRO-200NX (Hamamatsu Photonics, Japan) and indocyanine green (ICG). rCBF was calculated using Fick's principle, change in arterial ICG concentrations, and maximum arterial ICG concentration. rCBF measured with NIRS (rCBF&#95;N) was compared with pre- and postoperative rCBF measured with SPECT (rCBF&#95;S). Thirty-four procedures were analyzed. rCBF&#95;N increased from baseline to end of the surgery (mean difference (MD), 2.99 ml/min/100 g; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.40-5.57 ml/min/100 g on the diseased side; MD, 4.94 ml/min/100 g; 95% CI, 2.35-7.52 ml/min/100 g on the non-diseased side). Similar trends were observed for rCBF&#95;S (MD, 3.98 ml/min/100 g; 95% CI, 2.30-5.67 ml/min/100 g on the diseased side; MD, 2.77 ml/min/100 g; 95% CI, 1.09-4.45 ml/min/100 g on the non-diseased side). Intraclass correlations 3 (ICC3s) between rCBF&#95;N and rCBF&#95;S were weak on the diseased side (ICC3, 0.25; 95% CI, -0.03-0.5; p = 0.07) and the non-diseased side (ICC3, 0.24; 95% CI, -0.05-0.5; p = 0.08). rCBF measurements based on this novel method were weakly correlated with rCBF measurements with SPECT., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Objectives: Placement of the Impella 5.0 percutaneous left ventricular assist device may cause aortic regurgitation (AR) due to malcoaptation of the aortic leaflets. The authors investigated the prevalence and severity of AR during Impella 5.0 support., Design: Retrospective observational study., Setting: An academic hospital., Participants: A total of forty-two consecutive patients who underwent Impella 5.0 implantation from April 2018 to March 2022., Interventions: None., Measurements and Main Results: To investigate AR prevalence, the authors calculated the AR volume by subtracting left ventricular inflow from left-sided systemic flow, the latter of which consisted of flow through the Impella 5.0 cannula and across the aortic valve. Because it is challenging to estimate flow across the aortic valve as distinct from that through Impella 5.0, the authors analyzed 19 of 42 patients whose aortic valves were closed (ie, those with no spontaneous cardiac output). AR due to Impella 5.0 was considered present if the AR fraction was ≥7%. The median AR volume was 0.6 L/min (interquartile range: 0.4-1.5 L/min), which was 13.5% (interquartile range: 11.0 to 30.6%) of the median Impella 5.0 flow. Seventeen of the 19 patients (89.5%) were diagnosed with AR during Impella 5.0 support, and the severity of AR was mild in 11 patients (57.9%) and moderate in 6 (31.6%)., Conclusions: The authors revealed a high prevalence of AR during Impella 5.0 support in patients with no spontaneous cardiac output. Moreover, 31.6% of patients had moderate AR., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is defined as chronic pain that develops or increases in intensity after a surgical procedure and persists beyond the healing process, defined as at least 3 months postoperatively. However, the rationale behind this time period is weak., Methods: This prospective observational study included a total of 238 consecutive patients who underwent mitral valve repair via thoracotomy. A questionnaire consisting of a numerical rating scale (NRS) to assess the severity of postsurgical pain was mailed to each participant more than 3 months after the operation. The outcomes of interest were current pain, peak pain in the last 4 weeks, and average pain in the last 4 weeks, each assessed using the NRS. The nonlinear associations between the elapsed time after surgery and the intensity of CPSP were evaluated. All statistical analyses were performed with a two-sided significance level of 5%., Results: Two-hundred and ten patients (88.2%) answered the questionnaire. There was a significant nonlinear association between the elapsed time after surgery and each NRS response (all, P < 0.05). The lowest adjusted log odds of current pain, peak pain in the past 4 weeks, and average pain in the past 4 weeks were - 1.49, - 1.13, and - 1.26 at 33, 33, and 33 months postoperatively, respectively., Conclusions: There was a significant U-shaped association between the elapsed time after surgery and intensity of CPSP. The adjusted log odds of each NRS response was lowest at 33 months after cardiac surgery via thoracotomy., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery.)

Background: Anesthesiologists monitor electroencephalography (EEG) intraoperatively to maintain adequate depth of anesthesia. However, the EEG signal is affected by noise and interference. The SedLine® is a brain function monitor with which the Patient State Index (PSI) is calculated. In this study, we report abnormally high PSI values associated with epicardial pacing during open heart surgery., Case Presentation: A 50-year-old man was scheduled for total arch replacement. Atrial demand pacing was started before weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass. The PSI increased from 30 to 80 soon after the start of pacing, and the EEG waveform showed spikes synchronized with the pacing. As the pacing output was lowered, the spikes on the EEG attenuated and disappeared, and the PSI decreased to < 40. When the pacing output was increased again, the spikes recurred, and the PSI increased again., Conclusions: Pacemaker spikes may cause contamination of the EEG, resulting in abnormally high PSI values., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

A 75-year old man with a history of inferior myocardial infarction was admitted with symptoms of progressive heart failure 3 months after undergoing transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Echocardiography revealed severe mitral regurgitation (MR) caused by posterior leaflet tethering, without traumatic injury of the mitral valve or chordae. The patient was successfully treated by percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (MitraClip ® ). This case highlights the role of MitraClip ® in high-risk patients suffering from MR, and suggests that apical contractile loss or adhesion caused by apical puncture and suturing in transapical TAVI may be one of the mechanisms of worsening MR.

Regional cerebral oxygen saturation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy has been used clinically. Its usefulness in cardiac surgery and neurosurgery was also reported. On the other hand, accuracy of rSO2 values has been supposed to be doubtful due to extra-cerebral contamination and unstable mean optical path-length. Therefore, we tried to review issues for accuracy of rSO2 values and clinical usefulness. Our aim is to clarify the issue and clinical usefulness of measuring regional cerebral oxygen saturation.

Despite considerable advances in anesthesia technique, intraoperative aortic dissection remains a potentially lethal complication during on-pump cardiovascular surgery. Intraoperative dissection has been described worldwide, ranging between 0.06% and 0.24%. Here we present 8 patients who had intraoperative dissection during 10-year period with 6,266 on-pump cases (0.13%, 95% confidence interval 0.12% to 0.14%). In-hospital mortality rate of intraoperative dissection was 12.5% (1/8) at our institution, which was exceptionally lower than that reported previously (24% to 43%). Therefore, we also show our treatment strategy for intraoperative dissection with the related-literature review. The original surgical procedures were descending aortic replacement in 3 patients, valve replacement in 4 patients, and aortic-root replacement in 1 patient. Dissection occurred during aortic cannulation in 6 patients and during manipulation of aortic cross-clamping/de-clamping in 2 patients. Three patients had retrograde dissection extending and beyond the arch. Trans-esophageal echocardiography was useful to confirm dissection and ensure proper perfusion of the aortic-branches. Immediately after its diagnosis, all patients were managed with hypotensive strategy and subsequently underwent deep hypothermic circulatory arrest for prevention of dissection propagation. Among patients with intraoperative aortic dissection undergoing on-pump cardiovascular surgery, not only earlier diagnosis but proper anesthetic management may be crucial for the successful outcome.

Hybrid cardiac surgeries combined with catheter intervention and surgical procedure have been performed for infants and neonates in many institutions. Especially, a hybrid operation combining bilateral pulmonary artery banding with arterial duct dilating and stenting for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) has achieved similar result compared with Norwood procedure for first stage procedure. Hybrid operation has been selected in a HLHS neonate with risk factors of low weight, intact atrial septum, and severe coexisting issues. In our institution, hybrid operating theater was newly established, and we also experienced the hybrid procedure in a HLHS neonate with high risk factor.

We experienced a patient with severe COPD undergoing OPCAB who showed difficult perioperative respiratory and circulatory management. Since patients with severe COPDs are often complicated with not only respiratory but also circulatory problems such as right heart failure, it is necessary to assess preoperatively the method of intraoperative management including operative procedure.

Pregnant patients with prosthetic valve need anticoagulation therapy during pregnancy to prevent stuck valve. Regarding the thrombosed valve, there is a dilemma between anticoagulation to prevent further thrombus formation and postoperative bleeding after caesarian section until valve replacement surgery. A 35-year-old woman in her 34th weeks of pregnancy with a thrombus on prosthetic mitral valve was scheduled for emergency caesarian section under general anesthesia. Anticoagulation therapy with heparin was started after admission to the intensive care unit targeting the range between 70-100 second of activated partial thromboplastin time to prevent further thrombus formation. Heparin was administered intravenously (25,000 units per day), but APTT was kept over 110 seconds. Abdominal wall hematoma was detected by percutaneous echo next day and surgery for removal of hematoma was performed. Mitral valve replacement surgery was performed on the postoperative third days successfully. Postoperative anticoagulation therapy with heparin should be started carefully in consideration of physiological change of clotting ability after the termination of pregnancy.

We report on a child with moyamoya disease combined with von Gierke's disease. A 7-year-old girl with von Gierke's disease had a stroke associated with moyamoya disease. She had had many episodes of hypoglycemia and severe metabolic acidosis before surgery. General anesthesia was induced with midazolam 3 mg and fentanyl 100 microg followed by rocuronium 12 mg. After tracheal intubation, anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane 2.5% in 33% oxygen and 66% nitrous oxide. We used mainly mixture of saline and glucose as intraoperative fluid instead of acetated Ringer solution, and controlled administration of glucose according to blood glucose levels. The patient's plasma lactate levels and base excess during operation showed changes compared with those before operation, because sodium bicarbonate was used during the surgery. The duration of anesthesia was 374 minutes. The patient woke up and spontaneous respiration returned, and the trachea was extubated in the operating room. We were able to manage this case safely without any complications.

In Japan, over 50 thousand pulmonary artery catheters (PAC) per year were used for hemodynamic monitoring system perioperatively since 1970s. PAC provides many quantitative circulatory data, such as pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, cardiac output and continuous mixed venous oxygen saturation. On the contrary, several studies pointed out the problems of PAC and advocated the limitations of perioperative PAC monitoring in 2000s. Many randomized controlled studies showed that the use of PAC did not decrease mortality. In addition, aggressive therapy using PAC increased morbidity and complications. Physicians should become proficient in PAC and in obtaining and interpreting information from PAC. It is also important to use PAC in proper patients. I have also discussed other monitoring systems, such as aortic wave form analysis and central venous oxygen saturation, which were less invasive compared with PAC. I think abundant training, correct education and strict management must be employed to increase the benefit of PAC.

The population of children undergoing successful surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) continues to increase. Increasing number of patients with a Fontan circulation is reaching adulthood and requiring anesthesia for noncardiac surgeries. We anesthetized a patient with a Fontan circulation (9 years old) for giant internal carotid-ophthalmic artery aneurysm trapping. There was a difficulty in cannulating internal jugular vein for measuring central venous pressure because of abnormal collateral arteries around the internal jugular vein. Central venous pressure of around 15 mmHg seemed appropriate to keep good hemodynamic condition during this surgery. In this condition, cerebral cortex was not edematous. Careful management of circulatory volume stabilized hemodynamic state. However, when heart rate decreased below 75, ectopic atrial rhythm occured. Anesthetic time was 13 hr and 40 min. The patient was extubated in the operating room. We have to take into consideration that there are anatomical abnormalities and arrhythmia in the patients with a Fontan circulation.

The advancement of surgical and anesthetic techniques reduced cardiac morbidity and mortality. As a result, the attention has been focused on the perioperative cerebral complication, which contribute to more than 20% of perioperative deaths. Cognitive dysfunction is associated with increased medical costs, decreaged quality of life, and mortality. However, the incidence of cognitive dysfunction has a wide variety due to methodological variations in evaluating cognitive dysfunction, showing the complexity of cognitive dysfunction. The score of cognitive test can include learning effect and natural decline of cognitive dysfunction in elderly population. The research including the control group seems to overcome these issues, but still remains to have problems. Further, patients with cardiac disease have comorbid factors to induce postoperative sequelae compared to healthy population. We describe these issues which require continued researches.

A 14-yr-old boy with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, undergoing percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation suffered dissection of the left main coronary artery during the procedure. Sixty minutes after absolute ethanol administration, he was transferred to the operating room for emergency coronary artery bypass grafting, mitral valve replacement and cardiomyectomy. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) findings after the induction of anesthesia were: general hypokinesis, mitral regurgitation 1+, left ventricular outflow tract pressure gradient of 11 mmHg and no blood flow in the left anterior descending coronary artery. On aorta declamping, ECG showed ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, and the sinus rhythm was restored after 100 mg lidocaine i.v. and DC conversion. TEE revealed severe hypokinesis in antero-septal and hypokinesis in posterolateral wall, respectively. Since supraventricular tachycardia (HR 130 140 bpm) disabled the intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) synchronization, HR was maintained 90-100 bpm with landiolol hydrochloride (10-40 micrograms x kg(-1) min(-1)) and synchronization was obtained. Systolic BP was maintained 90-120 mmHg with norepinephrine (0.2-0.3 micrograms x kg(-1) x min(-1)) and the patient could be successfully weaned from CPB with cardiac index 2.0 and mixed venous oxygen saturation 59%. On the 2nd postoperative day (POD), he was weaned from IABP and ventilator. On the 6 th POD, he was discharged from the ICU.