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Byline: Bhagya. Jena, Rajeeb. Mishra, Surya. Dube, Girija. Rath, Vishwas. Malik, Hitesh. Gurjar Severe stenotic aortic valve poses serious anesthetic challenges because of the fixed cardiac output and complex hemodynamics. [...]

Anomalous left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a congenital acyanotic heart disease where the left coronary artery (LCA) arises from the pulmonary artery. This results in the LCA receiving blood supply from the low-pressure right ventricle having minimal extractable oxygen. The oxygen delivery to the left ventricle (LV) is severely hampered causing severe hypoxic LV dysfunction early in life. Early surgery prior to serious, irreversible LV dysfunction is the key to survival. Children with ALCAPA usually present in their first few weeks of life, with severe LV dysfunction. After surgical correction of the defect, the myocardium may not recover early from the presurgery myocardial dysfunction. We describe a case where extracorporeal membrane oxygenator was utilized as a means of ventricular support during this critical postoperative period resulting in a favorable outcome.

Indications for extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after pediatric cardiac surgery have been increasing despite the absence of encouraging survival statistics. Modification of ECMO circuit led to the development of integrated ECMO cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit at the author′s institute, for children undergoing repair of transposition of great arteries among other congenital heart diseases (CHD). In this report, they analyzed the outcome of children with CHD, undergoing surgical repair and administered ECMO support in the last 10 years. The outcome was analyzed with reference to the timing of intervention, use of integrated ECMO-CPB circuit, indication for ECMO support, duration of ECMO run and the underlying CHD. The results reveal a significantly improved survival rate with the use of integrated ECMO-CPB circuit and early time of intervention rather than using ECMO as a last resort in the management. The patients with reactive pulmonary artery hypertension respond favorably to ECMO support. In all scenarios, early intervention is the key to survival.

Noonan syndrome (NS) is one of the most common non chromosomal syndrome presenting to the cardiac anesthesiologist for the management of various cardiac lesions, predominantly pulmonary stenosis (PS) (80%) and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) (30%). The presence of HOCM in NS makes these children susceptible to acute congestive heart failure due to hemodynamic fluctuations, thus necessitating optimization of drug and fluid therapy, careful conduct of anesthesia and providing adequate analgesia in the perioperative period. We describe a case of four year old boy with NS who presented to us for the management of PS and HOCM. In our case, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) played a major role in confirmation of the preoperative findings, detection of any new anomalies missed during the preoperative evaluation, intraoperative monitoring and assessment of the adequacy of repair in the immediate postoperative period. TEE provided invaluable help in taking critical surgical decisions, resulting in a favorable outcome.

Indian patients undergoing cardiac surgery have different demographics, clinical profile as well as risk profile, compared to the western population. The purpose of this study was to validate the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) risk stratification model in Indian patients undergoing cardiac surgery in a single cardiac center. Data from 1000 consecutive adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting or valve surgery) were prospectively collected as per the EuroSCORE model. The model′s validity was assessed on the basis of its calibration power (Hosmer-Lemeshow test) and discriminatory power [area under receiver operating characteristic curve]. The patients were divided into three risk groups on the basis of their EuroSCORE. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test revealed a good calibration power (P = 0.73) and the area under the ROC curve was 0.8278, suggesting a good discriminative power. The predicted mortality was similar to observed mortality in low- and moderate-risk patients but the observed mortality in high-risk patients (15.6%) was double that of predicted mortality (7.5%). The risk factors prevalent in European population were not observed in Indian population. EuroSCORE accurately predicts mortality in low and moderate-risk Indian patients undergoing cardiac surgery but is less predictive for high-risk Indian patients. Updating and improvisation of EuroSCORE by incorporation of risk factors associated with rheumatic valvular heart disease which is more prevalent in India, may enable it to accurately predict mortality in high-risk patients also.

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES The most severe combinations of cardiac malformations exist in individuals having jumbled-up thoracic and abdominal organs. These patients make up 2 distinct syndromes. As yet, the consensus is lacking on how best to describe the subsets. The subsets are frequently grouped together in terms of 'heterotaxy'. The surgical approaches to the subsets, however, are markedly different. We reviewed our experiences with regard to the anatomy as observed in the autopsy room, by the analysis of computed tomographic studies, and in the operating room, to assess whether the lesions might be segregated on the basis of isomerism of the atrial appendages. METHODS AND RESULTS A review of our findings from the examination of specimens from several archives, along with investigation of a large cohort of patients being prepared for surgical treatment, showed that individuals can uniformly be segregated into subgroups on the basis of isomeric arrangement of the atrial appendages. In all instances, this was made possible by using the criterion of the extent of the pectinate muscles within the appendages as judged relative to the atrial vestibules. Segregation on this basis, which correlated excellently with the bronchial arrangement, sets the scene for an appropriate description of the remainder of the heart, providing the cardiac surgeon with all the inferences required for appropriate surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS When assessing individuals having the features of so-called 'heterotaxy', it is possible to segregate the groups into subsets of individuals having either isomeric right or left atrial appendages. This approach provides the framework for the assessment of appropriate surgical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]