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Even today, when the surgical outcome of congenital heart disease in the neonatal period has improved, the prognosis for heterotaxy syndrome and functional single ventricle complicated with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC), especially the infra-cardiac type, is catastrophic. We describe a strategy that combines percutaneous ductus venosus (DV) stent placement and occlusion after TAPVC repair to ensure survival from initial surgery to bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt (BCPS) procedure and facilitate subsequent treatment. Three consecutive patients with heterotaxy syndrome and functional single ventricle complicated by infra-cardiac TAPVC treated with our own strategy were retrospectively studied. In two infants, DV stent placement was performed on the day of birth. In one case at 11 days of age. The risk of pulmonary vein obstruction was reduced, and on-pump surgery, including TAPVC repair, was performed on a standby basis. Since the rapid increase in hepatic enzymes occurred on postoperative day 0 to 1 in all cases, percutaneous stent occlusion was performed until postoperative day 3. The procedure improved liver function. One patient died due to severe atrioventricular valve regurgitation, one case underwent BCPS, and one patient was waiting to undergo. DV stent placement can avoid TAPVC repair in the early neonatal period. After TAPVC repair, the portosystemic shunt remained, resulting in hepatic dysfunction, but this could be improved by stent and vertical vein occlusion. A series of stepwise treatments can be useful to help such critically ill infants survive the high-risk neonatal period and achieve good BCPS circulation.

Regional cerebral oxygen saturation (ScO2) determined by near-infrared spectroscopy, monitoring both arterial and venous blood oxygenation of the brain, could reflect the balance between oxygen delivery and consumption. The aim of this study was to determine the predictabilities of ScO2 and estimated oxygen extraction ratio (eO2ER) with outcomes in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). This study was a two-center, retrospective study of patients at 12 months of age or younger with CHD who underwent cardiac surgery. The primary outcome was a composite of one or more major adverse events (MAEs) after surgery: death from any cause, circulatory collapse that needed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and requirement for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Based on the assumptions of arterial to venous blood ratio, eO2ER was calculated. A total of 647 cases were included in this study. MAEs occurred in 16 patients (2.5%). There were significant differences in the average post-bypass ScO2 [46.61 (40.90, 52.05) vs. 58.52 (51.52, 66.08), p 2ER [0.66 (0.60, 0.78) vs. 0.52 (0.43, 0.61), p 2 was 0.818 (95% confidence interval: 0.747–0.889), AUROC of the average of post-bypass eO2ER was 0.783 (0.697–0.870) and AUROC of post-bypass maximum serum lactate level was 0.635 (0.525–0.746). Both ScO2 and eO2ER, especially after weaning off bypass, are acceptable predictive markers for predicting MAEs after cardiac surgery in infants.

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate whether milrinone infusion improved one-year survival in patients who underwent the Norwood-Sano procedure. Design A retrospective observational study. Setting A single-institution university hospital. Participants Children who underwent the Norwood-Sano procedure from January 2008 to December 2014. Interventions Patients were categorized into two groups: group E+D, who received routine epinephrine and dopamine infusion, and group M, who received routine milrinone infusion for intra- and postoperative inotropic support. Measurements and Main Results The primary outcome of this study was one-year survival after the Norwood-Sano procedure. A total of 45 patients were included (group E+D, 22; group M, 23). One-year survival in group M was significantly higher than that in group E+D (95.7% [22/23] v 72.7% [16/22], p = 0.03). A Kaplan-Meier curve also showed that one-year survival in group M was significantly higher than that in group E+D (p = 0.04), from the result of the log-rank test. The number of patients who had any arrhythmias in the intensive care unit (ICU) was significantly lower in group M than in group E+D (21.7% [5/23] v 50% [11/22], p = 0.03). The duration of ICU stay did not have statistical difference between groups (group M 19; interquartile range [IQR], 15-28) v group E+D 19.5 (IQR, 16.3-35.5) days, p = 0.57). Conclusions Perioperative milrinone infusion improved the mortality after the Norwood-Sano procedure. Potential advantages of milrinone compared with epinephrine are fewer arrhythmias and better systemic perfusion, which could decrease lethal cardiac events in the ICU.

Background Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common neonatal and pediatric cardiac indication for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Risk factors of survival and neurologic complication were different in many centers. We sought to evaluate survival and neurological outcome after ECMO in patients with CHD. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 37 patients (Results The median ECMO duration was 160 (91–286) h. Twenty-nine patients (78%) were successfully weaned off ECMO. Overall survival to hospital discharge was 59%. Risk factors of mortality were as follows: ECMO duration >1 week and urine output Conclusions Longer ECMO duration and lower urine output were associated with increased mortality. Neurologic outcomes were not satisfactory when CPR was required for a longer period before ECMO establishment.

We present our experience with transcatheter vascular occlusion using 0.035-inch hydrogel expandable coils, which has been reported only in a few cases in the pediatric cardiology fields.This study is a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent transcatheter embolization with 0.035-inch hydrogel coils at the Department of Pediatrics, Okayama University Hospital, between October 2018 and September 2020.Twenty patients with a median age of 5.1 years (0.05-26.0 years) and a median weight of 13.8 kg (3.0-56.8 kg) were included. A total of fifty-four 0.035-inch hydrogel coils, including 35 Azur 35 and nineteen Azur CX 35 coils (Terumo, Tokyo, Japan), were successfully deployed in 22 target vessels. The target vessels consisted of 10 aortopulmonary collaterals, 8 veno-venous collaterals, and 4 pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. We achieved technical success in all the target vessels. In total, the mean target vessel diameter was 4.4 mm, the mean number of 0.035-inch hydrogel coils was 2.5 per vessel. The mean device to vessel ratio was 1.6 for the anchor coil and 1.2 for the additional coil. Post-implantation angiograms revealed that the primary occlusion rate was 18/22 (82%). There were no periprocedural complications.The 0.035-inch hydrogel expandable coils are effective and safe in patients with congenital heart disease and vascular anomalies. These occlusion devices could be valuable options for interventional pediatric cardiologists.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the current status of postoperative BNP measurement in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU).This was a prospective multicenter observational study. Children under 15 years old who underwent pediatric cardiac surgery were included. Postoperatively, all BNP measurement was collected in PCICU. We checked whether each BNP measurement was used for the decision-making of intervention or not. We divided the BNP measurements into 4 groups: group A 0-299 pg/ml (reference), group B 300-999 pg/ml, group C 1000-1999 pg/ml, group D ≧ 2000 pg/ml. We performed logistic regression analysis to compare the intervention ratio between group A and B, C, D. We also did multiple comparison analyses to compare the intervention ratio in each group.Thirty-nine (15.8%) measurements were used as a criterion to intervene in all BNP measurements. There was no protocol for the measurement of BNP in all institutions. The number of BNP measurements in each group is as follows: group A 113 (45.9%), group B 81 (32.9%), group C 45 (18.3%), group D 7 (2.8%). The intervention ratio in each group was 6.2% (group A), 8.6% (group B), 44.4% (group C), and 71.4% (group D). The intervention ratio of group C and D were significantly higher than group A: (Odds ratio (95%CI): 12.1(4.8-33.9), p 0.0001, 25.2(5.2-146.2), p 0.0001). The result of multiple comparisons is similar to logistic regression analysis.High BNP concentration, especially more than 1000 pg/ml, was more often intervened upon compared to that of less than 1000 pg/ml.

BackgroundPneumopericardium in neonates is often associated with respiratory diseases, of which positive pressure ventilation (PPV) is an exacerbating factor. Here, we present a neonate case of pneumopericardium after cardiac surgery which was resolved after applying PPV.Case presentationA 28-day-old neonate with left recurrent nerve palsy after aortic reconstruction for interrupted aortic arch developed pericardial effusion. Pericardiocentesis was performed under general anesthesia, and a drainage tube was left in the pericardium. After extubation, stridor gradually exacerbated, following hemodynamic deterioration. A chest X-ray demonstrated pneumopericardium. Upper airway stenosis due to recurrent nerve palsy developed excessive negative pleural pressure, and air was drawn into pericardium via the insertion site of the drainage tube. After tracheal intubation and applying PPV, the pneumopericardium improved.ConclusionPPV does not always exacerbate pneumopericardium. In a patient with pericardial-atmosphere communication, increased inspiration effort can cause pneumopericardium, and PPV is a therapeutic option to alleviate the pneumopericardium.

The relationship between regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) and the amount of left-to-right shunt in ventricular septal defect (VSD) patients has not yet been investigated. The purpose of this study was to identify the association of preoperative pulmonary to systemic blood flow (Qp/Qs) ratio and preoperative rSO2 in patients with VSD. We retrospectively evaluated 49 VSD surgical closure candidates at a single institution. Preoperative Qp/Qs ratio was compared with rSO2 measurements at the time of VSD closure surgery. Forty-nine were eligible for the final analysis. The median age at surgery was 6 (interquartile range [IQR]: 3, 12) months, and 36.7% were male. Atrial septal defects coexisted in 51.0%. There were no genetic abnormalities except trisomy 21 in 32.6% of the patients. Pulmonary hypertension was found in 42.8%. The median Qp/Qs ratio, calculated based on catheter testing results before the surgery, was 2.7 (IQR: 2.1, 3.7). Postoperative rSO2 was significantly higher than preoperative values (52.2 ± 12.9, 63.5 ± 13.1%, p

A 9-year-old girl with Glenn circulation suffered from massive atelectasis of the left lung caused by bleeding during cardiac catheterization. The atelectasis resulted in frequent hypoxia leading to oxygen saturation (SpO2) of 40%-50%. In the intensive care unit, we performed a unilateral lung recruitment maneuver (ULRM) for 2 days. The ULRM involved placement of a bronchial blocker in the right main bronchus and application of continuous positive airway pressure to the left lung without hemodynamic deterioration. Eventually, SpO2 improved to 80%-85%. ULRM can be a treatment option for unilateral atelectasis in a child with Glenn circulation.

Rationale: Patients with single ventricle physiology are at high risk of mortality resulting from ventricular dysfunction. The preliminary results of the phase 1 trial showed that cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) may be effective against congenital heart failure. Objective: To determine whether intracoronary delivery of autologous CDCs improves cardiac function in patients with single ventricle physiology. Methods and Results: We conducted a phase 2 randomized controlled study to assign in a 1:1 ratio 41 patients who had single ventricle physiology undergoing stage 2 or 3 palliation to receive intracoronary infusion of CDCs 4 to 9 weeks after surgery or staged reconstruction alone (study A). The primary outcome measure was to assess improvement in cardiac function at 3-month follow-up. Four months after palliation, controls had an alternative option to receive late CDC infusion on request (study B). Secondary outcomes included ventricular function, heart failure status, somatic growth, and health-related quality of life after a 12-month observation. At 3 months, the absolute changes in ventricular function were significantly greater in the CDC-treated group than in the controls (+6.4% [SD, 5.5] versus +1.3% [SD, 3.7]; P =0.003). In study B, a late CDC infusion in 17 controls increased the ventricular function at 3 months compared with that at baseline (38.8% [SD, 7.7] versus 34.8% [SD, 7.4]; P P P P P P =0.014) relative to baseline. Conclusions: Intracoronary infusion of CDCs after staged palliation favorably affected cardiac function by reverse remodeling in patients with single ventricle physiology. This impact may improve heart failure status, somatic growth, and quality of life in patients and reduce parenting stress for their families. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT01829750.

Background:Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is a condition with challenging treatment and leads to severe cardiac failure and pulmonary hypertension. Despite aggressive surgical or catheter-based intervention, the prognosis of PVS is unsatisfactory. This study aimed to assess the prognosis and to establish appropriate treatment strategies.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed endovascular treatments for PVS (2001–2017) from the clinical database at the Okayama University Hospital.Results:A total of 24 patients underwent PVS associated with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection and 7 patients underwent isolated congenital PVS. In total, 53 stenotic pulmonary veins were subjected to endovascular treatments; 40 of them were stented by hybrid (29) and percutaneous procedures (11) (bare-metal stent, n = 34; drug-eluting stent, n = 9). Stent size of hybrid stenting was larger than percutaneous stenting. Median follow-up duration from the onset of PVS was 24 months (4–134 months). Survival rate was 71 and 49% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between stent placement and survival; however, patients who underwent bare-metal stent implantation had statistically better survival than those who underwent drug-eluting stent implantation or balloon angioplasty. Early onset of stenosis, timing of stenting, and small vessel diameter of pulmonary vein before stenting were considered as risk factors for in-stent restenosis. Freedom from re-intervention was 50 and 26% at 1 and 2 years.Conclusions:To improve survival and stent patency, implantation of large stent is important. However, re-intervention after stenting is also significant to obtain good outcome.

Background and aims: Agreement between measurements of creatinine concentrations using point-of-care (POC) devices and measurements conducted in a standard central laboratory is unclear for pediatric patients. Our objectives were (a) to assess the agreement for pediatric patients and (b) to compare the incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) according to the two methods. Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included patients under 18 years of age who underwent cardiac surgery and who were admitted into the pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary teaching hospital (Okayama University Hospital, Japan) from 2013 to 2017. The primary objective was to assess the correlation and the agreement between measurements of creatinine concentrations by a Radiometer blood gas analyzer (Cre(gas)) and those conducted in a central laboratory (Cre(lab)). The secondary objective was to compare the incidence of postoperative AKI between the two methods based on Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Results: We analyzed the results of 1404 paired creatinine measurements from 498 patients, whose median age was 14 months old (interquartile range [IQR] 3, 49). The Pearson correlation coefficient of Cre(gas) vs Cre(lab) was 0.968 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.965-0.972, P < 0.001). The median bias between Cre(gas) and Cre(lab) was 0.02 (IQR -0.02, 0.05) mg/dL. While 199 patients (40.0%) were diagnosed as having postoperative AKI based on Cre(lab), 357 patients (71.7%) were diagnosed as having postoperative AKI based on Cre(gas) (Kappa = 0.39, 95% CI, 0.33-0.46). In a subgroup analysis of patients whose Cre(gas) and Cre(lab) were measured within 1 hour, similar percentage of patients were diagnosed as having postoperative AKI based on Cre(gas) and Cre(lab) (42.8% vs 46.0%; Kappa = 0.76, 95% CI, 0.68-0.84). Conclusion: There was an excellent correlation between Cre(gas) and Cre(lab) in pediatric patients. Although more patients were diagnosed as having postoperative AKI based on Cre(gas) than based on Cre(lab), paired measurements with a short time gap showed good agreement on AKI diagnosis.

Although cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) improve cardiac function and outcomes in patients with single ventricle physiology, little is known about their safety and therapeutic benefit in children with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of CDCs in a porcine model of DCM and translate the preclinical results into this patient population. A swine model of DCM using intracoronary injection of microspheres created cardiac dysfunction. Forty pigs were randomized as preclinical validation of the delivery method and CDC doses, and CDC-secreted exosome (CDCex)-mediated cardiac repair was analyzed. A phase 1 safety cohort enrolled five pediatric patients with DCM and reduced ejection fraction to receive CDC infusion. The primary endpoint was to assess safety, and the secondary outcome measure was change in cardiac function. Improved cardiac function and reduced myocardial fibrosis were noted in animals treated with CDCs compared with placebo. These functional benefits were mediated via CDCex that were highly enriched with proangiogenic and cardioprotective microRNAs (miRNAs), whereas isolated CDCex did not recapitulate these reparative effects. One-year follow-up of safety lead-in stage was completed with favorable profile and preliminary efficacy outcomes. Increased CDCex-derived miR-146a-5p expression was associated with the reduction in myocardial fibrosis via suppression of proinflammatory cytokines and transcripts. Collectively, intracoronary CDC administration is safe and improves cardiac function through CDCex in a porcine model of DCM. The safety lead-in results in patients provide a translational framework for further studies of randomized trials and CDCex-derived miRNAs as potential paracrine mediators underlying this therapeutic strategy.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of pulsatile and nonpulsatile extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on hemodynamic energy and systemic microcirculation in an acute cardiac failure model in piglets. Fourteen piglets with a mean body weight of 6.08 ± 0.86 kg were divided into pulsatile (N = 7) and nonpulsatile (N = 7) ECMO groups. The experimental ECMO circuit consisted of a centrifugal pump, a membrane oxygenator, and a pneumatic pulsatile flow generator system developed in-house. Nonpulsatile ECMO was initiated at a flow rate of 140 mL/kg/min for the first 30 min with normal heart beating, with rectal temperature maintained at 36°C. Ventricular fibrillation was then induced with a 3.5-V alternating current to generate a cardiac dysfunction model. Using this model, we collected the data on pulsatile and nonpulsatile groups. The piglets were weaned off ECMO at the end of the experiment (180 min after ECMO was initiated). The animals did not receive blood transfusions, inotropic drugs, or vasoactive drugs. Blood samples were collected to measure hemoglobin, methemoglobin, blood gases, electrolytes, and lactic acid levels. Hemodynamic energy was calculated using the Shepard's energy equivalent pressure. Near-infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor brain and kidney perfusion. The pulsatile ECMO group had a higher atrial pressure (systolic and mean), and significantly higher regional saturation at the brain level, than the nonpulsatile group (for both, P

Objective Hyperchloremia recently has been shown to have an association with the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients. However, there is little information about the prevalence of an abnormal chloride concentration after pediatric cardiac surgery and its association with postoperative AKI. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hyperchloremia and its association with AKI in pediatric patients after cardiac surgery. Design A retrospective single-center study. Setting Referral high-volume pediatric cardiac center in a tertiary teaching hospital. Participants Patients under 72 months of age with congenital heart disease who underwent cardiac surgery with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. Interventions None. Measurements and main results The primary outcome was development of AKI diagnosed by Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes consensus criteria. The associations of outcomes with the highest serum chloride concentration ([Cl-]max) and time-weighted average chloride concentration ([Cl-]ave) within the first 48 hours after surgery were investigated. Of 521 patients included in the study, 463 patients (88.9%) had hyperchloremia at least 1 time within the first 48 hours after surgery. Postoperative AKI occurred in 205 patients (39.3%). [Cl-]ave and [Cl-]max in the AKI group were significantly higher than those in the non-AKI group (112 [110-114] mEq/L v 111 [109-113] mEq/L, p = 0.001 and 116 [113, 119] mEq/L v 114 [112-118] mEq/L, p = 0.002, respectively). After adjustment for other predictors of AKI by multivariable analyses, neither [Cl-]ave nor [Cl-]max was associated independently with the development of AKI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.040, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.885-1.220, p = 0.63; OR = 0.992, 95% CI: 0.874-1.130. p = 0.90). Conclusion Postoperative hyperchloremia was common and was associated with the development of AKI in pediatric patients after congenital cardiac surgery in univariate analysis. After adjustment for predictors of AKI by multivariate analyses, there was no significant relationship between postoperative chloride concentration and AKI.

Rationale: Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) remains a lethal congenital cardiac defect. Recent studies have suggested that intracoronary administration of autologous cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) may improve ventricular function. Objective: The aim of this study was to test whether intracoronary delivery of CDCs is feasible and safe in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Methods and Results: Between January 5, 2011, and January 16, 2012, 14 patients (1.8±1.5 years) were prospectively assigned to receive intracoronary infusion of autologous CDCs 33.4±8.1 days after staged procedures (n=7), followed by 7 controls with standard palliation alone. The primary end point was to assess the safety, and the secondary end point included the preliminary efficacy to verify the right ventricular ejection fraction improvements between baseline and 3 months. Manufacturing and intracoronary delivery of CDCs were feasible, and no serious adverse events were reported within the 18-month follow-up. Patients treated with CDCs showed right ventricular ejection fraction improvement from baseline to 3-month follow-up (46.9%±4.6% to 52.1%±2.4%; P =0.008). Compared with controls at 18 months, cardiac MRI analysis of CDC-treated patients showed a higher right ventricular ejection fraction (31.5%±6.8% versus 40.4%±7.6%; P =0.049), improved somatic growth ( P =0.0005), reduced heart failure status ( P =0.003), and lower incidence of coil occlusion for collaterals ( P =0.007). Conclusions: Intracoronary infusion of autologous CDCs seems to be feasible and safe in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome after staged surgery. Large phase 2 trials are warranted to examine the potential effects of cardiac function improvements and the long-term benefits of clinical outcomes. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT01273857.

Objective There has been controversy regarding the beneficial effects of calcium on myocardial contractility and the harmful effects on myocardial cells, especially in children. The aim of this study was to investigate an association between ionized calcium concentration (iCa) and outcomes for pediatric patients after cardiac surgery. Design A retrospective, single-center study from May 2013 to December 2014. Setting Referral high-volume pediatric cardiac center in a tertiary teaching hospital. Patients Patients Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results The association between pH-corrected iCa within 24 hours after surgery and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (ILOS) was defined as the primary outcome. The highest iCa (iCamax), lowest iCa (iCamin), and time-weighted average iCa (iCaave) were stratified and compared with the outcomes. The authors reviewed 5,468 ionized calcium measurements from 357 consecutive pediatric patients during the study period. One patient died at postoperative day 34 in the ICU. Significant differences in ILOS were observed among patients after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) according to iCaave, iCamax, and iCamin but not among patients without CPB. Patients with CPB and an iCaave value of 1.31-to-1.40 mmol/L, 1.41-to-1.50 mmol/L, 1.51-to-1.60 mmol/L, and >1.60 mmol/L stayed in the ICU for 7 (interquartile range [IQR] 4-10) days, 8 (IQR 6-16) days, 10 (IQR 8-14) days, and 19 (IQR 12-38) days, respectively, which was significantly longer than the ILOS of 5 (4-8) days for patients with an iCaave of 1.21-to-1.30 mmol/L. Even after adjustment for other predictors of ILOS using multivariable analyses, there were significant relationships of ILOS with iCaave and iCamin values of >1.50 mmol/L among patients with CPB. Conclusions Higher iCa within 24 hours after congenital cardiac surgery using CPB was independently associated with longer LOS in the ICU.

Background Reintubation after pediatric cardiac surgery is associated with a high rate of mortality. Therefore, adequate respiratory support for postextubation acute respiratory failure (ARF) is important. However, little is known about the physiological impact of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy on ARF after pediatric cardiac surgery. Our working hypothesis was that HFNC therapy for postextubation ARF after pediatric cardiac surgery improves hemodynamic and respiratory parameters. Methods This was a prospective observational study conducted at a single university hospital. Children less than 48 months of age who had postextubation ARF after cardiac surgery were included in this study. HFNC therapy was started immediately after diagnosis of postextubation ARF. Data obtained just before starting HFNC therapy were used for pre-HFNC analysis, and data obtained 1 h after starting HFNC therapy were used for post-HFNC analysis. We compared hemodynamic and respiratory parameters between pre-HFNC and post-HFNC periods. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze these indices. Results Twenty children were included in this study. The median age and body weight were 4.5 (2.3–14.0) months and 4.3 (3.1–7.1) kg, respectively. Respiratory rate (RR) significantly decreased from 43.5 (32.0–54.8) to 28.5 (21.0–40.5) breaths per minute (p = 0.0008) 1 h after the start of HFNC therapy. Systolic blood pressure also decreased from 87.5 (77.8–103.5) to 76.0 (70.3–85.0) mmHg (p = 0.003). Oxygen saturation, partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide, heart rate, and lactate showed no remarkable changes. There was no adverse event caused by HFNC therapy. Conclusions HFNC therapy improves the RR of patients who have postextubation ARF after pediatric cardiac surgery without any adverse events.

Background Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) for simple congenital heart defects has become popular, and monitoring of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) is crucial for preventing cerebral ischemia during pediatric MICS. We describe a pediatric case with a sudden decrease in rSO2 during MICS. Case presentation An 8-month-old male underwent minimally invasive ventricular septal defect closure. He developed a sudden decrease in rSO2 and right radial artery blood pressure (RRBP) without changes in other parameters following pericardium traction. The rSO2 and RRBP immediately recovered after removal of pericardium fixation. Obstruction of the right innominate artery secondary to the pericardium traction would have been responsible for it. Conclusions Pericardium traction, one of the common procedures during MICS, triggered rSO2 depression alerting us to the risk of cerebral ischemia. We should be aware that pericardium traction during MICS can lead to cerebral ischemia, which is preventable by cautious observation of the patient.

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perioperative brain natriuretic peptide levels and the incidence of postoperative serious adverse events (SAEs) in pediatric cardiac patients. Design A prospective observational study. Setting A single-institution university hospital. Participants Children under 15 years old who underwent cardiac surgery that required cardiopulmonary bypass from December 21, 2012 to February 26, 2014. The Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery 1 category less than 1 was excluded. Interventions Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were measured preoperatively (BNPpre) and on postoperative day 1 (BNPPOD1) and postoperative day 3 (BNPPOD3). Methods and Results Primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative SAEs; (1) death in the intensive care unit, (2) requirement of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, (3) cardiac arrest, and (4) requirement of reoperation for hemodynamic instability. The authors included 71 patients in this study. There were 8 patients (11%) who had at least 1 SAE. Median preoperative BNP level in patients with SAEs was significantly higher than in those without SAEs (1,541 pg/mL [IQR: 121-5,962] v 122 pg/mL [QR: 34-342], p = 0.01). From the receiver operating characteristic curve of BNPpre for the incidence of SAEs, an area under the curve was 0.77 (95%CI 0.55-0.91). The best cutoff BNPpre number was 1,000 pg/mL. From the multivariate logistic regression model, BNPpre>1,000 pg/mL was associated independently with risk of SAEs (adjusted odds ratio = 8.5, 95% CI [1.3, 59.3], p = 0.02). Conclusions In conclusion, the authors’ study showed that increased preoperative brain natriuretic peptide concentration, especially a concentration of more than 1,000 pg/mL, was associated with risk of SAEs in pediatric cardiac surgery patients.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of pulsatile and nonpulsatile extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on hemodynamic energy and systemic microcirculation in an acute cardiac failure model in piglets. Fourteen piglets with a mean body weight of 6.08 ± 0.86 kg were divided into pulsatile (N = 7) and nonpulsatile (N = 7) ECMO groups. The experimental ECMO circuit consisted of a centrifugal pump, a membrane oxygenator, and a pneumatic pulsatile flow generator system developed in-house. Nonpulsatile ECMO was initiated at a flow rate of 140 mL/kg/min for the first 30 min with normal heart beating, with rectal temperature maintained at 36°C. Ventricular fibrillation was then induced with a 3.5-V alternating current to generate a cardiac dysfunction model. Using this model, we collected the data on pulsatile and nonpulsatile groups. The piglets were weaned off ECMO at the end of the experiment (180 min after ECMO was initiated). The animals did not receive blood transfusions, inotropic drugs, or vasoactive drugs. Blood samples were collected to measure hemoglobin, methemoglobin, blood gases, electrolytes, and lactic acid levels. Hemodynamic energy was calculated using the Shepard's energy equivalent pressure. Near-infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor brain and kidney perfusion. The pulsatile ECMO group had a higher atrial pressure (systolic and mean), and significantly higher regional saturation at the brain level, than the nonpulsatile group (for both, P 0.05). Additionally, the pulsatile ECMO group had higher methemoglobin levels within the normal range than the nonpulsatile group. Our study demonstrated that pulsatile ECMO produces significantly higher hemodynamic energy and improves systemic microcirculation, compared with nonpulsatile ECMO in acute cardiac failure.

The high-flow management of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB; >or=2.4 L/min/m(2)) is a standard strategy used at this institute for children with pulmonary atresia (PA) due to a fear that the blood flow may be diverted by the major/minor aortopulmonary-collateral-arteries and hypervascularization due to long-term hypoxia. The purpose of this study was to describe the validity of high-flow management in children with PA. The CPB records of 23 children with PA who underwent a definitive biventricular repair between Feb 2006 and Nov 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age at the operation was 33 +/- 22 months. The blood-pressure during bypass was controlled with the same protocol. The mean cooling-temperature was 28.4 +/- 3.7 degrees C. The mean minimum hematocrit was 25.0 +/- 3.4%. The mean maximum bypass flow index at the initiation, the mean maximum flow index during aortic cross-clamping, the mean minimum flow index during aortic cross-clamping, and the mean maximum flow index after rewarming were 3.1 +/- 0.5, 3.1 +/- 0.5, 2.6 +/- 0.4, and 3.2 +/- 0.4 L/min/m(2), respectively. The higher bypass flow indexes significantly correlated with the lower serum lactate levels. The lowest oxygen delivery during CPB had significant influences on the urine output during bypass (R = 0.547, P = 0.007), the serum lactate levels at the end of CPB (R = -0.442, P = 0.035), and the postoperative thoracic effusion (R = -0.459, P = 0.028). A bypass flow index of 2.4 L/min/m(2) may not be sufficient and the maximum requirement of bypass flow index may be 3.2 L/min/m(2) or more in this patient population.

SummaryValidation of a scoring algorithm for non-overt disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) proposed by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) is still incomplete. It was the objective of this study to assess the impact of including AT to non-overt DIC scoring on the predictability for intensive care unit (ICU) death and the later development of overt-DIC defined by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare (JMHW) or the ISTH. We performed a retrospective observational study conducted in 364 patients in critical care. Coagulation parameters obtained daily for DIC screening were utilised for scoring. There were 194 and 196 patients scored as positive non-overt DIC with and without AT, respectively; diagnostic agreement between the two was 78%. As compared with patients without non-overt DIC, these non-overt DIC patients had significantly higher mortality. In 37 ICU non-survivors, positive non-overt DIC scoring with AT preceded ICU death by a median of 6.8 days, which was significantly earlier as compared with a median of 5.4 days for non-overt DIC without AT (p=0.022). In patients who developed overt-DIC after admission, the time period from positive non-overt DIC to positive overt-DIC was significantly longer when AT was utilised (overt-DIC ISTH; 1.3 days vs. 0.1 days, p=0.004, overt-DIC JMHW; 2.5 days vs. 2.0 days, p=0.04, with AT vs. without AT, respectively). Non-overt DIC scoring predicted a high risk of death in critically ill patients. When information on AT levels was included, non-overt DIC scoring was found to predict development of overt-DIC significantly earlier than non-overt DIC scoring without AT.

腎機能は新生児で成人の約7分の1, 肝機能は半分程度しかない. しかし生後約1年を過ぎるとほぼ成人に近い機能を備えることになる. では, 精神の発達は何歳で成人と同じになるのだろうか？精神発達の未熟な子どもたちが手術を受けなければならないと知ったとき, その不安や恐怖は安易に想像できるものではないだろう. 大きな不安を抱えたまま手術に臨むと, 術後に異常行動を起こしたり, 果ては術後の回復を遅らせたりもする可能性がある. また, 記銘障害や学習障害を受けたりする子どもも少なくない. こうした望ましくない反応を防ぐための介入には, 前投薬, 両親との同伴麻酔導入などの麻酔導入方法の検討, 術後鎮痛, などがあげられる. 前投薬が最も効果的なのは2～5歳くらいの学童期以前の小児ではあるが, 年長児に使用した報告もある. 親同伴で麻酔を導入することが子どもの不安を軽減する, との報告もあるが, ミダゾラム前投薬の方が効果的である. ただし, 同伴することは親の不安を軽減するし, これは子どもの不安軽減にもつながる. マスクか静注導入かは意見が分かれる. PCAやPCEAは小児でも安全かつ有効に使用でき, ぜひとも慣れておきたい鎮痛方法である. 子どもたちがストレスなく周術期を過ごし, ひいてはその後の健やかな成長・発達に寄与できるようわれわれも関与すべきであろう.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) causes right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy and, according to the extent of pressure overload, eventual heart failure. We tested the hypothesis that the mechanical stress in PH-RV impairs the vasoreactivity of the RV coronary microvessels of different sizes with increased superoxide levels. Five-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with monocrotaline ( n = 126) to induce PH or with saline as controls ( n = 114). After 3 wk, coronary arterioles (diameter = 30–100 μm) and small arteries (diameter = 100–200 μm) in the RV were visualized using intravital videomicroscopy. We evaluated ACh-induced vasodilation alone, in the presence of Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), in the presence of tetraethylammonium (TEA) or catalase with or without l-NAME, and in the presence of SOD. The degree of suppression in vasodilation by l-NAME and TEA was used as indexes of the contributions of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF), respectively. In PH rats, ACh-induced vasodilation was significantly attenuated in both arterioles and small aretries, especially in arterioles. This decreased vasodilation was largely attributable to reduced NO-mediated vasoreactivity, whereas the EDHF-mediated vasodilation was relatively robust. The suppressive effect on arteriolar vasodilation by catalase was similar to TEA in both groups. Superoxide, as measured by lucigenin chemiluminescence, was significantly elevated in the RV tissues in PH. SOD significantly ameliorated the impairment of ACh-induced vasodilation in PH. Robust EDHF function will play a protective role in preserving coronary microvascular homeostasis in the event of NO dysfunction with increased superoxide levels.

Mortality and morbidity of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery still remain high. The authors undertook the present study to evaluate the utility of early postoperative urinary albumin (uAlb) as a diagnostic marker for predicting occurrence of AKI and its severity in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery.A prospective observational study.A single-institution university hospital.All patients18 years of age who underwent repair of congenital heart disease with cardiopulmonary bypass between July 2010 and July 2012 were included in the study. Neonates age1 month were excluded from the study population.The association between uAlb and occurrence of AKI within 3 days after admission to the intensive care unit was investigated. Criteria from pediatric-modified Risk Injury Failure Loss and End-stage kidney disease (pRIFLE) were used to determine the occurrence of AKI. The value of uAlb was measured at intensive care unit admission immediately after cardiac surgery in all participants from whom a 5-mL urine sample was obtained.Of 376 patients, AKI assessed by pRIFLE was identified in 243 (64.6%): 172 for risk (R; 45.7%), 44 for injury (I; 11.7%), and 27 for failure (F; 7.2%). One hundred thirty-three patients (35.4%) were classified as being without AKI (normal [N]) by pRIFLE. The concentration of uAlb was significantly higher in AKI patients than in non-AKI patients (median [interquartile range]): uAlb (µg/mL): 13.5 (6.4-39.6) v 6.0 (3.4-16), p0.001; uAlb/Cr (mg/gCr): 325 (138-760) v 121 (53-269), p0.001.The utility of uAlb for prompt diagnosis of AKI was shown. Obtaining uAlb measurements early after pediatric cardiac surgery may be useful for predicting the occurrence and severity of AKI.

Monocrotaline (MCT), a pyrrolizidine alkaloid plant toxin, is known to cause pulmonary hypertension (PH) in rats. Recent findings suggest that pulmonary inflammation may play a significant role in the pathogenesis in MCT-induced PH. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), the rate-limiting enzyme in heme catabolism, is known to be induced by various oxidative stresses, including inflammation and free heme, and its induction is thought essential in the protection against oxidative tissue injuries. In this study, we examined expression of HO-1 as well as non-specific delta-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS1), the rate-limiting enzyme in heme catabolism and biosynthesis, respectively, in a rat model of PH produced by subcutaneous injection of MCT (60 mg/kg). MCT treatment caused infiltration of inflammatory cells, fibrosis of the interstitium, and pulmonary arterial wall thickening with marked elevation of right ventricular (RV) pressure, which are characteristics of MCT-induced PH. Gene expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) as well as DNA binding activity of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) increased at 1 week after MCT treatment, reached a maximum at 2 weeks, and then decreased to the pretreatment level at 3 weeks. HO-1 expression was markedly increased at 1 week, and continued to increase by 3 weeks following MCT treatment, both at transcriptional and protein levels in the mononuclear cells in the lung. ALAS1 mRNA levels in the lung also significantly increased at 2 weeks after MCT treatment. These findings suggest that pulmonary HO-1 expression was presumably induced by proinflammatory cytokine(s) in MCT-treated rats, resulting in the derepression of heme-repressible ALAS1 expression, and that HO-1 induction plays a significant role as an inflammatory factor in this condition.

The damage imposed on SiOx deposited nylon 6 films as a result of abrasion with a cotton cloth and Gelboflex testing was examined by evaluating the rate at which copper plates, which were enveloped by the damaged films, were corroded by H2S. Abrasion with a cotton cloth caused some micro-cracking of the SiOx layer and the permeation rate of H2S approached that of the uncoated nylon 6 film. Damage to the SiOx layer by twisting and crushing progressed gradually with the number of Gelboflex test cycles and correspondingly the corrosion rate of the copper plates increased. Comparison of the corrosion rates of the copper plates kept in the pouches made of various commercial films with those obtained for the damaged SiOx deposited nylon 6 films showed a clear relationship between the H2 permeation rate of the films and the corrosion rate of the copper plates by H2S.

Aim: The roles of adrenomedullin (AM) in body fluid balance under general anesthesia were investigated. Methods: Time course changes in plasma osmolality, AM, arginine vasopressin (AVP), and urinary aquaporin 2 (AQP2) in 17 patients undergoing abdominal surgery under general anesthesia were examined. Results: Increases in plasma AM levels were observed in parallel with increases in the levels of urinary AQP2/creatinine (Cr) before induction and 90 and 180 min after initiation of anesthesia. Significant correlations between plasma AM and urinary AQP2/Cr (r = 0.62, p < 0.0001) as well as urinary AVP/Cr and AQP2/Cr (r = 0.60, p < 0.0001) were uncovered. Multivariate stepwise analysis identified plasma AM as the critical independent factor affecting urinary AQP2/Cr level. Conclusion: A novel correlation of AM and AQP2 which overlays an AVP-AQP2 system may play a key role in fluid homeostasis during general anesthesia.