Invasive Candida infections in low risk liver transplant patients given no antifungal prophylaxis in the post-operative period.

BACKGROUND: In recent years the incidence of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) in post liver transplant (LT) has reduced to about 5%, however the majority of IFIs develops early in the post-transplant course. Candida species are the most frequent causative pathogens followed by Aspergillus species. Mortality for invasive candidiasis is still 40-50%. For this reason universal prophylaxis is still considered useful and is adopted by different LT centers, although it is not justified by available data. The aim of study is to evaluate Candida infection incidence and mortality in low risk patients and therefore not subjected to antifungal prophylaxis in the immediate post-LT. METHODS: The patient is defined low risk if without any risk factor for IFIs as reported in literature and according to our center protocol described below. We analyzed retrospectively the records (with 90 days follow-up) of all adult patients underwent to LT at our center in 2011-2012. RESULTS: At our center between 2011 and 2012, 247 LT in 232 adult patients were performed: 137 patients (59%) received prophylaxis with Amphotericin B lipid complex or liposomal Amphotericin B, 95 patients (41%) didn't receive any prophylaxis. In these latter patients was observed only one case of Candida oesophagitis at the second month post-LT. The incidence of invasive candidiasis was 0%, and there wasn't mortality ascribed to Candida infection. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to identify low risk patients for IFIs post-LT and the no prophylaxis policy in the early LT course appears safe and feasible.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation rescue therapy in a case of portopulmonary hypertension during liver transplantation: a case report.

Portopulmonary hypertension has been reported in 2% to 9% of candidates for liver transplantation (OLT). If it is moderate to severe, it represents a contraindication to the procedure until pulmonary vasodilatative therapy has been optimized. We report the case of a 43-year-old man, scheduled for OLT due to alcoholic cirrhosis with hemosiderosis. His Model for End-Stage Liver Disease was 25 at that time. The preoperative evaluation showed a severe alteration of diffusion (pO2 68 mm Hg), without hepatopulmonary syndrome or portopulmonary hypertension (PPH) upon basal and dobutamine stress echocardiography. At the beginning of the OLT the hemodynamic profile showed mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) 38 mm Hg, wedge pressure (WP) 19 mm Hg, cardiac output (CO) 9.1 L/min, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) 166 dyne s/cm(5), transpulmonary gradient (TPG) 19 mm Hg, which lead us to promptly initiate inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) and intravenous epoprostenol 2 to 5 ng/kg/min. Upon graft reperfusion the hemodynamic profile was: mPAP 47 mm Hg, WP 23 mm Hg, CO 14.2 L/min, PVR 135 dyne s/cm(5), TPG 24 mm Hg, and at the end of surgery, mPAP 39 mm Hg, WP 20 mm Hg, CO 10.6 L/min, PVR 123 dyne s/cm(5), TPG 19 mm Hg. On postoperative day (POD) 3, we observed severe worsening of PPH: mPAP 60 mm Hg, WP 10 mm Hg, CO 9.8 L/min, PVR 395 dyne s/cm(5), TPG 50 mm Hg even with maximal pulmonary vasodilatatory therapy (ambrisentan 5 mg, intravenous sildenafil 20 mg × 3 and epoprostenol 22 ng/kg/min, iNO). Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was presents. Therefore we decided to begin veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (v-v ECMO) to correct the hypoxic vasoconstriction. Subsequent weaning from inotropic support with iNO and epoprostenol was possible on POD 7 due to mPAP 42 mm Hg, WP 15 mm Hg, CO 7.9 L/min, PVR 273 dyne s/cm(5), and TPG 27 mm Hg. On POD 11 he was weaned from ECMO due to: mPAP 40 mm Hg, WP 16 mm Hg, CO 6.5 L/min, PVR 295 dyne s/cm(5) and TPG 24 mm Hg. The patient was extubated on POD 17. The cardiac catheterization 1 month after OLT showed: mPAP 28 mm Hg, WP 13 mm Hg, CO 5.4 L/min, PVR 220 dyne s/cm(5) and TPG 15 mm Hg. ECMO rescue therapy in this "extreme" case allowed us to correct hypoxemia responsible for worsening of pulmonary hypertension allowing time to reach the goal of vasodilatatory therapy.

Neurological complications of liver cirrhosis and orthotopic liver transplant.

Neurological complications are common in cirrhotic patients with end-stage liver failure. They comprise a wide array of etiologies, which may originate before, during, or after liver transplantation. The objective of this study was to describe the nature of the main neurological complications in patients with end-stage liver failure. Several toxins including ammonia, manganese, benzodiazepine-like substances, gamma-aminobutyric acid-like substances, and impaired dopaminergic neurotransmission are at the top of the list of candidates for hepatic encephalopathy, subclinical encephalopathy, and extrapyramidal signs before liver transplantation. Central pontine myelinolysis, cerebrovascular autoregulation impairment, and paradoxical cerebral embolism are probably responsible for the neurological complications during liver transplantation. Neurological complications represented by alterations of mental status, seizures, and focal motor deficits have been described after liver transplantation. These complications have been attributed to several pathogenetic factors, such as a poorly functioning graft, an intracranial hemorrhage, a cerebral infarction, an infection, or the toxicity of immunosuppressants.

[A case of Veratrum poisoning]. / Un caso di avvelenamento da Veratro.

A poisoning from a Veratrum album infusion mistaken for Gentiana lutea is described. Confusion between these two plants can easily occur because they are very similar, although flowers and disposition of leaves allow their botanic determinat: V. album leaves are alternate and flowers are white, while G. lutea leaves are opposite and flowers yellow. The poisoning involves gastrointestinal (pyrosis, vomiting) and cardiocirculatory systems (bradyarrhy-thmias, A-V dissociation, vasodilatation) Atropine is the drug of choice.

[A new ventilation method: the laryngeal mask]. / Un nuovo metodo di ventilazione: la maschera laringea.

A size 3 laryngeal mask was used in 20 patients who underwent elective general surgery. It consists of a silicon tube attached to mask which must be inserted into the hypopharynx and then inflated. No curarisation nor laryngoscopy is needed. Operations were performed in assisted or spontaneous ventilation, with good airway patency and absence of coughing, secretions and sore throat. In 2 cases introduction of the mask failed. Technique, advantages and problems related to its use are described.

[5 patients in irreversible coma in which it was not possible to remove the organs for therapeutic transplant]. / Cinque pazienti in coma irreversible nei quali non è stato possibile effettuare il prelievo di organi a scopo di trapianto terapeutico.

The special committee consisting of a neurologist, an anaesthesist and a forensic doctor, refused transplantation permission since spinal reflexes were present. These reflexes persisted until cardiac death occurred. Brain death was diagnosed by instrumental techniques and was confirmed by necropsies.

[Use of vecuronium bromide and atracurium besylate in continuous intravenous infusion in urologic surgery]. / Impiego del bromuro di vecuronio e del besilato di atracurio in infusione endovenosa continua in chirurgia urologica.

The effects of continuous i.v. infusion of atracurium and vecuronium monitored by TOF supplied by an ABM monitor have been compared in 60 patients subdivided into four groups and submitted to anaesthesia with isoflurane for urological surgery interventions. Groups A and V received respectively an initial bolus of 0.5 mg/kg atracurium and of 0.08 mg/kg vecuronium followed immediately by continuous i.v. infusion of 5.5 micrograms/kg/min. Atracurium or 0.9 micrograms/kg/min of vecuronium; recovery of neuromuscular function happened spontaneously. Groups A' and V' differed by virtue of the use of 0.04 mg/kg prostigmin in the recovery phase. Average consumption of atracurium and vecuronium were respectively 5.1 +/- 1.75 micrograms/kg/min (2.6-9.03) and 0.75 +/- 0.20 micrograms/kg/min (0.5-1.2) in groups A-A' and V-V'. In groups A and V Recovery time 25-75" of T1 and TR presented a statistically significant difference (p less than 0.05) in favour of atracurium. In groups A' and V' the same parameters presented a statistically non-significant difference (p greater than 0.05). The ratio TI/TR does not vary to a statistically significant extent in the 4 groups. The number of infusion rate variations needed to maintain stable neuromuscular block was lower in the atracurium groups.