Hemoadsorption Contribution in Failing Fontan Pediatric Heart Transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: A systemic inflammatory response is triggered in patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). This response is particularly evident in pediatric patients, especially those of low weight and after undergoing long CPB, and can severely impair the surgical result. Adsorptive blood purification techniques have been proposed to limit this systemic inflammatory response. To test its efficacy, we added the hemoadsorption filter Jafron HA 380 to CPB in a much compromised pediatric patient who underwent heart transplantation. METHODS: A 10-year-old single ventricle patient previously treated with Fontan operation was listed for heart transplantation due to the evidence of failing Fontan condition. He experienced many episodes of cardiac arrest and underwent heart transplantation in much compromised general and hemodynamic conditions. The hemoadsorption filter Jafron HA 380 was used for all the duration of CPB, and the inflammatory biomarker interleukin 6 (IL-6) was assayed. RESULTS: Postoperative outcome was uneventful and comparable to that of elective pediatric heart transplantation. IL-6 levels showed an impressive postoperative reduction, and after 2 days, the IL-6 level was comparable with a typical uneventful post-transplant course. CONCLUSIONS: The use of hemoadsorption filter can contribute to improve the pediatric transplant results, especially in very high-risk patients.

Somatic and cerebral near infrared spectroscopy for the monitoring of perfusion during neonatal cardiopulmonary bypass.

OBJECTIVES: The somatic-cerebral regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) gradient has the potential to reveal a low cardiac output state at an early stage, when systemic vascular resistance increases in order to maintain cerebral perfusion, and results in a drop in somatic rSO2. We hypothesized that during neonatal cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), the somatic-cerebral rSO2 gradient can also signal poor perfusion, as assessed by an increase in lactate concentration. METHODS: In a retrospective review of neonatal bypass records, we investigated the association between the somatic-cerebral rSO2 gradient and serial lactate measurements. The somatic-cerebral rSO2 gradient, i.e. the area between the somatic and cerebral rSO2, was calculated for each CPB time interval between 2 lactate measurements, using the trapezoidal method. The association between the somatic-cerebral rSO2 gradient and lactate variation was explored using a mixed model for repeated measurements adjusted for the CPB temperature across intervals. RESULTS: A total of 94 CPB intervals were analysed in 24 neonates, median age 6 days, median weight 3.1 kg. The median lactate variation per interval was +0.2 mmol l-1 (range -1.5 to +2.7), the median somatic-cerebral gradient was 0 (range -1229% min to +2049% min) and the median CPB temperature was 29.5°C (IQR 28.1-33.4). There was an independent association between the lactate increase and the somatic-cerebral rSO2 gradient (regression coefficient = -0.0006 ± 0.0002, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: A decrease in the somatic-cerebral rSO2 gradient was associated with an increase in lactate concentration, suggesting that the somatic-cerebral rSO2 gradient is a useful monitoring tool for the adequacy of perfusion during neonatal CPB.

Bivalirudin versus heparin as an anticoagulant during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: Heparin-based anticoagulation for patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has many limitations, including a high risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. However, little experience with other anticoagulants in these patients has been described. The aim of this study was to compare bivalirudin-based anticoagulation with heparin-based protocols in a population of patients treated with venovenous or venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. DESIGN: In this case-control study, 10 patients received bivalirudin (cases) and 10 heparin (controls). The target activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) was 45 to 60 seconds. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: aPTT variations >20% of the previous value were much more frequent in patients treated with heparin than in patients receiving bivalirudin (52 v 24, p < 0.001). The number of corrections of the anticoagulant dose was higher in the heparin group compared with the bivalirudin group (58 v 51), although it did not reach statistical significance. Bleeding, thromboembolic complications, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support duration, mortality, and the number of episodes of aPTT >80 seconds were not different between the 2 groups. A further analysis was performed in the bivalirudin group according to the presence of acute renal failure requiring continuous venovenous hemofiltration. The median bivalirudin dose in patients with or without hemofiltration was 0.041 (0.028-0.05) mg/kg/h and 0.028 (0-0.041) mg/kg/h, respectively (p = 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: Bivalirudin-based anticoagulation may represent a new method of anticoagulation for reducing thromboembolic and bleeding complications, which still jeopardize the application of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Moreover, bivalirudin is free from the risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Higher doses of bivalirudin may be needed in patients undergoing hemofiltration.