Recombinant Activated Factor VII (rFVIIa) for Bleeding After Thoracic Aortic Surgery: A Scoping Review of Current Literature.

BACKGROUND: Bleeding after surgery on the thoracic aorta is a frequent complication, and can be associated with a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) was developed initially for treating patients with hemophilia; however, it has been used increasingly "off-label" to achieve hemostasis after thoracic aortic procedures. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aimed to present the available literature on the role of rFVIIa in the management of refractory postoperative bleeding after thoracic aortic surgery. METHODS/RESULTS: An electronic database search was conducted using Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar in June 2023. The authors included studies that reported the use of rFVIIa in patients undergoing surgical repair of ascending or descending aortic aneurysm or dissection. Single-case reports were excluded. Ten publications with a pooled number of 649 patients (319 patients received rFVIIa and 330 in the control groups) were identified: 3 case series, 6 retrospective studies, and 1 nonrandomized clinical trial. All studies reported the potential role of rFVIIa in correcting coagulopathy and reducing postoperative blood loss in this group of patients. Overall, there was not enough evidence to suggest that rFVIIa was associated with higher rates of thromboembolic complications or mortality. CONCLUSION: Limited evidence suggests that rFVIIa may be useful in managing postoperative refractory bleeding in patients undergoing thoracic aortic surgery. However, the impact of rFVIIa on thromboembolic complications and mortality rates remains unclear.

Comparison of modes of failure and clinical outcomes between explanted porcine and bovine pericardial bioprosthetic valves.

OBJECTIVE: To compare pathological and hemodynamic modes of failure and operative outcomes between explanted porcine and bovine pericardial bioprosthetic valves. METHODS: Patients who underwent explantation of their bioprosthetic valves at Toronto General Hospital from 2007 to 2019 were identified. Retrospective chart review was conducted to attain demographic information, operative outcomes, and echocardiography and pathology reports. RESULTS: A total of 278 patients underwent explantation of their porcine (n=183) or bovine pericardial (n=95) valves. A greater proportion of the porcine group had severe regurgitation, compared to the bovine group (45.3% vs. 19.8%, p<.001). Porcine valves had higher rates of cusp flail (19.4% vs. 3.3%, p<.001). The rates of moderate or worse stenosis were higher among bovine pericardial valves (37.9% vs. 15.8%, p<.001). On pathologic examination, the porcine valves exhibited more cusp tears (67.6% vs. 50.5%, p=.006), while higher incidences of calcification were found in the bovine group (p<.001). Rate of stroke was higher during the explantation procedure of the bovine valves (5.3% vs. 0.5%, p=.040). CONCLUSIONS: The primary mode of failure was regurgitation in porcine valves due to cusp tears and stenosis in bovine valves due to calcification. Establishing a clear understanding of failure modes based on valve material may improve design and guide valve selection at the time of surgery.

Should nasogastric tube be used routinely in patients undergoing cardiac surgery? A narrative review.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Nasogastric tube (NGT) use has been common in the immediate postoperative period in surgical patients for decades. Potential advantages include the decompression of gastric contents and the early administration of time-sensitive medications. However, its routine use after cardiac surgery has not been established as a gold standard yet. The NGT use for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting has been a matter of debate in literature. Also, NGT use has also been associated with the incidence of some respiratory and gastrointestinal complications and it may be a source of significant pain and discomfort to patients. In this article, we review the current available literature regarding the use of NGT during and immediately after cardiac surgery, with particular emphasis on its potential role in enhanced postoperative recovery. METHODS: We performed a database search in October 2021 using Embase, Cochrane Library, and Medline to identify studies that examined the use of NGT in patients that underwent cardiac surgery. Data and literature about NGT's impact on post-operative nausea and vomiting, early administration of medications, interference with imaging, post-operative complications, respiratory complications, gastrointestinal complications, pain and discomfort, and enhanced recovery after surgery were examined. RESULTS: Three reports investigating the use of NGT to reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting were examined with sample sizes of 114, 104, and 202. The use of NGT did not significantly reduce the incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting in 2/3 of the studies: a 2% nausea reduction with NGT (p < 0.05), a 7.7% nausea reduction with NGT (p = 0.6), and a 14% vomiting reduction with NGT (p = 0.007). The prevalence of pneumonia following NGT use has been shown to vary ranging from 4 to 95% with associated mortality rates of 17 to 62%. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, there is currently not sufficient evidence to support the routine use of NGT during cardiac surgery. Further research is needed to establish the role of NGT in this patient population.

Avoidance of copper by fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) requires an intact olfactory system.

Fish can detect and respond to a wide variety of cations in their environment, including copper. Most often fish will avoid copper during behavioural trials; however, fish may also show no response or an attraction response, depending on the concentration(s) used. While it may seem intuitive that the response to copper requires olfaction, there is little direct evidence to support this, and what evidence there is remains incomplete. In order to test if olfaction is required for avoidance of copper by fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) copper-induced movement was compared between fish with an intact olfactory system and fish with induced anosmia. Fish in a control group or a mock-anosmic group avoided copper (approximately 10 µg/L or 62.7 nM copper sulphate) while anosmic fish did not. The evidence demonstrates that an intact olfactory system is required for copper sensing in fish.

Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis Associated With Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors After Cardiac Surgery: A Review of Current Literature.

There is growing evidence to support the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the management of heart failure. As such, more patients undergoing cardiac surgery are on SGLT2-inhibitor therapy. Despite the numerous benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors on cardiac health, they can be associated with an increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, often with normal glucose levels (euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis or EDKA), which potentially can be detrimental in this vulnerable patient population. In this narrative review, the authors discuss 17 papers that described EDKA in perioperative cardiac surgical patients. The authors discuss suggested preventative measures and management options, with a particular emphasis on raising the clinical awareness of the care teams toward this complication. SGLT2 inhibitor-induced EDKA is a medical emergency that can be difficult to identify in the postcardiac surgical patient due to the overlap of signs and symptoms with other frequent scenarios in these patients. A reduction in SGLT2 inhibitor-associated EDKA can be mitigated by the appropriate perioperative discontinuation of the medication, clinical awareness, and early investigation to diagnose the condition, with emphasis on serum ß-hydroxybutyrate. Future quality improvement initiatives are needed to assist in reducing EDKA in patients taking SGLT2 inhibitors in the perioperative surgical setting.

Ischemic ventricular septal rupture with patent coronary bypass grafts due to occluded septal branch, a case report.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is a lethal complication that occurs either after spontaneous or iatrogenic occlusion of one of the major epicardial coronary vessels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a VSD after a septal branch occlusion in a patient with patent coronary artery grafts to both the left anterior descending and posterior descending arteries. METHODS: We present a rare case of anterior ischemic VSR due to the occlusion of a major septal branch. The patient had previous coronary artery bypass grafts and his left internal mammary artery conduit to the anterior descending artery was patent. The culprit lesion that resulted in the development of the VSR was the occlusion of a major septal branch. DISCUSSION: The presence of collateral circulation in chronic coronary occlusive disease may provide a protective effect against the development of transmural myocardial necrosis which may reduce the risk of septal rupture. This case highlights the fact that patent coronary artery grafts may not protect from future ischemic VSR. CONCLUSION: Major septal branches with significant disease should be assessed for percutaneous options if technically feasible as dictated by the Heart Team.

Routine left atrial appendage occlusion in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a narrative review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: New evidence suggests a greater prevalence of protracted postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) than previously recognized. The left atrial appendage (LAA) is the most common source of embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. In this review, we ask whether there is evidence to support routine LAA occlusion (LAAO) in patients without preexisting atrial fibrillation undergoing cardiac surgery. RECENT FINDINGS: Overall, available studies are small, inconsistent and have varying proportions of patients with and without preexisting atrial fibrillation. There is considerable discrepancy with respect to the efficacy of LAAO in reducing the risk of POAF-related stroke. Only one study reported a lower rate of stroke in the LAAO group compared with no LAAO. Two studies included a subgroup analysis of patients that developed POAF and report a significantly higher rate of stroke in patients that developed POAF and did not undergo LAAO. There are three clinical trials ongoing that are investigating prophylactic LAAO in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: ATLAS, LAA-CLOSURE and LAACS-2. SUMMARY: There is currently insufficient evidence to recommend routine addition of LAAO to lower the risk of postoperative stroke. Ongoing clinical trials will provide important insight into the role of routine LAAO in all patients undergoing cardiac surgery.