Sex-Based Difference in Aortic Dissection Outcomes: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Type A Acute Aortic Dissection (TAAAD) repair is a surgical emergency associated with high morbidity and mortality. Registry data have noted several sex-specific differences in presentation with TAAAD which may account for the differences in men and women undergoing surgery for this condition. METHODS: A retrospective review of data from three departments of cardiac surgery (Centre Cardiologique du Nord, Henri-Mondor University Hospital, San Martino University Hospital, Genoa) between January 2005 and 31 December 2021 was conducted. Confounders were adjusted using doubly robust regression models, a combination of regression models with inverse probability treatment weighting by propensity score. RESULTS: 633 patients were included in the study, of which 192 (30.3%) were women. Women were significantly older with reduced haemoglobin levels and pre-operative estimated glomerular filtration rate compared to men. Male patients were more likely to undergo aortic root replacement and partial or total arch repair. Operative mortality (OR 0.745, 95% CI: 0.491-1.130) and early postoperative neurological complication results were comparable between the groups. The adjusted survival curves using IPTW by propensity score confirmed the absence of a significant impact of gender on long-term survival (HR 0.883, 95% CI 0.561-1.198). In a subgroup analysis of women, preoperative levels of arterial lactate (OR 1.468, 95% CI: 1.133-1.901) and mesenteric ischemia after surgery (OR 32.742, 95% CI: 3.361-319.017) were significantly associated with increased operative mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The advancing age of female patients alongside raised preoperative level of arterial lactate may account for the increasing preponderance among surgeons to perform more conservative surgery compared to their younger male counterparts although postoperative survival was similar between the groups.

Learning curve for real-time ultrasound-guided percutaneous tracheostomy.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to demonstrate and quantify the ultrasound-guided percutaneous tracheostomy (UPDT) learning curve in a single team since the first UPDT. STUDY DESIGN AND PATIENTS: This was a cohort of all consecutive patients undergoing UPDT in the Amiens teaching hospital surgical intensive care unit between 2010 and 2014. METHODS: The learning process was evaluated according to three aspects: duration of the various steps involved in UPDT, incidence of consecutive complications, and procedure difficulty. RESULTS: During the study period, 85 consecutive patients underwent UPDT with no deaths. The mean total procedure time was 22 (10) minutes (range: 7 to 60). Analysis of mean cumulative UPDT procedure times showed that total UPDT time decreased to a stable duration of 25minutes after 54 procedures. Complications were observed in 24 (28%) of the 85 patients. The overall complication rate decreased to below a stable percentage of 30% after 70 procedures. The minor complication rate decreased below 25% after 64 procedures. The moderate complication rate decreased to below a stable percentage of 10% after 10 procedures. The major complication rate decreased to below a stable percentage of 5% after 20 procedures. Most complications were observed in the first 50 patients (25 [50%] versus 6 [13%], P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that UPDT is associated with a fairly long learning curve. At least 50 procedures are necessary to perform UPDT with an acceptable complication rate and procedure time.

Mini-fluid challenge can predict arterial pressure response to volume expansion in spontaneously breathing patients under spinal anaesthesia.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to test whether stroke volume (SV) variations in response to a fixed mini-fluid challenge (ΔSV100) measured by impedance cardiography (ICG) could predict an increase in arterial pressure with volume expansion in spontaneously breathing patients under spinal anaesthesia. METHODS: Thirty-four patients, monitored by ICG who required intravenous fluid to expand their circulating volume during surgery under spinal anaesthesia, were studied. Haemodynamic variables and bioimpedance indices (blood pressure, SV, cardiac output [CO]) were measured before and after fluid challenge with 100mL of crystalloid, and before/after volume expansion. Responders were defined by ≥15% increase in systolic arterial pressure (SAP) after infusion of 500 mL of crystalloid solution. RESULTS: SAP increased by ≥15% in 20 (59%) of the 34 patients. SAP, SV, and CO increased and HR decreased only in responders. SV variations in response to mini-fluid challenge and volume expansion differed between patients who showed arterial responsiveness and those in whom SAP did not increase with volume expansion (11.6% [9.1-19.3] versus 2.5% [1.3-7], P<0.001, and 22.4% [11.7-36.6] versus 0.9 [0-5.5], P<0.001, respectively). ΔSV100 predicted an increase of arterial pressure with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve of 0.89 (CI95%: 0.73-0.97, P<0.001). The cut-off was 5%. Baseline SAP and HR were not predictive of arterial responsiveness (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: A ΔSV100 over 5% accurately predicted arterial pressure response to volume expansion during surgery.

Can yeast isolation be predicted in complicated secondary non-postoperative intra-abdominal infections?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to create a predictive score for yeast isolation in patients with complicated non-postoperative intra-abdominal infections (CNPIAI) and to evaluate the impact of yeast isolation on outcome. METHODS: All patients with a CNPIAI undergoing emergency surgery over a three-year period were included in the retrospective cohort (RC, n = 290). Patients with a yeast-positive peritoneal fluid culture (YP) were compared with patients with a yeast-negative culture (YN). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with yeast isolation and a predictive score was built. The score's performance was then established in the prospective cohort (PC, n = 152) over an 18-month period. Outcome of the whole cohort was evaluated and independent risks factors of mortality searched. RESULTS: In the RC, 39 patients (13.4%) were YP. Four factors were independently associated with the YP group: length of stay before surgery ≥48 h (odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) = 3.1 (1.4 to 6.9), P = 0.004, 1 point), per-operative cardiovascular failure (2.4 (1.1 to 5.8), P = 0.04, 1 point), generalized peritonitis (6.8 (2.7 to 16.7), P <0.001, 2 points) and upper gastrointestinal tract perforation (2.5 (1.2 to 5.6), P = 0.02, 1 point). In the PC, the area under the curve (95%CI) of the predictive score's receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.79 (0.72 to 0.86). For predicting an intra-abdominal candidiasis (IAC), a score ≥3 had a sensitivity of 0.60, a specificity of 0.84, a positive predictive value of 0.49 and a negative predictive value of 0.89. Furthermore, yeast isolation was associated with worse outcome and independently associated with mortality in the whole cohort (OR = 2.15; 95%CI (1.03 to 4.46), P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The new predictive score can be used to rule out intra-abdominal candidiasis and thus avoid the initiation of antifungal treatment. It is suited to less severe infections than previously published scores. IAC is associated independently with an increased mortality in this population.

Mini-fluid challenge predicts fluid responsiveness during spontaneous breathing under spinal anaesthesia: An observational study.

BACKGROUND: The ability to predict fluid responsiveness in spontaneously breathing patients under spinal anaesthesia is desirable. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test whether variations in stroke volume (SV) in response to a fixed mini-fluid challenge (ΔSV100) measured by thoracic impedance cardiography (ICG) can predict fluid responsiveness in spontaneously breathing patients under spinal anaesthesia. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. SETTING: Anaesthesiology department in a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-three patients monitored by ICG during surgery under spinal anaesthesia. INTERVENTIONS: Patients received a 100 ml fluid challenge followed by volume expansion with 500 ml of crystalloid. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Haemodynamic variables and bioimpedance indices [blood pressure, SV, cardiac output (CO)] were measured before and after fluid challenge and before and after volume expansion. Responders were defined as those with >15% increase in SV after volume expansion. RESULTS: SV increased by at least 15% in 27 (37%) of the 73 patients. ΔSV100 predicted fluid responsiveness with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve of 0.93 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.8 to 0.97, P < 0.001]. The cut-off was 7% and a grey zone ranging between 3 and 8% was observed in up to 14% of patients. SV baseline was a poor predictor of fluid responsiveness [AUC of 0.69 (95% CI 0.57 to 0.79, P = 0.002)]. CONCLUSION: ΔSV100 greater than 7% accurately predicted fluid responsiveness during surgery with a grey zone ranging between 3 and 8%.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous tracheostomy in critically ill obese patients.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous tracheostomy (PCT) and the incidence of complications in critically ill, obese patients. METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients were included in a prospective study in two surgical and critical care medicine departments. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of at least 30 kg/m². The feasibility of PCT and the incidence of complications were compared in obese patients (n = 26) and non-obese patients (n = 24). Results are expressed as the median (25th-75th percentile) or number (percentage). RESULTS: The median BMIs were 34 kg/m² (32-38) in the obese patient group and 25 kg/m² (24-28) in the non-obese group (p < 0.001). The median times for tracheostomy were 10 min (8-14) in non-obese patients and 9 min (5-10) in obese-patients (p = 0.1). The overall complication rate was similar in obese and non-obese patient groups (35% vs. 33%, p = 0.92). Most complications were minor (hypotension, desaturation, tracheal cuff puncture and minor bleeding), with no differences between obese and non-obese groups. Bronchoscopic inspection revealed two cases of granuloma (8%) in obese patients. One non-obese patient developed a peristomal skin infection, which was treated with intravenous antibiotics. Ultrasound-guided PCT was possible in all enrolled patients and there were no surgical conversions or deaths. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that US-guided PCT is feasible in obese patients with a low complication rate. Obesity may not constitute a contra-indication for US-guided PCT. A US examination provides information on cervical anatomy and hence modifies and guides choice of the PCT puncture site. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01502657.