A decision aid for autologous pre-donation in cardiac surgery--a randomized trial.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this randomized, controlled study was to determine the usefulness of a decision aid on pre-donation of autologous blood before elective open heart surgery. METHODS: The decision aid (DA) group received a tape and booklet which described the options for peri-operative transfusion in detail. The no decision aid (NDA) group received information usually given to patients about autologous donation. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients were randomized. The DA group rated themselves better prepared for decision making and showed significant improvements in knowledge (p = 0.001) and realistic risk perceptions (p = 0.001). In both groups there was an increase in the proportion of patients choosing allogeneic blood between baseline and follow-up (p = 0.001). Patients in the DA group were significantly more satisfied with the amount of information they received, how they were treated and with the decision they made, than patients in the NDA group. CONCLUSION: The decision aid is useful in preparing patients for decision making. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The next stage is to explore strategies to make it available to all appropriate patients.

Hospital accreditation and the surgeon: the Canadian experience.

Accreditation is an internationally recognised process through which healthcare organisations are able to improve the safety and quality of services delivered to patients. The focus of accreditation is to help organisations understand what they are doing well and what opportunities are available for improvement. The Canadian approach to accreditation is a rigorous peer review process comprised of a self-assessment against a set of standards, an on-site survey and follow-up action on recommendations that arise from the survey. The accreditation standards can be used effectively to guide the surgical teams in the transformation of the specialty. The 17 standards that are used to evaluate surgical teams relate to the activities that represent the continuum of clinical care as well as aspects related to learning. Within the subsections and standards are opportunities for surgeons and surgical teams to use the standards to effectively deliver services and to continuously improve patient care. In 38 recent Canadian Accreditation AIM surveys, that included at least one surgical team, there were a total of 75 recommendations made to the teams. Most recommendations related to process as opposed to outcome issues, implying that surgeons need to become more proactive in the functioning of the surgical team and to participate more effectively in management issues related to surgical care. Attention to these details will position surgical programmes to effectively deal with the rapid pace of change that is inherent in a modern surgical practice.

Is tranexamic acid safe in patients undergoing coronary endarterectomy?

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing coronary endarterectomy during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are at increased risk of perioperative myocardial infarction due to coronary intimal disruption. Data assessing the safety of the antifibrinolytic drug tranexamic acid (TA) in patients undergoing this procedure are lacking. METHODS: From September 1997 to December 1999, 221 patients underwent nonemergency primary CABG with endarterectomy of the right coronary artery alone in 149, the left anterior descending in 35, or both right and left anterior descending in 27. TA was administered intraoperatively to 87 patients (TA group: average total dose 62 +/- 4.4 mg/kg; range 20 to 109 mg/kg), and was not administered to 134 patients (No TA group). RESULTS: The patient characteristics of the 2 groups were similar. In-hospital mortality consisted of 2 patients in the TA group and 4 patients in the No TA group. Perioperative myocardial infarction rates were 2% and 5% in the TA and No TA groups, respectively (p = 0.49). The relative risk for any type of perioperative cardiac ischemic event in the TA group versus the No TA group was 0.77 (95% CI; 0.4, 1.2). Patients in the TA group had a significant reduction in postoperative chest tube drainage (685 versus 894 mL in the TA versus No TA groups, respectively) and in the use of fresh-frozen plasma (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the clinical effectiveness of tranexamic acid in reducing postoperative blood loss in patients undergoing coronary endarterectomy is not associated with a higher incidence of myocardial ischemia-related complications.

Hematologic evaluation of cardiopulmonary bypass circuits prepared with a novel block copolymer.

BACKGROUND: To decrease the complications associated with cardiopulmonary bypass, novel biomaterials have been introduced that may be less thrombogenic than standard synthetic surfaces. METHODS: Thirty-four patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were randomized to bypass using either a control circuit or a circuit prepared "tip-to-tip" with a triblock-copolymer (polycaprolactone-polydimethylsiloxane-polycaprolactone). RESULTS: There was a progressive increase in thrombin generation in the control group during bypass, which was not seen in the test group. The test surface decreased the release of tissue plasminogen activator and plasmin-alpha2-antiplasmin complex formation (p<0.005). There was also an increased platelet count and a decreased platelet activation in the test group, as detected by GMP-140 expression and beta-thromboglobulin release (p = 0.017). There was also significantly more debris that accumulated on the arterial filter in the control group, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. CONCLUSIONS: This clinical trial has demonstrated a significant difference in the hematologic effects of the test circuits, with evidence of platelet preservation, decreased fibrinolysis, and decreased thrombin generation. A larger trial would be necessary to establish the clinical relevance of these differences.

Hypoxemia after intraluminal oxygen line obstruction during cardiopulmonary bypass.

A patient sustained an episode of hypoxemia during cardiopulmonary bypass. Investigation of the extracorporeal circuit after successful resolution of the problem showed that a white, crystalline substance later identified as mannitol occluded the oxygen supply line to a bubble oxygenator. The management and subsequent investigation of the problem are presented.

Cyclosporine-pancuronium interaction in a patient with a renal allograft.

A case is described of a 54-year-old 55 kg patient who presented for clipping of a middle cerebral aneurysm two years after a successful renal allograft. Immunosuppression was maintained with azathioprine 100 mg daily, cyclosporine 300 mg daily and prednisone 10 mg daily. The patient had chronic hypertension controlled with nifedipine 40 mg daily and furosemide 20 mg daily. The cyclosporine level taken on the morning of surgery was 166 micrograms.L-1. Induction of anaesthesia consisted of fentanyl 350 micrograms, thiopentone 125 mg and pancuronium 5.5 mg. Anaesthesia was maintained with nitrous oxide 70 per cent in oxygen and isoflurane 0.5-1.5 per cent. No additional doses of pancuronium were given during the four hour surgical procedure. At the end of surgery, four twitches were present with train-of-four stimulation, but evidence of residual muscle paralysis was present. Residual neuromuscular blockade was reversed with atropine 1.2 mg and neostigmine 2.5 mg. Residual paralysis was present in the Recovery Room and edrophonium 10 mg was given prior to extubation. Clinical testing demonstrated adequate reversal of neuromuscular blockade. Twenty minutes following extubation, increasing respiratory distress was noted. There was clinical evidence of muscle paralysis. The patient was re-intubated. It is proposed that cyclosporine potentiated the pancuronium blockade producing prolonged neuromuscular relaxation resulting in residual paralysis following surgery. The potential interactions of cyclosporine and muscle relaxants deserve further study.

Perioperative management of a patient with a malignant pheochromocytoma.

A case report is presented of a patient with a known malignant pheochromocytoma, who was to undergo an orthopaedic procedure using methylmethacrylate bone cement. Preoperative preparation of the patient included the use of prazosin and metyrosine. Epidural blockade was chosen as the anaesthetic technique for intraoperative management. Surgical fixation with methylmethacrylate did not produce profound or prolonged hypotension despite sudden massive blood loss prior to its use. Epidural morphine was administered for postoperative pain control.

The value of pancuronium in prolonged intraocular operations.

We wished to determine the effectiveness of Pancuronium, a non-depolarizing muscle relaxant, in prolonged intraocular operations. We compared the variations in intraocular pressure when using four different methods of induction of general anesthesia. With Pancuronium the intraocular pressure fell initially and then rose to just below pre-induction levels and remained there. Our study suggests that pancuronium stabilizes intraocular pressure at a level which is highly desirable for intraocular surgery.