Comparison of bioimpedance versus thermodilution cardiac output during cardiac surgery: evaluation of a second-generation bioimpedance device.

OBJECTIVE: To compare a second-generation thoracic electrical bioimpedance (TEB) hemodynamic monitoring system with the clinically used pulmonary artery catheter thermodilution (TD-PAC) system. DESIGN: Blinded, simultaneous measurements at specified key time points during surgery. SETTING: University teaching hospital cardiac surgical operating rooms. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-seven patients undergoing primary elective coronary artery bypass surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Timed cardiac output measurements by thermodilution and continuous monitoring of bioimpedance were performed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Cardiac index (TEB and TD-PAC) and other hemodynamic parameters were measured at 4 time points: (1) after anesthesia induction, (2) with the mediastinum open, (3) immediately after cardiopulmonary bypass, and (4) at the end of the case. Pearson's correlation and Bland-Altman analysis were carried out. Cardiac index by TEB and TD-PAC had an overall correlation of r = 0.71 (p < 0.0001). The Bland-Altman statistics showed a mean difference of -0.28 L/min/m2 and precision of 0.67 L/min/m2. The best correlation was at time 1, and the lowest correlation was at time 4. Mediastinal opening and cardiopulmonary bypass had little or no effect on the correlation between technologies. CONCLUSION: TEB reporting of cardiac index during coronary artery surgery generally agreed with TD-PAC cardiac index except at the end of the case (time 4).

Factor XIIIA and clot strength after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Reduced factor XIIIA levels and decreased clot strength have been associated with increased bleeding after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between hemostatic factors, including factor XIIIA, and clot strength before, during and after CPB. Factor XIIIA antigen, platelet counts, fibrinogen, factor V activity, tissue plasminogen activator and clot strength (by thromboelastograph) were measured at baseline, after 45 min of CPB, at the end of CPB and 4 h post-operatively in 34 patients. Baseline factor XIIIA antigen was 5.2 +/- 1.4 mg/l. On average, factor XIIIA levels dropped to 64% and clot strength to 77% of baseline values after 45 min on CPB and remained below baseline during the immediate post-operative period. Clot strength was significantly correlated (r = 0.81) with platelet count and fibrinogen but not plasma factor XIIIA levels. Addition of 10 mg/l recombinant factor XIII[a2] significantly increased clot strength. Postoperative bleeding at 2 h was inversely correlated with platelet count, factor XIIIA antigen and clot strength measured at the end of CPB. Maintenance of adequate platelet counts and factor XIIIA levels at the end of CPB may play a role in maintaining clot strength and reducing blood loss.

A second-generation blood substitute (perfluorodichlorooctane emulsion) does not activate complement during an ex vivo circulation model of bypass.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether a second-generation perfluorocarbon (PFC) blood substitute added to the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) prime influences complement production. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, single-blinded, ex vivo model. SETTING: A university hospital, laboratory, and clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Ten healthy adult consented volunteer blood donors (five men, five women). INTERVENTIONS: Ex vivo closed-loop extracorporeal circuit including membrane oxygenator, tubing, and filter primed with crystalloid or crystalloid plus PFC was circulated for 1 hour with the addition of 500 mL of heparinized fresh human whole blood. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Laboratory specimens were drawn from the circuit at 10-minute intervals for 1 hour and measured for complement (C3a, Bb fragment) concentrations, blood gases, fibrinogen concentration, platelet count, and hematocrit. In the PFC group, C3a and Bb fragments were equal to or less than those in the group that received crystalloid alone. CONCLUSION: The second-generation PFC added to the prime of a CPB circuit does not independently increase complement production.

A comparison of thromboelastography with heparinase or protamine sulfate added in vitro during heparinized cardiopulmonary bypass.

Thromboelastography (TEG) has been used after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) to diagnose excessive postoperative hemorrhage. Conventional TEG during CPB is not possible due to the sensitivity of the TEG to even small amounts of heparin, which produces a nondiagnostic tracing. The purpose of this study was to compare heparin neutralization using heparinase or protamine in TEG blood samples obtained during CPB. TEG testing was performed on 48 patients before, during and after CPB. Tissue plasminogen activator activity and antigen were measured on a subset of 32 patients. We found: 1) heparinase neutralized at least 10 IU/ml heparin while 1.6 ug/ml protamine neutralized up to 7 IU/ml heparin, 2) in samples with complete heparin neutralization by both methods, there was no significant difference in the R values, 3) while there was good correlation for other TEG parameters between heparinase and protamine treated samples, heparinase treatment produced shorter K values and higher angle, MA and A60, 4) while fibrinolysis was detected using both methods, heparinase treatment suppressed fibrinolysis in the TEG in both samples from patients and after in vitro addition of tissue plasminogen activator, 5) TEG was not a sensitive indicator of t-PA activity, detecting only 21% of samples with increased t-PA activity during bypass, and 5) heparinase was at least 100 times more expensive than protamine. We conclude that while both heparinase and protamine can be used to neutralize heparin in TEG samples obtained during CPB, protamine neutralization is more sensitive to fibrinolysis and less expensive, but the protamine dose must be carefully selected to match the heparin level used at individual institutions.

Perfluorocarbon emulsion in the cardiopulmonary bypass prime reduces neurologic injury.

BACKGROUND: Perfluorocarbon emulsion has proved beneficial in the prevention and amelioration of experimental air embolism. We examined whether the addition of perfluorocarbon to the prime solution could lead to a reduction in the incidence and severity of neurologic injury after the formation of a massive air embolism during cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: Fourteen pigs underwent bypass in which either a crystalloid prime solution or a perfluorocarbon prime solution (10 mL/kg) was used. Ten minutes into bypass a bolus (5 mL/kg) of air or saline (control) was delivered via the carotid artery. The resulting cerebral infarcts were graded on the basis of the findings in triphenyltetrazolium chloride-stained cerebral sections. Colored microspheres were used to measure cerebral blood flow. Bitemporal electroencephalography was used to evaluate cerebral function. RESULTS: Cerebral infarction was not found in the perfluorocarbon-air group (0 to 5 animals), as compared with its occurrence in 3 of the 5 animals in the crystalloid-air group. Cerebral blood flow was also maintained or increased in the perfluorocarbon-air group (p < 0.05), and the electroencephalogram total power showed less of a decrease and recovered more completely (p < 0.05) than it did in the crystalloid-air group. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of perfluorocarbon emulsion to the cardiopulmonary bypass prime solution leads to a reduction in the incidence and severity of neurologic injury after the formation of a massive air embolism during bypass.

Individual variations in the fibrinolytic response during and after cardiopulmonary bypass.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether individual patients show different patterns of fibrinolytic response to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and whether preoperative or intraoperative parameters were predictive of these different patterns. Active t-PA, active PAI-1 and total t-PA antigen were measured in plasma samples obtained from 38 subjects, age 32 to 85 (median 69 years), before, during and after CPB. Four patterns of fibrinolytic response were noted: 1) 40% of patients showed the "typical" response, a rapid rise in active and total t-PA during CPB followed postoperatively by elevated PAI-1 and reduced t-PA, 2) 10% showed no change in t-PA or PAI-1 during or after CPB, 3) 24% showed no change in t-PA with an increase in PAI-1 postoperatively, and 4) 26% showed an increase in t-PA during CPB with no change in PAI-1 postoperatively. When present, the t-PA response was rapid, occurring within the first 30 min of CPB and was more common in patients undergoing valve surgery than in coronary artery bypass grafting (p < 0.005). Increased levels of PAI-1 postoperatively were associated with ischemic times greater than 70 min (p = 0.003) but not with the total length of CPB. Age, sex, CPB temperature, total CPB time and preoperative levels of t-PA and PAI-1 were not associated in the intra- or postoperative fibrinolytic response pattern. We conclude that the fibrinolytic response to CPB is heterogeneous. Further studies will be needed to determine whether different response patterns are clinically significant.

The HPV response is different with constant pressure vs constant flow perfusion.

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) may be manifest in one of two ways: either an increase in the pulmonary artery pressure, or flow diversion away from the portion of the pulmonary bed with reduced conductance. We tested the hypothesis that the magnitude of the HPV response differs under conditions of constant flow perfusion, where pulmonary artery pressure (Ppa) rises during hypoxia, vs conditions of constant pressure perfusion, where Ppa remains constant and flow (Q) is diverted away from the lungs during hypoxia. In isolated, perfused rabbit lungs, the HPV response to four levels of hypoxia (12, 6, 3 and 0% oxygen) was of greater magnitude and more sustained under conditions of constant pressure perfusion as compared to constant flow perfusion. The possible significance of these findings as they relate to interpretation of studies in both the perinatal and mature pulmonary circulation is discussed.

Amrinone reduces pulmonary vascular resistance elevated by U46619 in isolated perfused lungs.

The effects of amrinone on pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were studied in an isolated, perfused rabbit lung model where all the major determinants of PVR were controlled. In this preparation, the alveolar oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions, vascular pH and vascular oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions, and zonal conditions of the lung and phasic variations of pulmonary artery pressures could be precisely measured and controlled. Measurements of PVR were made by a complete determination of the pulmonary pressure-flow curve and determination of the PVR under identical flow conditions for all studies. This approach allowed a more precise determination of the primary effects of amrinone on normal and elevated PVR than has been previously possible. We found that amrinone in final concentrations of either 4 or 8 micrograms/ml had no effect on basal PVR and no effect on lung water weight to dry ratios. When PVR was elevated by the addition of the thromboxane A2 mimetic U46619, amrinone reduced the PVR by 27% at a final concentration of 4 micrograms/ml and by 74% at a final concentration of 8 micrograms/ml. We conclude that in the doses tested, amrinone has no effects on basal PVR but is able to reduce elevated PVR in a dose-dependent manner. These results are the first to demonstrate clearly that amrinone has the ability to reduce elevated pulmonary vascular tone through a direct mechanism and not through secondary effects on other determinants of PVR such as left atrial pressure (Pla), increased cardiac output with resultant vascular recruitment, or increases in mixed venous oxygen tension. The possible implications for the clinical use of amrinone in situations of elevated PVR are discussed.