Perioperative management of a double valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft in a patient with carcinoid syndrome; a case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Carcinoid tumors are rare neuroendocrine tumors; about 5% of patients develop the carcinoid syndrome. We present the case of a patient with carcinoid syndrome undergoing cardiac surgery. CASE REPORT: A 74-year-old patient with carcinoid heart disease and hepatic metastases underwent double valve replacement and CABG. The patient was on octreotide therapy and antihypertensive medication. An octreotide infusion was commenced perioperatively. Pharmaceutical agents that could potentially precipitate histamine release or exacerbate catecholamine secretion and carcinoid crises were avoided. Postoperatively, recovery was complicated by atrial fibrillation, chest infection, pleural effusions, acute kidney injury and delirium. DISCUSSION: Hepatic metastases cause systemic hormones' secretion, which cause a carcinoid crisis. Perioperative administration of octreotide is used, while vigilance is required to differentiate between hemodynamic effects related to the operation or disease specific factors. CONCLUSION: No carcinoid crisis was evident perioperatively. High vigilance with appropriate monitoring, aggressive management combined with meticulous choice of pharmaceutical agents led to this outcome.

Post-Operative Thoracic Epidural Analgesia and Incidence of Major Complications according to Specific Safety Standardized Documentation: A Large Retrospective Dual Center Experience.

(1) Background: Thoracic epidural analgesia is considered the gold standard in post-operative pain management following thoracic surgery. This study was designed to explore the safety of thoracic epidural analgesia and to quantify the incidence of its post-operative complications and side effects in patients undergoing thoracotomy for major surgery, such as resection of lung malignancies and lung transplantation. (2) Methods: This is a retrospective, dual-center observational study including patients that underwent major thoracic surgery including lung transplantation and received concurrent placement of thoracic epidural catheters for post-operative analgesia. An electronic system of referral and documentation of complications was used, and information was retrieved from our electronic critical care charting system. (3) Results: In total, 1145 patients were included in the study. None of the patients suffered any major complication, including hematoma, abscess, or permanent nerve damage. (4) Conclusions: the present study showed that in experienced centers, post-operative epidural analgesia in patients with thoracotomy is a safe technique, manifesting minimal, none-serious complications.

Differential lung ventilation after single-lung transplantation for emphysema.

OBJECTIVE: To review outcome and cardiovascular and respiratory function after initiation of differential lung ventilation for acute severe native lung hyperinflation in patients who have had a single-lung transplant for end-stage emphysema. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Cardiothoracic tertiary referral center. PARTICIPANTS: Thirteen patients who had differential lung ventilation for acute severe native lung hyperinflation, of a total of 132 patients who had a single-lung transplant for end-stage emphysema between 1988 and the end of 2000. INTERVENTIONS: None. measurements and main results: Thirteen patients had differential lung ventilation for acute severe native lung hyperinflation; 7 survived to 1 year after transplant. There was a highly significant (p = 0.0006) improvement in mean PaO(2) from 8.23 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.15 to 10.3) to 16.6 (95% CI, 12.84 to 20.45) 1 hour after start of differential lung ventilation. The average ratio of estimated dynamic compliance in the native lung compared with the transplanted (donor) lung was 2.69 (95% CI, 1.75 to 3.62). CONCLUSION: In addition to previous case reports, this series shows that differential lung ventilation is an appropriate treatment for acute severe native lung hyperinflation. A difference in estimated effective dynamic compliance of > or = 2.69 between native and transplanted lung may require differential lung ventilation.