The lack of benefit of tracheal extubation in the operating room after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Although early tracheal extubation in cardiac anesthesia is safe and cost beneficial, questions still remain regarding how early after cardiac surgery patients should be tracheally extubated (TE). Our objective was to determine the effects on resource use if patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass grafting have TE in the operating room (OR). We studied 100 consecutive patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting, requiring extracorporeal circulation, and those eligible for a fast-track pathway. At the end of the procedure, the patients were evaluated for TE in the OR if they were hemodynamically stable, were without significant bleeding, and fulfilled clinical and blood gas analysis variables. Patients who did not meet the requirements had TE in the intensive care unit (ICU). Fifty patients had TE in the OR and 50 patients in the ICU. Time in the OR after skin closure, ICU length of stay, and postoperative length of stay were similar between the groups. Four patients (8%) in the OR group were tracheally reintubated secondary to respiratory depression (P = 0.11). Three patients (6%) in the OR group had postoperative myocardial infarction, and one postoperative myocardial infarction (2%) occurred in the ICU group (P = 0.61). All four patients recovered satisfactorily. The incidences of other complications were similar between groups.

Oxygen transport and consumption during experimental cardiopulmonary bypass using oxyfluor.

To evaluate a perfluorocarbon based oxygen carrier (Oxyfluor), a porcine model of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was implemented. Swine (30 kg) were subjected to 2 h of normothermic CPB using Oxyfluor (OF group, n = 8) or Ringer's lactate (RL group, n = 13) as the prime. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was kept at 50 mm Hg, flow rate at 80 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1), and PaCO2 at 35 mm Hg. Hemodynamic, hematologic, fluid balance, and blood gasimetry variables were measured. Total body oxygen delivery (DO2), consumption (VO2), and the fractional contribution to delivery (FCD) and to consumption (FCC) of the red blood cells (RBC), PFC, and plasma phases were calculated. Mixed venous PO2 (PvO2) was significantly higher at 30 min and 1 h on CPB in the OF group than in the RL group. FCCRBC was significantly lower at 30 min, 1 h, and 90 min on CPB in the OF group than in the RL group. PvjO2, Ca-vO2, Ca-vj O2, and VO2 were slightly higher in the OF group than in the RL group. Tissue fluid accumulation was not alleviated with Oxyfluor, and tissue and brain acidosis were significantly increased in the OF group. This study presented evidence that Oxyfluor improved tissue oxygenation and total body oxygen consumption during experimental CPB. In addition, Oxyfluor reduced FCCRBC, increasing oxygen transport reserve of the RBC phase, which can be useful to reduce hypoxic events during CPB. Further research should be conducted to optimize PFC-OCs for use in CPB and to reduce secondary effects.

Description of a project for the production and evaluation of oxygen-carrying hemosubstitutes.

Scarce availability and risk of transmission of infections and diseases (HIV, hepatitis B, Chagas' disease) limit the use and benefits of homologous blood transfusions for surgical purposes. Recent trials of perfluorocarbon-based hemosubstitutes (PFC-HSs) in experimental cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) have demonstrated their ability to improve brain oxygenation, as compared with conventional crystalloid priming solutions. The objective of the project described here is to test different formulations of PFC-HSs and optimize their formulation and dosage for use in CPB. The project includes: (1) study the feasibility of implementing a laboratory for small scale production of PFC-HSs; (2) evaluate the efficacy of use of PFC-HSs in an animal model of CPB; and (3) evaluate the safety of use of PFC-HSs in an animal model of hemorrhagic shock. Several in-house PFC-HSs and outside PFC-HSs are being evaluated. The current state of the project is: (1) the feasibility study has been completed and several PFCs, emulsifiers and surfactants are being tested; (2) and (3) the animal models have been implemented are being used to test in-house and outside PFC-HSs as priming solutions in CPB and reinfusion fluids in hemorrhagic shock respectively. Some preliminary results are presented.