Unplanned Postoperative Reintubation in Children with Bronchial Asthma.

Unplanned postoperative reintubation is a serious complication that may increase postsurgical hospital length of stay and mortality. Although asthma is a risk factor for perioperative adverse respiratory events, its association with unplanned postoperative reintubation in children has not been comprehensively examined. Our aim was to determine the association between a preoperative comorbid asthma diagnosis and the incidence of unplanned postoperative reintubation in children. This was a retrospective cohort study comprising of 194,470 children who underwent inpatient surgery at institutions participating in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric. The primary outcome was the association of preoperative asthma diagnosis with early, unplanned postoperative reintubation (within the first 72 hours following surgery). We also evaluated the association between bronchial asthma and prolonged hospital length of stay (longer than the 75th percentile for the cohort). The incidence of unplanned postoperative reintubation in the study cohort was 0.5% in patients with a history of asthma compared with 0.2% in patients without the diagnosis (odds ratio [OR]: 2.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.71-2.89). This association remained significant after controlling for several clinical characteristics (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.17-2.20). Additionally, asthmatic children were more likely to require a hospital length of stay longer than the 75th percentile for the study cohort (adjusted OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.10). Children with preoperative comorbid asthma diagnosis have an increased incidence of early, unplanned postoperative reintubation and prolonged postoperative hospitalization following inpatient surgery. By identifying these patients as having higher perioperative risks, it may be possible to institute strategies to improve their outcomes.

Anesthesia for thoracic surgery in infants and children.

The management of infants and children presenting for thoracic surgery poses a variety of challenges for anesthesiologists. A thorough understanding of the implications of developmental changes in cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology, associated comorbid conditions, and the proposed surgical intervention is essential in order to provide safe and effective clinical care. This narrative review discusses the perioperative anesthetic management of pediatric patients undergoing noncardiac thoracic surgery, beginning with the preoperative assessment. The considerations for the implementation and management of one-lung ventilation (OLV) will be reviewed, and as will the anesthetic implications of different surgical procedures including bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, thoracotomy, and thoracoscopy. We will also discuss pediatric-specific disease processes presenting in neonates, infants, and children, with an emphasis on those with unique impact on anesthetic management.

Perioperative Opioid Consumption is Not Reduced in Cyanotic Patients Presenting for the Fontan Procedure.

Adequate pain control is a critical component of the perioperative approach to children undergoing repair of congenital heart disease (CHD). The impact of specific anatomic and physiologic disturbances on the management of analgesia has been largely unexplored at the present time. Studies in other pediatric populations have found an association between chronic hypoxemia and an increased sensitivity to the effects of opioid medications. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine perioperative opioid administration and opioid-associated adverse effects in children undergoing surgical repair of CHD, with a comparison between patients with and without chronic preoperative cyanosis. Patients between the ages of 2 and 5 years whose tracheas were extubated in the operating room were included and were classified in the cyanotic group if they presented for the Fontan completion. The primary outcomes of interest were intraoperative and postoperative opioid administration. Secondary outcomes included pain scores and opioid-related side effects. The study cohort included 156 patients. Seventy-one underwent the Fontan procedure, twelve of which were fenestrated. Fontan patients received fewer opioids intraoperatively (11.33 µg/kg fentanyl equivalents versus 12.56 µg/kg, p = 0.03). However, there were no differences with regards to opioid consumption postoperatively and no correlation between preoperative oxygen saturation and total opioid administration. There were no differences between groups with regards to the respiratory rate nadir, postoperative pain scores, or the incidence of opioid-related side effects. In contrast to other populations with chronic hypoxemia exposure, children with cyanotic CHD did not appear to have increased sensitivity to the effects of opioid medications.

Pediatric Pulmonary Artery Rehabilitation: A Review of Our Experience and a Novel Approach Using Bronchial Blockers.

Recent advances in the field of pediatric interventional cardiology have resulted in therapies for patients in need of augmented pulmonary artery (PA) flow. Catheter-based PA rehabilitation can be performed safely but not without the potential risk of pulmonary hemorrhage. When severe, this bleeding has the ability to contaminate the bronchi and trachea, and possibly occlude the endotracheal tube. This can result in a critical inability to ventilate and oxygenate these patients. Herein, we review our institutional experience with pulmonary hemorrhage associated with these procedures and the feasibility of predicting this outcome. The secondary aim was to discuss our novel anesthetic approach to a select group of these patients, involving the use of bronchial blockers to preemptively prevent contamination of bilateral bronchi and occlusion of the endotracheal tube.

The Correlation of Two Cerebral Saturation Monitors With Jugular Bulb Oxygen Saturation in Children Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass for Congenital Heart Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a noninvasive monitoring technique that measures regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2). OBJECTIVES: The primary aim was to compare the output of 2 NIRS-based cerebral oximetry devices, FORESIGHT (CAS Medical Systems Inc, Branford, Connecticut) and INVOS (Covidien, Boulder, Colorado), to venous oxygen saturations from the jugular venous bulb at cannulation and decannulation of the superior vena cava (SVC). Secondary objectives included evaluating correlations of cerebral saturation, as measured by the NIRS devices, with mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), measured by an invasive arterial line, and end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2). METHODS: Near-infrared spectroscopy, MAP, and ETCO2 data were collected at 13 defined events during each case when hemodynamic instability was expected. At SVC cannulation and decannulation, a 0.1 mL sample of blood was collected from the jugular bulb by the surgeon using a long angiocatheter. The oxygen saturation of these blood samples was measured using an AVOX device and compared with contemporaneous readings from the NIRS probes. Mixed-effects linear regression was used to correlate MAP or ETCO2 with cerebral oxygen saturation (by NIRS) at each time point. RESULTS: Children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass for congenital heart surgery (n = 34) were enrolled in the study. At SVC cannulation, both INVOS ( r = .78) and FORESIGHT ( r = .59) were correlated with AVOX data at P < .001, although the correlation with INVOS was significantly stronger ( P = .003). At SVC decannulation, INVOS ( r = .68; P < .001) and FORESIGHT ( r = .60; P < .001) were similarly correlated with jugular venous rSO2. Correlations of rSO2 (by NIRS) with MAP and ETCO2 levels were stronger than correlations between rSO2 change and change in MAP or ETCO2. CONCLUSION: INVOS correlated more strongly than FORESIGHT with the jugular bulb rSO2 at SVC cannulation but may have underestimated oxygen saturation at low rSO2 values. Data from both NIRS devices were correlated with MAP and ETCO2 over the case duration.

Revisiting acute normovolemic hemodilution and blood transfusion during pediatric cardiac surgery: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: The majority of allogeneic transfusions occur in the perioperative setting, especially during cardiac surgery. In addition to the economic implications, there is emerging evidence that blood transfusion may increase both morbidity and mortality. Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) may limit the need for blood products. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to determine if the method of blood collection (syringe or bag) during the ANH process impacted the platelet count and function. The secondary objectives included the need for perioperative blood transfusions during the procedure and in the intensive care unit. In addition, we assessed these outcomes' associations with ANH parameters including the method of collection, time of storage, and volume removed. METHODS: Data were collected prospectively from 50 patients undergoing cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass over a 6-month period. Platelet count and function were measured for the ANH blood immediately after collection and again prior to transfusing to the patient at the end of cardiopulmonary bypass. Other data collected included ANH volume, length of storage, and the quantity of all blood products given throughout the perioperative period. RESULTS: No change in platelet count or function was noted regardless of the length of time or collection method for the ANH blood. Twenty-three patients received blood or blood products in the operating room or the intensive care unit, while 27 patients received no blood transfusion during their entire hospitalization. Higher ANH volume (ml·kg-1 ) and longer storage time were associated with a greater need for intraoperative transfusions. CONCLUSION: Acute normovolemic hemodilution protects the platelets from the untoward effects of cardiopulmonary bypass and offers an important autologous blood product that improves hemostasis at the conclusion of surgery. Platelet count and function are preserved regardless of the method of collection or the length of storage. The volume of ANH removed appears to be an important determinant of blood product use and further understanding of the impact of this variable is a future direction of upcoming prospective research.

Learning From Experience: Improving Early Tracheal Extubation Success After Congenital Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: The many advantages of early tracheal extubation following congenital cardiac surgery in young infants and children are now widely recognized. Benefits include avoiding the morbidity associated with prolonged intubation and the consequences of sedation and positive pressure ventilation in the setting of altered cardiopulmonary physiology. Our practice of tracheal extubation of young infants in the operating room following cardiac surgery has evolved and new challenges in the arena of postoperative sedation and pain management have appeared. DESIGN: Review our institutional outcomes associated with early tracheal extubation following congenital cardiac surgery. PATIENTS: Inclusion criteria included all children less than 1 year old who underwent congenital cardiac surgery between October 1, 2010, and October 24, 2013. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 416 patients less than 1 year old were included. Of the 416 patients, 234 underwent tracheal extubation in the operating room (56%) with 25 requiring reintubation (10.7%), either immediately or following admission to the cardiothoracic ICU. Of the 25 patients extubated in the operating room who required reintubation, 22 failed within 24 hours of cardiothoracic ICU admission; 10 failures were directly related to narcotic doses that resulted in respiratory depression. CONCLUSIONS: As a result of this review, we have instituted changes in our cardiothoracic ICU postoperative care plans. We have developed a neonatal delirium score, and have adopted the "Kangaroo Care" approach that was first popularized in neonatal ICUs. This provision allows for the early parental holding of infants following admission to the cardiothoracic ICU and allows for appropriately selected parents to sleep in the same beds alongside their postoperative children.

A single-center strategy to minimize blood transfusion in neonates and children undergoing cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: The transfusion of blood products in the setting of uncontrolled bleeding is unquestionably lifesaving. However, in many instances, the decision to transfuse is based on physician gestalt rather than medical evidence. When indications for transfusion are unclear, the benefits of blood products must be balanced against their significant risks and associated costs. As our institution is a referral center for patients of Jehovah's Witness faith, this population has pushed our development of techniques to achieve the goal of bloodless surgery. Our practices in caring for this population have become our standard practice for managing all patients undergoing congenital cardiac surgery. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate our success in minimizing the use of blood products during pediatric cardiac surgery. METHODS: After IRB approval, we retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent cardiac surgery utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), for biventricular repair procedures. The study was conducted at a single institution (Nationwide Children's Hospital (NCH)) during the period: January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013. RESULTS: A total of 209 patients were included. Overall, 81 patients (38.8%) and 81 of 136 (59.6%) weighing more than 6 kg received no blood products (bloodless) during their entire hospital stay. Bloodless surgery was most successful in patients weighing more than 18 kg, followed by patients weighing 6-18 kg. All 73 patients who weighed <6 kg received blood transfusion during their hospitalization. CONCLUSION: The techniques that we have developed to initially care for our Jehovah's Witness families may be applied to other pediatric and adult surgical procedures.

Neurodevelopmental outcome after cardiac surgery utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass in children.

INTRODUCTION: Modulating the stress response and perioperative factors can have a paramount impact on the neurodevelopmental outcome of infants who undergo cardiac surgery utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this single center prospective follow-up study, we evaluated the impact of three different anesthetic techniques on the neurodevelopmental outcomes of 19 children who previously underwent congenital cardiac surgery within their 1(st) year of life. Cases were done from May 2011 to December 2013. Children were assessed using the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales (5(th) edition). Multiple regression analysis was used to test different parental and perioperative factors that could significantly predict the different neurodevelopmental outcomes in the entire cohort of patients. RESULTS: When comparing the three groups regarding the major cognitive scores, a high-dose fentanyl (HDF) patients scored significantly higher than the low-dose fentanyl (LDF) + dexmedetomidine (DEX) (LDF + DEX) group in the quantitative reasoning scores (106 ± 22 vs. 82 ± 15 P = 0.046). The bispectral index (BIS) value at the end of surgery for the -LDF group was significantly higher than that in LDF + DEX group (P = 0.011). For the entire cohort, a strong correlation was seen between the standard verbal intelligence quotient (IQ) score and the baseline adrenocorticotropic hormone level, the interleukin-6 level at the end of surgery and the BIS value at the end of the procedure with an R(2) value of 0.67 and P < 0.04. There was an inverse correlation between the cardiac Intensive Care Unit length of stay and the full-scale IQ score (R = 0.4675 and P 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Patients in the HDF group demonstrated overall higher neurodevelopmental scores, although it did not reach statistical significance except in fluid reasoning scores. Our results may point to a possible correlation between blunting the stress response and improvement of the neurodevelopmental outcome.

Decreasing the need for transfusion: infant cardiac surgery using hemodilution and recombinant factor VIIa.

Many strategies, including intraoperative acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) and pharmacologic agents, exist to minimize the use of allogeneic blood products in pediatric congenital heart surgery. Recombinant activated factor VIIa (rFVIIa) is a hemostatic agent approved for the treatment of bleeding episodes and prevention of bleeding in surgical interventions in patients with hemophilia A or B with inhibitors, acquired hemophilia, or congenital factor VII deficiency. Off-label use in nonhemophilic patients for uncontrolled hemorrhage is increasing although still under investigation. We present our experience with ANH and rFVIIa in nine patients. All were <16 months of age and underwent complex cardiac surgery with the end point of achieving hemostasis while decreasing or eliminating the need for allogeneic blood products. Clinically, we have observed rapid hemostasis in patients who underwent ANH and then had autologous blood reinfused after cardiopulmonary bypass, along with rFVIIa, without any time delay. The patients required no allogeneic blood products and therefore results suggested the potential utility of this practice. The study group consisted of nine patients <16 months of age who received rFVIIa in the operating room after open-heart surgery. Amount of autologous blood removed preoperatively, blood product use, time from protamine to rFVIIa administration, platelet count, INR, and fibrinogen level were retrospectively obtained. Of the nine patients, the three who underwent the most aggressive hemodilution received rFVIIa most rapidly and required no allogeneic blood products to achieve hemostasis although they had an average lower fibrinogen level on admission to the cardiothoracic intensive care unit. These preliminary data suggest that hemodilution before surgical stimulation and the rapid administration of rFVIIa, along with the reintroduction of autologous blood, may decrease or potentially eliminate the need for allogeneic blood products. Prospective trials are warranted to further explore this technique.

Pain management after comprehensive stage 2 repair for hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Achieving optimal pain control for children after complex cardiac surgery can be challenging. Recently, the hybrid approach to palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) was introduced as an alternative to the classic Norwood procedure. The second stage of the hybrid approach is a complex procedure known as comprehensive stage 2 (CS2). The authors have noted that pain control after the CS2 procedure is particularly difficult to manage. This report presents a review of the authors' pain management strategy in this clinical scenario and evaluates its efficacy. The medical records of patients who underwent CS2 repair of the hybrid procedure for HLHS between June 2008 and August 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. As a comparative group with a similar physiology, patients undergoing an isolated Glenn procedure also were reviewed. In addition to demographic data, the intraoperative use of narcotics and other adjunct medications for analgesia and sedation was recorded. Postoperatively, the mode of analgesia, the total opioid administered during the first 48 h postoperatively, and the nursing-assessed patient pain scores were recorded. Any adverse drug effect or need to adjust the analgesic regimen was recorded, as well as the timing of tracheal extubation. During the study period, 36 patients ranging in age from 4 to 14 months underwent the CS2 procedure, and 21 patients underwent a Glenn procedure. After CS2 repair, fentanyl was the opioid initially prescribed for all but 2 of the 21 patients managed with the nurse-controlled analgesia (NCA) delivery method and 15 patients managed with continuous infusion. After the Glenn shunt, all patients were prescribed NCA, with 20 patients receiving fentanyl and 1 patient receiving hydromorphone. The use of intraoperative dexmedetomidine caused a decrease in the total narcotic requirements, although this did not reach a statistical significance for either the extubated or intubated patients after CS2. The extubated patients who underwent the Glenn procedure received a smaller total equivalent dose of fentanyl during the first 24 h (29.02 ± 10.6 µg/kg) than did the extubated patients after the CS2 procedure, who received an average of 37.92 ± 8.5 µg/kg (P = 0.02). During the second 24 h, the extubated Glenn patients continued to receive less fentanyl, at an average dose of 7.02 ± 11.5 µg/kg compared with 27.7 ± 23.1 µg/kg for the CS2 patients (P = 0.02). The extubated patients who underwent the Glenn procedure required less NCA time (33.68 ± 17.7) than the CS2 patients (57.9 ± 31.8 h) (P = 0.04). Dexmedetomidine use with the CS2 patients resulted in a trend toward lowering of the total fentanyl dose, but this did not reach statistical significance. The intubated patients who received dexmedetomidine after the CS2 procedure had less NCA time (61.7 ± 39.2 vs. 128.1 ± 100 h; P = 0.02). After the CS2 procedure for palliation of HLHS, patients experience a complex pain profile that differs from the pain associated with the traditional Glenn procedure. This group of patients generally can be managed with fentanyl NCA. Achieving a balance between a proper level of analgesia and sedation in the setting of early tracheal extubation to optimize postoperative physiology can be challenging. The preliminary data suggest that improvements in pain management should be investigated given that more than 30 % of the pain scores in the CS2 group were in the moderate to severe range compared with 18 % after the Glenn procedure.

Pain management after surgery for single-ventricle palliation using the hybrid approach.

The hybrid pathway for the management of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome was pioneered at our institution and is the preferred approach compared with the traditional Norwood pathway. Patients undergoing this surgery are generally <6 months of age, and pain management in this age group after surgery for complex congenital heart disease (CHD) may be particularly challenging. We retrospectively reviewed our pain-management strategy after stage 1 hybrid procedure (HS1) and evaluated its efficacy, especially in the setting of early tracheal extubation. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients receiving fentanyl analgesia after HS1 palliation for single-ventricle anatomy between June 2008 and August 2011. In addition to demographic data, we also recorded the mode of analgesia, total fentanyl administered during the first 48 postoperative hours, and total hours of fentanyl use. Other data collected included pain scores, adverse effects, time of tracheal extubation, and use of adjunctive medications, such as dexmedetomidine. Nurse-controlled analgesia (NCA) with fentanyl was used in 21 of the 33 patients in the study cohort, with the remainder receiving a continuous fentanyl infusion. NCA-fentanyl was the method of choice in 12 of the 13 patients whose tracheas were extubated in the operating room versus 9 of 20 patients who received postoperative mechanical ventilation and tracheal intubation (p = 0.0093). During the first and second 24 h after surgery, fentanyl requirements were lower in patients whose tracheas were extubated (11.8 ± 7.6 vs. 20.6 ± 18.1 and 6.6 ± 10.3 vs. 24.3 ± 20.4 µg/kg, respectively). Adverse effects were noted in 3 of the 33 patients (9%) and included one episode each of respiratory depression requiring reintubation of the trachea, pruritus, and excessive sedation. Dexmedetomidine was used as an adjunct medication in 5 patients and resulted in decreased fentanyl use (6.3 ± 1.3 vs. 19 ± 15.9 µg/kg in the first 24 postoperative hours and 7.9 ± 3.5 vs. 19 ± 20.3 µg/kg in the second 24 postoperative hours). Fentanyl administered by way of continuous infusion or NCA provided effective postoperative analgesia with a limited adverse effect profile after HS1 surgery in neonates with complex CHD. Fentanyl requirements were lower in patients who achieved early tracheal extubation as well as those who received dexmedetomidine.

Using a thoracic epidural catheter in a high-risk pediatric transplant patient.

Although the risks and benefits of regional anesthesia for thoracic surgery are documented, little has been written about using such techniques in pediatric patients undergoing organ transplantation on cardiopulmonary bypass. The placement of thoracic epidurals in unconscious patients, the use of catheters in patients requiring heparinization, and indwelling catheters in immunosuppressed patients are topics of perennial debate. This report describes a thoracic epidural facilitated by intravenous dexmedetomidine in the management of a child who underwent bilateral lung transplantation. Using dexmedetomidine for postoperative sedation may increase the feasibility of regional techniques in patients at increased risk of associated complications.

Predictors of successful early extubation following congenital cardiac surgery in neonates and infants.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of literature discussing the predictive likelihood of successfully extubating neonates and infants in the operating room immediately following congenital cardiac surgery. Given the unknown consequences of anaesthetics on neurodevelopmental outcomes, minimising the exposure of this population to such agents may have long-term benefits. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 391 patients less than 1 year of age. RESULTS: The probability of successfully extubating these patients was based on quantifiable, objective criteria. The relevant variables include age, weight, bypass time, lactate level and specific congenital anomaly. CONCLUSIONS: The practice of immediate extubation of infants and neonates is achievable, safe and predicted based on specific patient variables. This practice will minimise the anaesthetic exposure of these especially young patients who may be at risk for long-term consequences related to anaesthetic exposure.