Perioperative management of the high-risk surgical patient: cardiac surgery

Author(s):  
Marco Ranucci ◽  
Serenella Castelvecchio ◽  
Andrea Ballotta

During the last decade, as a result of continually improving surgical strategy and the technology which supports it (e.g. anaesthesia), cardiac surgery is offered to patients with advanced age and those with increasingly complex co-existing conditions that were previously considered to be contraindications. In addition, an increasing number of patients have previously undergone angioplasty, thereby delaying their initial coronary artery bypass graft surgery to a more advanced age. In general, candidates for cardiac surgery may now be not only older than in the past, but also more likely to have health problems such as hypertension and diabetes. Risk stratification may help to identify 'the' high-risk patient: 'pre-warned is pre-armed'. In high-risk cardiac surgery patients, the surgical treatment options and perioperative care must be tailored to each patient, in order to optimize the benefits and minimize the risk of detrimental effects. The preoperative anticoagulation practice is an important aspect, balancing the risk between ischaemic and bleeding complications. New antiplatelet agents and oral anticoagulants have been recently delivered, and their role in patients scheduled for heart surgery is an additional important issue.

Author(s):  
Marco Ranucci ◽  
Serenella Castelvecchio ◽  
Andrea Ballotta

During the last decade, as a result of continually improving surgical strategy and the technology which supports it (e.g. anaesthesia), cardiac surgery is offered to patients with advanced age and those with increasingly complex co-existing conditions that were previously considered to be contraindications. In addition, an increasing number of patients have previously undergone angioplasty, thereby delaying their initial coronary artery bypass graft surgery to a more advanced age. In general, candidates for cardiac surgery may now be not only older than in the past, but also more likely to have health problems such as hypertension and diabetes. Risk stratification may help to identify ‘the’ high-risk patient: ‘pre-warned is pre-armed’. In high-risk cardiac surgery patients, the surgical treatment options and perioperative care must be tailored to each patient, in order to optimize the benefits and minimize the risk of detrimental effects. The preoperative anticoagulation practice is an important aspect, balancing the risk between ischaemic and bleeding complications. New antiplatelet agents and oral anticoagulants have been recently delivered, and their role in patients scheduled for heart surgery is an additional important issue.


Author(s):  
Marco Ranucci ◽  
Serenella Castelvecchio ◽  
Andrea Ballotta

During the last decade, as a result of continually improving surgical strategy and the technology which supports it (e.g. anaesthesia), cardiac surgery is offered to patients with advanced age and those with increasingly complex co-existing conditions that were previously considered to be contraindications. In addition, an increasing number of patients have previously undergone angioplasty, thereby delaying their initial coronary artery bypass graft surgery to a more advanced age. In general, candidates for cardiac surgery may now be not only older than in the past, but also more likely to have health problems such as hypertension and diabetes. Risk stratification may help to identify ‘the’ high-risk patient: ‘pre-warned is pre-armed’. In high-risk cardiac surgery patients, the surgical treatment options and perioperative care must be tailored to each patient, in order to optimize the benefits and minimize the risk of detrimental effects. The preoperative anticoagulation practice is an important aspect, balancing the risk between ischaemic and bleeding complications. New antiplatelet agents and oral anticoagulants have been recently delivered, and their role in patients scheduled for heart surgery is an additional important issue.


Author(s):  
Marco Ranucci ◽  
Serenella Castelvecchio ◽  
Andrea Ballotta

During the last decade, as a result of continually improving surgical strategy and the technology which supports it (e.g. anaesthesia), cardiac surgery is offered to patients with advanced age and those with increasingly complex co-existing conditions that were previously considered to be contraindications. In addition, an increasing number of patients have previously undergone angioplasty, thereby delaying their initial coronary artery bypass graft surgery to a more advanced age. In general, candidates for cardiac surgery may now be not only older than in the past, but also more likely to have health problems such as hypertension and diabetes. Risk stratification may help to identify ‘the’ high-risk patient: ‘pre-warned is pre-armed’. In high-risk cardiac surgery patients, the surgical treatment options and perioperative care must be tailored to each patient, in order to optimize the benefits and minimize the risk of detrimental effects. The preoperative anticoagulation practice is an important aspect, balancing the risk between ischaemic and bleeding complications. New antiplatelet agents and oral anticoagulants have been recently delivered, and their role in patients scheduled for heart surgery is an additional important issue.


Author(s):  
Marco Ranucci ◽  
Serenella Castelvecchio ◽  
Andrea Ballotta

During the last decade, as a result of continually improving surgical strategy and the technology which supports it (e.g. anaesthesia), cardiac surgery is offered to patients with advanced age and those with increasingly complex co-existing conditions that were previously considered to be contraindications. In addition, an increasing number of patients have previously undergone angioplasty, thereby delaying their initial coronary artery bypass graft surgery to a more advanced age. In general, candidates for cardiac surgery may now be not only older than in the past, but also more likely to have health problems such as hypertension and diabetes. Risk stratification may help to identify ‘the’ high-risk patient: ‘pre-warned is pre-armed’. In high-risk cardiac surgery patients, the surgical treatment options and perioperative care must be tailored to each patient, in order to optimize the benefits and minimize the risk of detrimental effects. The preoperative anticoagulation practice is an important aspect, balancing the risk between ischaemic and bleeding complications. New antiplatelet agents and oral anticoagulants have been recently delivered, and their role in patients scheduled for heart surgery is an additional important issue.


Author(s):  
Debora Ferreira da Cruz ◽  
Elbanir Rosangela Ferreira de Sousa ◽  
Claudia Elizabeth de Almeida

Objectives: The study’s main purpose has been to identify both pre and postoperative risk factors related to the development of mediastinitis among patients who underwent cardiac surgery at a hospital from the Rio de Janeiro city. Furthermore, to characterize the study population and to analyze the relationship between risk factors and the incidence of mediastinitis in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Methods: It is a descriptive and retrospective study with a quantitative approach, where there were identified the risk factors related to the development of mediastinitis in patients who underwent cardiac surgery at a university hospital from the Rio de Janeiro State. Results: There were obtained a total of 192 patients, mostly males, within the age group from 50 to 69 years old and overweight. Diabetes mellitus and smoking were the most frequent comorbidities, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery was the most performed surgery, 4 patients had mediastinitis. Conclusion: The identification of such factors contributes to the elaboration of prevention strategies for mediastinitis, and the implementation of nursing care in both pre and postoperative periods of cardiac surgeries.


Author(s):  
Anetta Undas ◽  
Aleksandra Lipska ◽  
Anetta Undas ◽  
Hein Heidbuchel ◽  
Jacek Legutko ◽  
...  

Objective: We investigated the knowledge about atrial fibrillation (AF) and oral anticoagulants (OACs) in AF patients scheduled for cardiac surgery compared with nonsurgical AF patients. Methods: We recruited 144 consecutive patients with documented AF scheduled for cardiac surgery on admission (aged 68.9±8.4, male 60.4 %). The control group represented 200 age- and sex-matched AF patients without indications for surgery. Using the validated Jessa AF Knowledge Questionnaire (JAKQ), we tested their knowledge of AF and the use of OAC. Results: The mean score on the JAKQ was 47±20 % in the surgery group and 59±18 % in the control group (p<0.001), without any questions in which the former group scored better. A higher level of knowledge was observed in patients taking vitamin K antagonists (VKA) in the past, and individuals free of heart failure, previous stroke, or peripheral artery disease. Patients had poor knowledge of the safety issues, including 27.5% of surgical patients who knew about possible painkillers use during anticoagulation compared with 43.8% in the control group (p=0.002). Patients scheduled for valvular surgery (n=88, 61.5%) scored better compared with those (n=26, 18.2%) for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery (49±19% vs. 35±18 %, p=0.002 respectively). Conclusion: The level of knowledge about AF and its treatment, including the safety issues, is poor among AF patients admitted for cardiac surgery. More educational efforts should be taken in this vulnerable patient subset.


2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart J Head ◽  
Ad JJC Bogers ◽  
A Pieter Kappetein ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  

Antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy is a key part of the management of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and one of the cornerstones to prevent complications after coronary bypass or valvular heart surgery. The use of anticoagulants and antiplatelets is life-saving, but these agents also contribute to the risk of bleeding. The only orally active anticoagulants that are licensed for long-term use are vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), such as warfarin and are often prescribed after mechanical heart valve implantation or in case of atrial fibrillation. Bleeding is a significant adverse event. Another major drawback of warfarin is the need for routine coagulation monitoring and even with monitoring, the international normalised ratio is frequently outside the therapeutic range. Development of new antithrombotic drugs has been targeted to improve the clinical benefit by reducing bleeding and thromboembolic complications and improving the ease of use. The many limitations of VKAs have provoked the development of new oral anticoagulants. Recently, dabigatran etexilate and ticagrelor have been introduced as possible substitutes. Furthermore, agents are evaluated to treat patients with acute coronary syndromes. Clopidogrel is often used, but this increases the risk of bleeding in patients in which coronary artery bypass grafting is necessary. This review outlines the alternatives of warfarin and clopidogrel therapy for patients with a mechanical heart valve or who undergo bypass surgery. It also establishes a five-year view for key contenders to replace the existing standard therapy.


2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Canturk Cakalagaoglu ◽  
Cengiz Koksal ◽  
Ayse Baysal ◽  
Gokhan Alici ◽  
Birol Ozkan ◽  
...  

<p><b>Aim:</b> The goal was to determine the effectiveness of the posterior pericardiotomy technique in preventing the development of early and late pericardial effusions (PEs) and to determine the role of anxiety level for the detection of late pericardial tamponade (PT).</p><p><b>Materials and Methods:</b> We divided 100 patients randomly into 2 groups, the posterior pericardiotomy group (n = 50) and the control group (n = 50). All patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG), valvular heart surgery, or combined valvular and CABG surgeries were included. The posterior pericardiotomy technique was performed in the first group of 50 patients. Evaluations completed preoperatively, postoperatively on day 1, before discharge, and on postoperative days 5 and 30 included electrocardiographic study, chest radiography, echocardiographic study, and evaluation of the patient's anxiety level. Postoperative causes of morbidity and durations of intensive care unit and hospital stays were recorded.</p><p><b>Results:</b> The 2 groups were not significantly different with respect to demographic and operative data (<i>P</i> > .05). Echocardiography evaluations revealed no significant differences between the groups preoperatively; however, before discharge the control group had a significantly higher number of patients with moderate, large, and very large PEs compared with the pericardiotomy group (<i>P</i> < .01). There were 6 cases of late PT in the control group, whereas there were none in the pericardiotomy group (<i>P</i> < .05). Before discharge and on postoperative day 15, the patients in the pericardiotomy group showed significant improvement in anxiety levels (<i>P</i> = .03 and .004, respectively). No differences in postoperative complications were observed between the 2 groups.</p><p><b>Conclusion:</b> Pericardiotomy is a simple, safe, and effective method for reducing the incidence of PE and late PT after cardiac surgery. It also has the potential to provide a better quality of life.</p>


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