Risk and benefits of temporary pacemaker electrodes in adult open-heart surgery—a systematic review

Background To assess the achieved risk and benefits of inserting temporary epicardial pacemaker electrodes after open-heart surgery for potential treatment of postoperative cardiac arrhythmias, and to investigate the extent of its use in clinical practice. Main text A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and repeated in Embase and Scopus using the PRISMA guidelines. The search identified 905 studies and resulted in 12 included studies, where the type of surgery, study design, total number of included patients, number of patients having temporary pacemaker electrodes inserted, number of patients requiring temporary pacing, primary reason for pacing, significant factors predicting temporary pacing, registered complications and study conclusion were assessed. Eight papers concluded that routine insertion of temporary pacemaker electrodes in all postoperative patients is unnecessary. One paper concluded that they should always be inserted, while three papers concluded that pacing is useful in the postoperative period, but did not recommend a frequency of which they should be inserted. Conclusions The literature suggests that the subgroup of younger otherwise healthy patients without preoperative arrhythmia having isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery or single valve surgery should not routinely have temporary pacemaker electrodes inserted.

S100B in cardiac surgery brain monitoring: friend or foe?

Recent advances in perioperative management of adult and pediatric patients requiring open heart surgery (OHS) and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for cardiac and/or congenital heart diseases repair allowed a significant reduction in the mortality rate. Conversely morbidity rate pattern has a flat trend. Perioperative period is crucial since OHS and CPB are widely accepted as a deliberate hypoxic-ischemic reperfusion damage representing the cost to pay at a time when standard of care monitoring procedures can be silent or unavailable. In this respect, the measurement of neuro-biomarkers (NB), able to detect at early stage perioperative brain damage could be especially useful. In the last decade, among a series of NB, S100B protein has been investigated. After the first promising results, supporting the usefulness of the protein as predictor of short/long term adverse neurological outcome, the protein has been progressively abandoned due to a series of limitations. In the present review we offer an up-dated overview of the main S100B pros and cons in the peri-operative monitoring of adult and pediatric patients.

Intravascular leiomyomatosis with cardiac extension: a case report

Background Intravascular leiomyomatosis with intracardiac extension is a rare benign tumor seen exclusively in women, characterized by proliferation of uterine smooth muscle cells through the venous circulation into the inferior vena cava and the right heart chambers. Case summary A 47 years old women with history of previous hysterectomy due to myomatosis, presented with nausea, anorexia and bilateral lower limb swelling over the preceding two months. An outpatient abdominal ultrasound discovered a mass in the Inferior vena cava. Echocardiogram and Computed tomography demonstrated a large intravascular mass extending from the pelvis to the right heart chambers. The tumor was completely removed in a concomitant open-heart surgery and laparotomy. Post operative course was uncomplicated. A month later the patient was feeling well and in good clinical condition. The histological analysis consisted with intravascular leiomyomatosis. Discussion Intracardiac leiomyomatosis is a rare clinical condition which requires high index of suspicion. Multimodality imaging is usually required to establish the preoperative diagnosis, although the final diagnosis is achieved with tissue investigation. Complete surgical resection of the tumor is curative and associated with good long-term prognosis.

CardioVR-ReTone—Robotic Exoskeleton for Upper Limb Rehabilitation following Open Heart Surgery: Design, Modelling, and Control

Following cardiac surgery, patients experience difficulties with the rehabilitation process, often finding it difficult, and therefore lack the motivation for rehabilitation activities. As the number of people aged 65 and over will rise by 207 percent globally by 2050, the need for cardiac rehabilitation will significantly increase, as this is the main population to experience heart problems. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a new robotic exoskeleton concept with 12 DoFs (6 DoFs on each arm), with a symmetrical structure for the upper limbs, to be used in the early rehabilitation of cardiac patients after open-heart surgery. The electromechanical design (geometric, kinematic, and dynamic model), the control architecture, and the VR-based operating module of the robotic exoskeleton are presented. To solve the problem of the high degree of complexity regarding the CardioVR-ReTone kinematic and dynamic model, the iterative algorithm, kinetic energy, and generalized forces were used. The results serve as a complete model of the exoskeleton, from a kinematic and dynamic point of view as well as to the selection of the electric motors, control system, and VR motivation model. The validation of the concept was achieved by evaluating the exoskeleton structure from an ergonomic point of view, emphasizing the movements that will be part of the cardiac rehabilitation.

Continuous Incisional Lidocaine in Pediatric Patients following Open Heart Surgery

Continuous incisional lidocaine infusion has been proposed as an adjunctive therapy in the management of postoperative pain in adult patients. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of a continuous subcutaneous lidocaine infusion in pediatric patients following open heart surgery. All patients receiving a subcutaneous lidocaine infusion in median sternotomy incisions after open heart surgery during 2 consecutive years were included in the study. A historical cohort of patients was used as a control group. Demographic variables (age, size, and surgical procedure), variables related to sedation and analgesia (COMFORT and analgesia scales, drug doses, and duration), and complications were registered. 106 patients in the lidocaine infusion group and 79 patients in the control group were included. Incisional analgesia was effective for the treatment of pain as it reduced the dose and duration of intravenous fentanyl (odds ratio (OR) 6.26, confidence interval (CI) 95%: 2.48-15.97, p = 0.001 ; OR 4.30, CI 95%: 2.09-8.84, p = 0.001 , respectively). The reduction in fentanyl use was more important in children over two years of age. Adverse effects were seen in three children (2.8%): they all had decreased level of consciousness, and one of them presented seizures as well. Two of these three patients had lidocaine levels over 2 mcg/ml. A continuous lidocaine incisional infusion is effective for the treatment of pain after open heart surgery. This procedure reduced intravenous analgesic drug requirements in pediatric patients undergoing a median sternotomy incision. Although the incidence of secondary effects is low, monitoring of neurologic status and lidocaine blood levels are recommended in all patients.

Recurrent cardiac hydatid cysts ruptured intraoperatively during anesthetic induction for open-heart surgery

Introduction: Cardiac localization of hydatid disease is rare (<3%) even in endemic countries. Affection characterized by a long functional tolerance and a large clinical and paraclinical polymorphism. Serious cardiac hydatitosis because of the risk of rupture requiring urgent surgery. The diagnosis is based on serology and echocardiography. The aim of this work is to show one of the fatal complications of this condition which arose intraoperatively during anesthetic induction. Methods: We report the observation of a 37-year-old woman operated on in 2010 for a cardiac hydatid cyst presenting a recurrence of cardiac hydatid disease with two left intraauricular cysts expressed by palpitations with dyspnea. Preoperatively: dyspnea stage II of the NYHA. Chest x-ray: CTI at 0.58. ECG: RSR. Echocardiography: Two largest left atrial cysts: 47/40 mm compress the origin of the right pulmonary vein, 2nd cyst of 36/28 mm. The existence of another small caliber lateral cyst. Positive hydatid serology. The patient developed an anaphylactic shock of unexplained cause, which required the assistive CPB facility. Intraoperative exploration: The two ruptured cysts in the left atrium with multiple left intraatrial daughter vesicles. Gesture: Removal of daughter vesicles with sterilization with hypertonic saline. Results: The postoperative consequences were favorable despite a prolonged stay in intensive care following a picture of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Conclusion: Intracardiac rupture is a very serious complication and can produce dramatic pictures with sudden death. It can be responsible for allergic reaction, systemic embolism, pulmonary embolism and systemic metastases. Keywords: Hydatid Cyst; Heart; Relapsing; Rupture; Surgery; Anaphylactic Shock; Cardiopulmonary Bypass; Prevention

Comments of results after surgical replacement of mechanical mitral and aortic valve in children at Hanoi Heart Hospital

Objective: Assessment of early results after surgical treatment of mechanical mitral valve and aortic valve replacement in children at Hanoi Heart Hospital from 2004 to June 2019. Methods: Analysis and evaluation based on data collected from patients undergoing surgery and from the results of follow-up examination. Results: The total number of patients was 50, in which 34 cases of simple mechanical mitral valve replacement, 16 cases of simple mechanical aortic valve replacement. Average age of surgery: 7.58 ± 6.01 years (The lowest age is 7 months, the highest is 15 years). Male: 29 patients (58%), female: 21 patients (42%). Ultrasound before discharge and after 3 months, we found similar results: mean EF: mechanical mitral valve: 56.28 ± 10.67 %; Aortic valve: 54.72 ± 9.66% .Mean pressure : Mitral valve: 3.18 ± 1.25; Aortic valve: 12.12 ± 3.25 mmHg. INR index: mitral valve : 2.58 ± 1.20; Aortic valve: 2.34 ± 0.92. Complications of valve replacement: 2 cases of mitral valve replacement after surgery 3 years and 4 years; There was 1 case of aortic valve 5 years after surgery. Death immediately after surgery: mitral valve: 2 cases (5.88%); aortic valve: 1 case (6.25%); Late death: After 2 years, there was 1 case of death after mitral valve replacement; After 4 years, there was 1 case of death after aortic valve replacement. Conclusion: The results of heart valve replacement surgery in children are positive. It is necessary to have better equipment and experience in open heart surgery in low-birth-weight children in order to operate the disease as early and effectively as possible, in which the treatment of complications of heart failure and post-operative coagulopathy should be considered important.