Off-pump coronary artery bypass with heparin in a patient with a history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: a case report

Background Cardiovascular surgery for patients with a history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) with thrombosis requires careful perioperative anticoagulation therapy. When cardiovascular surgery is required for patients having ‘remote’ HIT, such as those who had a history of HIT and platelet factor-4/heparin antibodies turned out to be negative, it is recommended that re-exposure to heparin should be limited only to the intraoperative phase. However, few case reports have described detailed strategies for perioperative anticoagulation regimens. Case presentation We present the case of a 76-year-old woman, presenting with unstable angina pectoris and requiring coronary artery bypass grafting. She had a history of cardiac resuscitation and percutaneous coronary intervention for unstable angina pectoris with ventricular tachycardia 7 years prior, which caused HIT with thrombosis resulting in amputation of four fingers. On admission, platelet factor-4/heparin antibodies, biomarkers for HIT were not detected; the platelet count was 18.0 × 104/µl. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting was performed using heparin; argatroban infusion was continued until 9 h prior to the operation and restarted 3 h postoperatively, bridged with regular warfarin from 4 days to 3 months postoperatively. Platelet factor-4 /heparin antibodies were detected on postoperative day 8 without any clinical symptoms and became negative by day 91. Conclusion We consider this anticoagulation strategy is effective especially in countries, where bivalirudin is not available. Re-exposure to heparin in cardiovascular surgery for patients with a history of ‘remote HIT’ is reasonable, and appropriate anticoagulation is important for an uneventful postoperative course.

Comparison of the Jcerity Endoscoper Airway with the LMA Supreme for Airway Management in Patients Undergoing Cerebral Aneurysm Embolization

Background Interventional embolization of cerebral aneurysms often requires anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy during perioperative period. A new type of laryngeal mask airway (Jcerity Endoscoper Airway)with a unique design may cause less oropharyngeal injury and bleeding for patients receiving perioperative anticoagulation. This study sought to compare the efficacy, safety and complications of Jcerity Endoscoper airwayvs LMA((Laryngeal Mask Airway) Supreme in the procedure of cerebral aneurysm embolization. Methods In this prospective, randomised clinical trial, 182 adult patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists class Ι-II scheduled for interventional embolization of cerebral aneurysms were randomly allocated into the Jcerity Endoscoper airway group and the LMA Supreme group. We compared success rate of LMA implantation, ventilation quality, airway sealing pressure, peak airway pressure, degree of blood staining, postoperative oral hemorrhage, sore throat and other complications between the groups. Results There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of success rate of LMA implantation, ventilation quality, airway sealing pressure or airway peak pressure. The LMA Supreme group showed a significantly higher degree of blood staining than the Jcerity Endoscoper airway group when the laryngeal mask airway was removed (P = 0.04), and there were also more oral hemorrhages and pharyngeal pain than in the the Jcerity Endoscoper airway group (P = 0.03,P = 0.02). No differences were observed between groups in terms of other complications related to the LMA. Conclusions The Jcerity Endoscoper airway can be safely and effectively used for airway management in patients undergoing cerebral aneurysm embolization, which can significantly reduce airway complications related to perioperative anticoagulation.

Patent foramen ovale closure review: decades of research and the evolution of the evidence

Background A quarter of the population suffers from patent foramen ovale, a form of interatrial shunt. It has been linked to cryptogenic strokes and is a common cause of paradoxical embolism. Main text The benefit of closing the patent foramen ovale in cryptogenic stroke patients aged 18-60 years to prevent recurrent strokes, particularly in those with large shunts or associated atrial septal aneurysms, was recently demonstrated. It is a relatively safe procedure that necessitates post-operative anticoagulation, but it has been linked to new-onset atrial fibrillation of uncertain significance. The effectiveness of patent foramen closure depends on patient selection, and prediction scores such as the Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (RoPE) score should be used. Newer closure devices, such as bioabsorbable devices like the Biostar system and ‘device-less’ devices like the Noble Stitch, are becoming more common due to their lower operative risks. The use of such devices in future trials, as well as careful case selection, could improve the acceptability of patent foramen ovale closure in the general population, removing the need for perioperative anticoagulation. Conclusion Individuals aged 18-60 years with cryptogenic stroke who have adverse patent foramen ovale morphology on imaging should be offered patent foramen ovale closure, preferably using the newer closure devices. More studies are needed to determine the significance of periprocedural atrial fibrillation after device closure.

Predictors of preprocedural direct oral anticoagulant levels in patients having an elective surgery or procedure

The Perioperative Anticoagulation Use for Surgery Evaluation (PAUSE) study prospectively evaluated a prespecified periprocedural-interruption strategy of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) among patients with atrial fibrillation. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify clinical parameters associated with residual DOAC levels ≥30 ng/mL or ≥50 ng/mL. Patients undergoing low-bleed-risk procedures were more likely to have residual levels of ≥30 ng/mL and ≥50 ng/mL. For low-risk procedures, age ≥75 years, female sex, a creatinine clearance (CrCl) <50 mL/min, and an interruption of <36 hours were associated with a greater likelihood of levels ≥30 ng/mL, whereas age ≥75 years, female sex, a CrCl of <50 mL/min, and standard DOAC dosing were associated with levels ≥50 ng/mL. For high-risk procedures, weight of <70 kg, CrCl <50 mL/min, and standard DOAC dosing were associated with residual levels ≥30 ng/mL, whereas female sex was associated with levels ≥50 ng/mL. For low-risk procedures, apixaban was associated with a higher likelihood of levels ≥30 ng/mL as compared with dabigatran (P = .0019) and of levels ≥50 ng/mL when compared with rivaroxaban (P = .0003). For high-risk procedures, apixaban was marginally associated with a higher likelihood of residual levels ≥30 ng/mL when compared with dabigatran (P = .05), whereas rivaroxaban was associated with a higher likelihood of levels ≥30 ng/mL as compared with apixaban. Further study is required to determine whether adjustments to perioperative plans based on these clinical parameters could result in a lower risk of residual DOAC levels. The PAUSE trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT2228798.

Perioperative Antithrombotic Therapy Management and Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis

The management of perioperative anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, and perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis is essentially a balancing act between patient risk factors for thrombosis and surgical risk factors for bleeding. The purpose of this review is to assist surgeons with the identification of patients at increased risk for thromboembolism when antithrombotic therapy is interrupted, patients for whom bridging anticoagulation should be considered, patients who require perioperative VTE prophylaxis, and patients at increased risk for bleeding complications and to briefly review the literature and major guidelines regarding perioperative antithrombotic therapy management and perioperative VTE prophylaxis. Figures show approaches to the management of perioperative anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, and VTE prophylaxis. This review contains 2 figures, 7 tables, and 61 references. Keywords: Venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, anticoagulation, surgery, perioperative period, prophylaxis

Perioperative Antithrombotic Therapy Management and Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis

The management of perioperative anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, and perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis is essentially a balancing act between patient risk factors for thrombosis and surgical risk factors for bleeding. The purpose of this review is to assist surgeons with the identification of patients at increased risk for thromboembolism when antithrombotic therapy is interrupted, patients for whom bridging anticoagulation should be considered, patients who require perioperative VTE prophylaxis, and patients at increased risk for bleeding complications and to briefly review the literature and major guidelines regarding perioperative antithrombotic therapy management and perioperative VTE prophylaxis. Figures show approaches to the management of perioperative anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, and VTE prophylaxis. This review contains 2 figures, 7 tables, and 61 references. Keywords: Venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, anticoagulation, surgery, perioperative period, prophylaxis

Perioperative Antithrombotic Therapy Management and Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis

The management of perioperative anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, and perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis is essentially a balancing act between patient risk factors for thrombosis and surgical risk factors for bleeding. The purpose of this review is to assist surgeons with the identification of patients at increased risk for thromboembolism when antithrombotic therapy is interrupted, patients for whom bridging anticoagulation should be considered, patients who require perioperative VTE prophylaxis, and patients at increased risk for bleeding complications and to briefly review the literature and major guidelines regarding perioperative antithrombotic therapy management and perioperative VTE prophylaxis. Figures show approaches to the management of perioperative anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, and VTE prophylaxis. This review contains 2 figures, 7 tables, and 61 references. Keywords: Venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, anticoagulation, surgery, perioperative period, prophylaxis

Effect of Direct Oral Anticoagulant, Patient, and Surgery Characteristics on Clinical Outcomes in the Perioperative Anticoagulation Use for Surgery Evaluation Study

Introduction The Perioperative Anticoagulation Use for Surgery Evaluation (PAUSE) Study assessed a standardized perioperative management strategy in patients with atrial fibrillation who were taking a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) and required an elective surgery or procedure. The aim of this substudy is to analyze the safety of this management strategy across different patient subgroups, according to four presurgical variables: (1) DOAC type and dose, (2) surgery/procedure bleed risk, (3) patient renal function, and (4) age. Methods Clinical outcomes analyzed included major bleeding (MB), arterial thromboembolism, any bleeding, and any thromboembolism. We used descriptive statistics to summarize clinical outcomes, where the frequency, proportion, and 95% confidence interval were reported. Fisher's exact tests were used for testing the null hypothesis of independence between the clinical outcome and patient characteristic, where the test p-values were reported. Results There were 3,007 patients with atrial fibrillation requiring perioperative DOAC management. There was no significant difference in bleeding or thromboembolic outcomes according to DOAC type/dose regimen, renal function, or patient age. The rate of MB was significantly higher with high bleed risk procedures than low bleed risk procedures in apixaban-treated patients (2.9 vs. 0.59%; p < 0.01), but not in dabigatran-treated patients (0.88 vs. 0.91%; p = 1.0) or rivaroxaban-treated patients (2.9 vs. 1.3%; p = 0.06). The risk for thromboembolism did not differ according to surgery/procedure-related bleed risk. Conclusion Our results suggest that in DOAC-treated patients who received standardized perioperative management, surgical bleed risk is an important determinant of bleeding but not thromboembolic outcomes, although this finding was not consistent across all DOACs. There were no differences in bleeding and thromboembolism according to DOAC type and dose, renal function, or age.