Effect of Cardioplegia for Myocardial Protection in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery:A Network Meta-Analysis

Cardioplegia has been widely used to reduce myocardial injury during pediatric cardiac surgery;however,which cardioplegia solution has the best protective effect has not been established.Thus,we compared the myocardial protective effects of different cardioplegia solutions used in pediatric cardiac surgery.Seven databases were searched to identify the relevant randomized controlled trials.A network meta-analysis with a Bayesian framework was conducted.The outcomes included the following biochemical and clinical outcomes:serum concentrations of the creatine kinase-myocardial band at 6 h postoperatively;cardiac troponin I(cTnI)at 4,12,and 24 h postoperatively;spontaneous beating after declamping;postoperative arrhythmias;inotropic support percentage and duration;mechanical ventilation hours;intensive care unit stay in days;hospital stay in days;and mortality.The group treated with cold crystalloid cardioplegia(cCCP)was chosen as the control group.The 22 studies involved 1529 patients.Six types of cardioplegia solutions were described in these studies,including cold blood cardioplegia,cCCP,del Nido,histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate(HTK),terminal warm blood cardioplegia,and warm blood cardioplegia(wBCP).The serum concentrations of the 24-h cTnI with wBCP(MD=−2.52,95%CI:−4.74 to−0.27)was significantly lower than cCCP.The serum concentrations of the 24-h cTnI with HTK(MD=4.91,95%CI:2.84–7.24)was significantly higher than cCCP.There was no significant difference in other biochemical and clinical outcomes when compared to cCCP.In conclusion,wBCP may have a superior myocardial protective effect with lower 24-h cTnI levels postoperatively and similar clinical outcomes after pediatric cardiac surgery.

Endotracheal Tube Displacement during Cardiac Surgery in Infants: A Retrospective Cohort Study of Its Incidence and Predictors

Introduction: With the traction on the trachea and intrathoracic manipulation during cardiac surgery, the position of the endotracheal tube (ETT) might be changed as compared to before surgery. Migration of the ETT during pediatric cardiac surgery is particularly problematic in infants. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, chest X-rays were taken in the operating room just before and after surgery. The position of the ETT among all infants under 1 year of age who underwent cardiac surgery between December 2017 to December 2019 was evaluated. The displacement of the ETT position was examined by measuring the position of the tube tip from the tracheal bifurcation on a chest X-ray, and the relationship between surgery-related factors (age, height, weight, sex, surgery time, cardiopulmonary bypass, tube size, use of tube cuff) was analyzed. Results: Eighty-eight of the 141 patients were enrolled. There was a significant proximal displacement of the ETT tip during cardiac surgery. The distance from the carina to the tube tip after surgery was long, on average 2.5 mm, compared to that before surgery (P = 0.013). Cephalad displacement of the ETT either ≥5 mm or ≥2.5 mm was found in 28 and in 38 out of 88 infants after surgery, respectively. After performing multivariate analysis, the use of un-cuffed ETT was the sole exploratory variable predictive of tube tip displacement (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.10 - 0.93 if ≥5 mm;and OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.08 - 0.75 if ≥2.5 mm displacement;P = 0.04 and 0.01, respectively). Conclusion: Proximal displacement of the ETT during cardiac surgery occurs more frequently in infants with un-cuffed ETT.

Prediction of Pulmonary Arterial Pressure Level after Repair of Congenital Cardiac Communications and Discharge from the Hospital: Role of Down Syndrome and Early Postoperative Hemodynamics

Background:Postoperative pulmonary hypertension limits the success of surgical treatment in some patients with unrestrictive congenital cardiac communications.Identifying patients at risk of developing postoperative pulmonary hypertension is important to individualize follow-up strategies.Methods:We analyzed a prospective cohort of 52 pediatric patients(age 3 to 35 months)looking for perioperative predictors of mildly elevated pulmonary arterial pressure 6 months after surgery,defined as a systolic pressure greater than 30 mmHg by transthoracic echocardiography.This corresponds to a mean pulmonary arterial pressure of>20 mmHg.Clinical,echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters were investigated.Perioperative hemodynamics was assessed by directly measuring pulmonary and systemic arterial pressures using indwelling catheters.Early postoperative pulmonary hemodynamics was defined as the mean pulmonary/systemic mean arterial pressure ratio(PAP/SAP)obtained per patient during the first 6 h of postoperative care.Results:Among the factors that were investigated as possible predictors,perioperative hemodynamics and the presence of Down syndrome were initially selected using univariate analysis(p<0.030).Early postoperative PAP/SAP was correlated with PAP/SAP obtained in the operating room just after cardiopulmonary bypass(r=0.70,p<0.001),and it was higher in subjects with Down syndrome than in nonsyndromic individuals(p=0.003).Early postoperative PAP/SAP was the only predictor selected using multivariate analysis.It was characterized as an independent predictor after adjustments for possible confounders.An early postoperative PAP/SAP of>0.35 was 76%sensitive and 74%specific at predicting a systolic pulmonary arterial pressure of>30 mmHg 6 months after surgery(hazard ratio with 95%CI 8.972[2.428–33.158],p=0.002).Conclusion:The hypertensive early postoperative behavior of the pulmonary circulation was strongly but not exclusively associated with Down syndrome,and it was characterized as an independent predictor of altered pulmonary arterial pressure after discharge from the hospital.

Nursing cooperation related to thoracoscopic surgery in children

Objective:To explore the nursing cooperation of pediatric cardiac surgery by thoracoscopy.Methods:30 patients undergoing thoracoscopy in a third-grade hospital in Yantai were observed and their nursing process was recorded and analyzed.Results:The good cooperation of operating room nurses and equipment nurses can relax the children and increase the success rate of surgery and reduce the occurrence of complications.Conclusion:Full preoperative preparation,close intraoperative cooperation,strict instrument maintenance,and cleaning and disinfection are the guaranteeof pediatric thoracic surgery.

Veno-Venous Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) in a Child with Hemoptysis and Fontan Circulation

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a rescue life support technique used in life threatening conditions of refractory respiratory and/or cardiac distress. Indication for extracorporeal life support in children depends on age and varies from pulmonary to cardiac pathologies. In some cases, it may be used as a bridge to a therapeutic procedure. We described here the management of respiratory failure due to hemoptysis in a child with a Fontan circulation and veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation which served as a bridge to angio-embolization. Hemoptysis can be a life threatening condition which can lead to hypovolemic shock and impaired alveolar gas exchange. The latter can result in respiratory failure and consequent asphyxia. When hemoptysis occurs in a patient with a univentricular heart and a Fontan circulation, management of this clinical situation can be challenging due to the particular physiology of the latter. Total cavopulmonary connection is a palliative surgical repair which constitutes Fontan circulation as a definitive treatment in patients with a univentricular heart. Methods: Case report description of a 16 year-old boy with a univentricular heart and a Fontan circulation who presented hemoptysis managed with a veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to angio-embolization. Results: Hemoptysis due to diffuse intra-alveolar hemorrhage from collateral circulation was successfully treated in this young patient with pulmonary vascular embolization. This allowed to wean the patient from extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation. Conclusion: Veno-venous ECMO can be life-saving as a bridge to angio-embolization for severe hemoptysis in patients with Fontan circulation. The reported case allows to underline that our multidisciplinary approach in this complex pediatric patient surely participated to improve outcome.

Palliative Senning Procedure: Management of dTGA with VSD and PVOD in an Adolescent

Patients with D-TGA with atrial level mixing of systemic and pulmonary blood, the morphological left ventricle supports the low pressure pulmonary circulation and regresses in mass and volume as time passes. The LV once regressed is unable to support the high pressure systemic circulation after ASO. These patients are candidates for early ASO, preferably within 3 weeks of life. As age progresses, the scope of these surgical procedures skews and an atrial switch remains the only option to improve quality of life. In Atrial switch, the pulmonary and systemic circulation is returned into an “in series” circulation and cyanosis is obliterated.