Behaviour and stability of thermodilution signals in a closed extracorporeal circuit: a bench study.

Thermodilution is the gold standard for cardiac output measurement in critically ill patients. Its application in extracorporeal therapy is limited, as a portion of the thermal indicator is drawn into the extracorporeal circuit. The behaviour of thermodilution signals in extracorporeal circuits is unknown. We investigated thermodilution curves within a closed-circuit and assessed the impact of injection volume, flow and distance on the behaviour of the thermodilution signals and catheter constants. We injected 3, 5, 7 and 10 ml of thermal indicator into a heated closed circuit. Thermistors at distances of 40, 60, 80, and 100 cm from the injection port recorded the thermodilution signals (at flow settings of 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 L/min). Area under the curve (AUC), rise time, exponential decay and catheter constants were analysed. Linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the impact of circuit flow, distance and injection volume. Catheter positioning did not influence AUC (78 injections). Catheter constants were independent of flow, injection volume or distance to the injection port. The distance to the injection port increased peak temperature and rise time and decreased exponential time constant significantly. The distance to the injection port did not influence catheter constants, but the properties of the thermodilution signal itself. This may influence measurements that depend on the exponential decay of the thermodilution signal such as right ventricular ejection fraction

Double arterial perfusion strategy for extensive thoracic aortic surgery to avoid lower body hypothermic circulatory arrest

OBJECTIVE To analyse our results of using a double arterial perfusion strategy to avoid lower body hypothermic circulatory arrest after extensive thoracic aortic surgery. METHODS We analysed the intra- and perioperative courses of 10 patients (median age 58 years, median logistic EuroSCORE 14.6) who underwent extensive thoracic aortic surgery with a double arterial perfusion strategy. The main goal of double arterial perfusion is to separate myocardial and supra-aortic from systemic perfusion. Aortic repair starts at the most distal level of the descending aorta, followed by reinsertion of the supra-aortic vessels, and ends with completion of the proximal anastomosis or by any kind of root repair as needed. RESULTS Seven of 10 patients had prior surgery of the thoracic aorta. Indications for surgery were post-dissection aneurysm in 4 patients, true aneurysm in 3, anastomotic aneurysms in 2 and Type B aortic dissection with pseudo-coarctation in 1. Surgical access was performed through median sternotomy with left hemi-clamshell extension in all cases. There was no in-hospital mortality, but perioperative neurological symptoms occurred in 2 patients. These 2 patients developed delayed stroke (after awaking) after an initial uneventful clinical course, and in 1 of them, neurological symptoms resolved completely during follow-up. The median follow-up was 7 (±13) months. There was no death and no need for additional redo surgery during this observational period. CONCLUSIONS Extensive surgery of the thoracic aorta using a double arterial perfusion technique in order to avoid lower body hypothermic circulatory arrest is an attractive option. Further refinements of this technique may enable the safe and effective simultaneous multisegmental treatment of thoracic aortic pathology in patients who would otherwise have to undergo a two-step surgical approac

Autotransfusion system or integrated automatic suction device in minimized extracorporeal circulation: influence on coagulation and inflammatory response

Objective: To measure surrogate markers of coagulation activation as well as of the systemic inflammatory response in patients undergoing primary elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using either the so-called Smart suction device or a continuous autotransfusion system (C.A.T.S.®). Methods: Fifty-eight patients being operated with a miniaturized circuit (minimal extracorporeal circuit, MECC) were prospectively randomized to using a so-called Smart suction device or a routine continuous autotransfusion system (C.A.T.S.®) for collection of mediastinal shed blood. The coagulation response was measured by thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) and D-dimer. The inflammatory response was measured by Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and complement factor 3a (C3a) at three different time points, before surgery, 2h after surgery, as well as 18h after surgery. Results: No serious adverse cardiovascular event was observed. Serum levels of TAT significantly differed between both groups 2h after surgery (Smart suction 16.12±13.51μgl−1 vs C.A.T.S® 9.83±7.81μgl−1, p=0.040) and returned to baseline values after 18h in both groups. Serum levels of D-dimer showed a corresponding pattern with a peak 2h after surgery (Smart suction 1115±1231ngml−1 vs C.A.T.S.® 507±604ngml−1, p=0.025). IL-6 levels also significantly differed between both groups 2h after surgery (Smart suction 186±306pgml−1 vs C.A.T.S.® 82±71pgml−1, p=0.072). No significant changes in serum levels of C3a over time could be observed. Conclusions: Despite no differences in the clinical course of patients with either Smart suction or C.A.T.S.® being observed, surrogate markers of coagulation and inflammation seem to be less pronounced in patients where cardiotomy blood is not being directly reinfused. As such, C.A.T.S.® should be preferred in routine CABG, as long as no extensive volume substitution is anticipate

Impact of a structured institutional lead management programme at a high volume centre for transvenous lead extractions in Switzerland

BACKGROUND: Transvenous lead extraction (TLE) is the recommended management strategy for a variety of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections, malfunctions and other conditions. Large registries have established the safety and efficacy of TLE per se but temporal outcome data after the introduction of an institutional lead management programme remain scarce. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of a structured institutional lead management programme on TLE outcomes. METHODS: All patients who underwent TLE at our institution between January 2013 and December 2020 were included. We assessed procedural outcomes after TLE for two separate time periods: from January 2013 to December 2018 and January 2019 to December 2020 (after introduction of a structured institutional lead management programme). RESULTS: In 2013–2018, the median number of TLE procedures per year at our centre was 14 (range 10–19, total 84). In 2019/2020, the median number of interventions per year increased to 46 (range 41–51, total 92). Noninfectious indications for TLE became more frequent (p <0.001), and the proportion of TLEs due to infections decreased. Median lead dwell time was not different (4.3 years [2013–2018] vs 4.4 years [2019–2020], p = 0.43). Clinical success rates improved from 90% to 98% (p = 0.020) and complete procedural success increased from 85% to 95% (p = 0.027). There was a trend towards a lower number of TLE-associated complications (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: A structured institutional lead management programme and increasing experience significantly improve TLE outcomes. TLE can be safely performed in high-volume centres, allowing for a more liberal extraction policy, including in the case of non-infectious TLE indications

Estimating cardiac output based on gas exchange during veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a simulation study using paediatric oxygenators.

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) therapy is a rescue strategy for severe cardiopulmonary failure. The estimation of cardiac output during VA-ECMO is challenging. A lung circuit ([Formula: see text]Lung) and an ECMO circuit ([Formula: see text]ECMO) with oxygenators for CO2 removal ([Formula: see text]CO2) and O2 uptake ([Formula: see text]O2) simulated the setting of VA-ECMO with varying ventilation/perfusion ([Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]) ratios and shunt. A metabolic chamber with a CO2/N2 blend simulated [Formula: see text]CO2 and [Formula: see text]O2. [Formula: see text] Lung was estimated with a modified Fick principle: [Formula: see text]Lung = [Formula: see text]ECMO × ([Formula: see text] CO2 or [Formula: see text]O2Lung)/([Formula: see text]CO2 or [Formula: see text]O2ECMO). A normalization procedure corrected [Formula: see text]CO2 values for a [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] of 1. Method agreement was evaluated by Bland-Altman analysis. Calculated [Formula: see text]Lung using gaseous [Formula: see text]CO2 and [Formula: see text]O2 correlated well with measured [Formula: see text]Lung with a bias of 103 ml/min [- 268 to 185] ml/min; Limits of Agreement: - 306 ml/min [- 241 to - 877 ml/min] to 512 ml/min [447 to 610 ml/min], r2 0.85 [0.79-0.88]). Blood measurements of [Formula: see text]CO2 showed an increased bias (- 260 ml/min [- 1503 to 982] ml/min), clinically not applicable. Shunt and [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] mismatch decreased the agreement of methods significantly. This in-vitro simulation shows that [Formula: see text]CO2 and [Formula: see text]O2 in steady-state conditions allow for clinically applicable calculations of [Formula: see text]Lung during VA-ECMO therapy

Resolution of Strain Abnormalities During Extracorporeal Rewarming From Accidental Hypothermic Cardiac Arrest Following Avalanche Burial

A hypothermic avalanche victim underwent, during extracorporeal warming from asystolic arrest, 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography. At 33°C core temperature, left ventricular ejection fraction had recovered, whereas myocardial strain still demonstrated significant dysfunction until 36°C. Deformation analysis seems more sensitive than global assessment during myocardial recovery from hypothermic cardiac arrest

Cytokine Removal in Critically Ill Patients Requiring Surgical Therapy for Infective Endocarditis (RECReATE): An Investigator-initiated Prospective Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Comparing Two Established Clinical Protocols.

INTRODUCTION Infective endocarditis (IE) and other severe infections induce significant changes in the immune response in a considerable number of affected patients. Numerous IE patients develop a persistent functional immunological phenotype that can best be characterized by a profound anti-inflammation and/ or functional "anergy." This is pronounced in patients with unresolved infectious foci and was previously referred to as "injury-associated immunosuppression" (IAI). IAI can be assessed by measurement of the monocytic human leukocyte antigen-DR (mHLA-DR) expression, a global functional marker of immune competence. Persistence of IAI is associated with prolonged intensive care unit length of stay, increased secondary infection rates, and death. Immunomodulation to reverse IAI was shown beneficial in early immunostimulatory (randomized controlled) clinical trials. METHODS Prospective 1:1 randomized controlled clinical study to compare the course of mHLA-DR in patients scheduled for cardiac surgery for IE. Patients will receive either best standard of care plus cytokine adsorption during surgery while on cardiopulmonary bypass (protocol A) versus best standard of care alone, that is, surgery without cytokine adsorption (protocol B). A total of 54 patients will be recruited and randomized. The primary endpoint is a change in quantitative expression of mHLA-DR (antibodies per cell on CD14+ monocytes/ macrophages, assessed using a quantitative standardized assay) from baseline (preoperation [pre-OP], visit 1) to day 1 post-OP (visit 4). DISCUSSION This randomized controlled clinical trial (RECReATE) will compare 2 clinical treatment protocols and will investigate whether cytokine adsorption restores monocytic immune competence (reflected by increased mHLA-DR expression) in patients with IE undergoing cardiac surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION This protocol was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, under number NCT03892174, first listed on March 27, 2019

High-quality lung fixation by controlled closed loop perfusion for stereological analysis in a large animal model

Stereology is an essential method for quantitative analysis of lung structure. Adequate fixation is a prerequisite for stereological analysis to avoid bias in pulmonary tissue, dimensions and structural details. We present a technique for in situ fixation of large animal lungs for stereological analysis, based on closed loop perfusion fixation

Modified Thermodilution for Simultaneous Cardiac Output and Recirculation Assessment in Veno-venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study.

BACKGROUND Thermodilution is unreliable in veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO). Systemic oxygenation depends on recirculation fractions and ratios of ECMO flow to cardiac output. In a prospective in vitro simulation, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of a modified thermodilution technique for recirculation and cardiac output. We hypothesized that this method provided clinically acceptable precision and accuracy for cardiac output and recirculation. METHODS Two ECMO circuits ran in parallel, one representing a VV-ECMO, the second representing native heart, lung and circulation. Both circuits shared the right atrium. Extra limbs for recirculation and pulmonary shunt were added. We simulated ECMO flows from 1 to 2.5 l/min and cardiac outputs from 2.5 to 3.5 l/min with recirculation fractions (0 - 80%) and pulmonary shunts. Thermistors in both ECMO-limbs and the pulmonary artery measured the temperature changes induced by cold bolus injections into the arterial ECMO-limb. Recirculation fractions were calculated from the ratio of the areas under the temperature curve (AUC) in the ECMO-limbs and from partitioning of the bolus volume (flow based). With known partitioning of bolus volumes between ECMO and pulmonary artery, cardiac output was calculated. High precision ultrasonic flow probes served as reference for Bland-Altman plots and linear mixed-effect models. RESULTS Accuracy and precision for both the recirculation fraction based on AUC (bias -5.4 %; limits of agreement (LoA) -18.6 to 7.9 %) and flow based (bias -5.9 %; LoA -18.8 to 7.0 %) are clinically acceptable. Calculated cardiac output for all recirculation fractions was accurate, but imprecise (RecirculationAUC: Bias 0.56 L/min; LoA -2.27 to 3.4 L/min; RecirculationFLOW: Bias 0.48 L/min; LoA -2.22 to 3.19 L/min). Recirculation fraction increased bias and decreased precision. CONCLUSIONS Adapted thermodilution for VV-ECMO allows simultaneous measurement of recirculation fraction and cardiac output and may help optimize patient management with severe respiratory failure