An Extensive Warfarin-Induced Jejunal Hematoma

The most common adverse event associated with oral anticoagulation (OAC) is bleeding in general that is seen in 5 to 48% of patients and gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in particular which occurs in 2–4% of patients. Intramural hematoma (IMH) is a rare variant of GIB, occurring in 1 in every 2500 patients and is treated with OACs. IMHs are rarely fatal and the current data suggest conservative medical therapy and clinical follow-up for management of IMHs. GIB and intestinal IMH is becoming a more common clinical problem because of increasing number of patients taking OACs. This report describes a 91-year-old woman who was presented with abdominal discomfort for 2 days. The patient had been under anticoagulant therapy with warfarin because of atrial fibrillation. She was found to have an inappropriately prolonged international normalized ratio level of 8.1. IMH was confirmed with abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scan. The patient was treated conservatively with fluid resuscitation, nasogastric decompression, bowel rest and reversal of anticoagulation. Follow-up CT scans, approximately one month after medical treatment, demonstrated complete resolution of the IMH. Intestinal IMH should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen in any anti-coagulated patient with abdominal complaints

Early and late predictors of postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction in cardiac surgery = A posztoperatív neurokognitív diszfunkció korai és késői prediktorai szívsebészeti beavatkozás után

Background and purpose – Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a multifactorial image characterized by insufficiency in features such as the ability to perform tasks requiring high brain functions. Cognitive dysfunction such as memory loss and decreased concentration, confusion, and delirium are common conditions in some patients in the early period after major surgical interventions such as cardiac surgery. POCD causes delays in postoperative recovery, long return-to-work times, and decreased quality of life. This study aims to demonstrate POCD in early and late stages in patients undergoing cardiac surgery through the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Mini Mental Test (MMT). In addition, we aim to determine predictive factors with these neurocognitive tests. Methods – MMT and MoCA tests were applied to the patients included in the study before cardiac surgery, on the sixth postoperative day and third month. Neuro - cognitive dysfunction detected on the sixth postoperative day was accepted as an early period, its detection in the postoperative third month was accepted as a late period. Results – 127 patients without neurocognitive dysfunction in the preoperative period were included in the study. For early neurocognitive impairment, age, mean platelet volume (MPV), New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, x-clamp time, cardio-pulmonary bypass (CPB) time, postoperative intensive care and hospital stay duration, and an event of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the preoperative period were determined as predictive factors. In addition, in late-period of neurocognitive dysfunction age, MPV, NYHA classification, x-clamp duration, CPB time, postoperative intensive care and hospital stay duration were shown as predictors of neurocognitive dysfunction. Conclusion – The results of our study support the literature findings showing that delirium is associated with a decline in cognitive functions three months after cardiac surgery. As a result, the lack of agreed diagnostic tests in the definition of POCD makes it difficult to standardize and interpret the research in this area. Therefore, a consensus to be reached in the diagnosis of POCD will ensure the use and correct interpretation of neurophysiological tests. In our study, advanced age and long hospital and intensive care stays were shown as predictive factors for both early and late neurocognitive dysfunctions. Furthermore, smoking was shown as a predictive factor only for late neurocognitive dysfunction. = Háttér és cél – A posztoperatív kognitív diszfunkció (POCD) számos elemből összeálló állapot, amit a magasabb agyi funkciókat igénylő feladatok végrehajtásában jelentkezô zavar jellemez. A nagy sebészeti beavatkozások, így például a szívsebészeti beavatkozások utáni korai időszakban gyakran jelenik meg memóriazavarral, csökkent koncentrációs készséggel, zavartsággal vagy delíriummal jellemezhetô kognitív diszfunkció. A POCD következtében elhúzódik a posztoperatív gyógyulás, megnő a munkába való visszatéréshez szükséges időtartam és csökken a beteg életminôsége. Vizsgálatunk célja az volt, hogy a Montreal Kognitív Felmérés (MoCA) és a Mini Mentális Teszt (MMT) segítségével felmérjük, milyen mértékben fordul elô POCD a szívsebészeti beavatkozá sok utáni korai és késôi idôszakban. Célunk volt továbbá annak megállapítása, hogy e neurokognitív tesztek a POCD milyen prediktív faktorait képesek kiszûrni. Módszerek – A vizsgálatba bevont betegekkel a szívsebészeti beavatkozás elôtt, a hatodik posztoperatív napon és a harmadik posztoperatív hónapban végeztük el a két tesztet. A hatodik posztoperatív napon detektált neurokognitív diszfunkciót korai, míg a harmadik posztoperatív hónapban detektált neurokognitív diszfunkciót késôi POCD-nek számítottuk. Eredmények – A vizsgálatba 127 olyan beteget vontunk be, akik a preoperatív periódusban nem rendelkeztek neurokognitív diszfunkcióval. A korai neurokognitív diszfunkciót a következô tényezôk jelezték elôre: életkor, átlagos vérlemezke-térfogat (MPV), New York Heart Association (NYHA-) osztályozás pontszáma, x-clamp-idô, cardiopulmonalis bypass (CPB) idôtartama, a posztoperatív intenzív terápiás és kórházi ápolás idôtartama, akut myocardialis infarktus (AMI) elôfordulása a preoperatív periódusban. A késôi neurokognitív diszfunkciót a követ kezô tényezôk jelezték elôre: életkor, MPV, NYHA-klasszifikáció, x-clampidô, CPB-idôtartam, a posztoperatív inten zív terápiás és kórházi ápolás idôtartama. Következtetés – Eredményeink alátámasztják azt a szakirodalmi megállapítást, miszerint a delírium a szívsebészeti beavatkozások utáni harmadik hónapban a kognitív funkciók hanyatlásával jár együtt. Ebbôl az következik, hogy a POCD definiálásához használható standard diagnosztikai tesztek hiánya megnehezíti a kutatási eredmények interpretálását ezen a szakterületen. A neurofiziológiai teszteket csak akkor lehet majd megfelelô módon használni és interpretálni, ha kialakul a konszenzus a POCD diagnózisa kapcsán. Eredményeink szerint az elôrehaladott életkor, valamint a hosszú posztoperatív intenzív terápiás és kórházi ápolási idô elôre jelzi mind a korai, mind a késôi neurokognitív diszfunkciót; a dohányzás csak a késői neurokognitív diszfunkció kockázati tényezője

Analysis of clinical outcomes of intra-aortic balloon pump during coronary artery bypass surgery

Aim: The mortality rate in coronary artery bypass surgery increases with advancing patient age. This study was conducted to analyse and compare older (above 65 years of age) with younger patients (below 65 years of age) who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery and had an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) inserted, comparing hospital stay, clinical features, intensive care unit stay, postoperative complications, and morbidity and mortality rates. Methods: One hundred and ninety patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery and required IABP support were enrolled in this study. Patients younger than 65 years of age were considered young, and the others were considered old. Ninety-two patients were young and 98 were old. The mortality rates, pre-operative clinical characteristics, postoperative complications, and duration of intensive care unit and hospital stays of the groups were compared. The risk factors for mortality and complications were analysed. Results: One hundred and thirty-eight of the patients were male, and the mean patient age was 62.7 +/- 9.9 years. The mortality rate was higher in the older patient group than the younger group [34 (37.7%) and 23 (23.4 %), respectively (p = 0.043)]. The cross-clamp time, mean ejection fraction, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and length of stay in the intensive care unit were similar among the groups (p > 0.05). Cardiopulmonary bypass time was the single independent risk factor for mortality in both groups. Conclusion: In this study, high mortality rates in the postoperative period were similar to prior studies regarding IABP support. The complication rates were higher in the older patient group. Prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass and advanced age were determined to be significant risk factors for mortality