Ashraf Omar

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation: A single-center experience in the present era

Objective: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been used as a bridge to lung transplantation in patients with rapid pulmonary function deterioration. The reported success of this modality and perioperative and functional outcomes are varied. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent lung transplantation at our institution over 1 year (January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015). Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on whether they required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support as a bridge to transplant; preoperative characteristics, lung transplantation outcomes, and survival were compared between groups. Results: Of the 93 patients, 12 (13%) received bridge to transplant, and 81 (87%) did not. Patients receiving bridge to transplant were younger, had higher lung allocation scores, had lower functional status, and were more often on mechanical ventilation at listing. Most patients who received bridge to transplant (n = 10, 83.3%) had pulmonary fibrosis. Mean pretransplant extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support was 103.6 hours in duration (range, 16‐395 hours). All patients who received bridge to transplant were decannulated immediately after lung transplantation but were more likely to return to the operating room for secondary chest closure or rethoracotomy. Grade 3 primary graft dysfunction within 72 hours was similar between groups. Lung transplantation success and hospital discharge were 100% in the bridge to transplant group; however, these patients experienced longer hospital stays and higher rates of discharge to acute rehabilitation. The 1‐year survival was 100% in the bridge to transplant group and 91% in the non–bridge to transplant group (log‐rank, P = .24). The 1‐year functional status was excellent in both groups. Conclusions: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can be used to safely bridge high‐acuity patients with end‐stage lung disease to lung transplantation with good 30‐day, 90‐day, and 1‐year survival and excellent 1‐year functional status. Long‐term outcomes are being studied.

Safety of Prasugrel in Indian patients – Multicentric registry of 1000 cases

BACKGROUND Clopidogrel has been the only available antiplatelet drug used along with aspirin in patients of ACS. In recent years 2 new antiplatelet drugs (Prasugrel and Ticagrelor) have become available. Prasugrel in the dose of 10 mg OD has been found to be more efficacious but with increased risk of major bleeding. For this reason it has not gained widespread usage in ACS patients undergoing PCI. There are no systematic data on the use of Prasugrel in Indian population. METHOD This is a prospective, multicentric, hospital registry of 1000 patients with ACS undergoing PCI who were administered Prasugrel. The primary safety endpoint of this study was major and minor bleeding while the efficacy endpoint is the composite of CV death, nonfatal MI, nonfatal stroke up to 30 days after PCI. Patients with high bleeding risk were excluded. RESULTS Most patients (91%) received loading dose of Prasugrel along with the maintenance dose getting according to the defined protocol. Patients were followed up to 30 days post procedure. Primary efficacy end point was reached in 3 patients only with two of them dying due to possible stent thrombosis and the third requiring revascularization of the target vessel for stent thrombosis. One major and 19 minor bleeding complications were recorded, with access site bleeding in 0.7% & non-access site bleeding in 1.2% of the subjects. CONCLUSION Prasugrel was found to be effective & not associated with a high incidence of bleeding in the high risk ACS patients when those at a high bleeding risk were excluded.

Lung Transplant Recipient with Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a progressive lung disease characterized by accumulated surfactant-like lipoproteinaceous material in the alveoli and distal bronchioles. This accumulation is the result of impaired clearance by alveolar macrophages. PAP has been described in 11 solid organ transplant recipients, 9 of whom were treated with mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors. We report a case of a lung transplant recipient treated with prednisone, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and tacrolimus who ultimately developed PAP, which worsened when MMF was replaced with everolimus.

Outcomes of lung transplant recipients with preoperative atrial fibrillation

Background Preoperative atrial fibrillation is associated with poor outcomes after cardiac surgery, but its effect on lung transplantation outcomes remains unknown. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 235 patients who underwent lung transplantation in our institution from 2013 to 2015, analyzing demographics, length of stay, survival, readmissions, and cardiac events. Mean recipient age was 59 ± 11 years, and 142 (60.4%) were men. Patients were grouped according to pre-transplantation atrial fibrillation status (atrial fibrillation/no atrial fibrillation). Results The atrial fibrillation group (n = 38; 16.2%) was significantly older with a longer ischemic time, more postoperative atrial arrhythmias (73.7% vs. 20.8%, p = 0.01), and a longer median postoperative length of stay (16 vs. 13 days, p = 0.02). The median total hospital stay in the first postoperative year was also higher in the atrial fibrillation group (27 vs. 21 days, p = 0.25). Short-term survival and survival during follow-up did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions Lung transplant recipients with preoperative atrial fibrillation are at increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes and longer hospital stay. Preoperative atrial fibrillation may portend adverse events after lung transplantation.

A 54-Year-Old Man Presenting With an Abnormal Abdominal CT Scan 8 Months After Double Lung Transplant

A 54-year-old man who had undergone bilateral sequential lung transplant for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was admitted to the hospital for further evaluation of an abnormal abdominal CT scan. Three months previously a gastrojejunostomy tube had been placed after he was found to have evidence of silent aspiration with oral intake. At a recent clinic visit, he denied abdominal pain or problems with the feeding tube. He described frequent diarrhea since placement of the feeding tube.