Chad E. Wagner

Delirium in the cardiovascular ICU: exploring modifiable risk factors.

Objective:Delirium, an acute organ dysfunction, is common among critically ill patients leading to significant morbidity and mortality; its epidemiology in a mixed cardiology and cardiac surgery ICU is not well established. We sought to determine the prevalence and risk factors for delirium among cardiac surgery ICU patients. Design:Prospective observational study. Setting:Twenty-seven-bed medical-surgical cardiac surgery ICU. Patients:Two hundred consecutive patients with an expected cardiac surgery ICU length of stay >24 hrs. Interventions:None. Measurements:Baseline demographic data and daily assessments for delirium using the validated and reliable Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU were recorded, and quantitative tracking of delirium risk factors were conducted. Separate analyses studied the role of admission risk factors for occurrence of delirium during the cardiac surgery ICU stay and identified daily occurring risk factors for the development of delirium on a subsequent cardiac surgery ICU day. Main Results:Prevalence of delirium was 26%, similar among cardiology and cardiac surgical patients. Nearly all (92%) exhibited the hypoactive subtype of delirium. Benzodiazepine use at admission was independently predictive of a three-fold increased risk of delirium (odds ratio 3.1 [1, 9.4], p = 0.04) during the cardiac surgery ICU stay. Of the daily occurring risk factors, patients who received benzodiazepines (2.6 [1.2, 5.7], p = 0.02) or had restraints or devices that precluded mobilization (2.9 [1.3, 6.5], p < 0.01) were more likely to have delirium the following day. Hemodynamic status was not associated with delirium. Conclusions:Delirium occurred in one in four patients in the cardiac surgery ICU and was predominately hypoactive in subtype. Chemical restraints via use of benzodiazepines or the use of physical restraints/restraining devices predisposed patients to a greater risk of delirium, pointing to areas of quality improvement that would be new to the vast majority of cardiac surgery ICUs.

Critical Care Basic Ultrasound Learning Goals for American Anesthesiology Critical Care Trainees: Recommendations from an Expert Group.

OBJECTIVE:In this review, we define learning goals and recommend competencies concerning focused basic critical care ultrasound (CCUS) for critical care specialists in training. DESIGN:The narrative review is, and the recommendations contained herein are, sponsored by the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists. Our recommendations are based on a structured literature review by an expert panel of anesthesiology intensivists and cardiologists with formal training in ultrasound. Published descriptions of learning and training routines from anesthesia–critical care and other specialties were identified and considered. Sections were written by groups with special expertise, with dissent included in the text. RESULTS:Learning goals and objectives were identified for achieving competence in the use of CCUS at a specialist level (critical care fellowship training) for diagnosis and monitoring of vital organ dysfunction in the critical care environment. The ultrasound examination was divided into vascular, abdominal, thoracic, and cardiac components. For each component, learning goals and specific skills were presented. Suggestions for teaching and training methods were described. DISCUSSION:Immediate bedside availability of ultrasound resources can dramatically improve the ability of critical care physicians to care for critically ill patients. Anesthesia--critical care medicine training should have definitive expectations and performance standards for basic CCUS interpretation by anesthesiology--critical care specialists. The learning goals in this review reflect current trends in the multispecialty critical care environment where ultrasound-based diagnostic strategies are already frequently applied. These competencies should be formally taught as part of an established anesthesiology-critical care medicine graduate medical education programs.

Etomidate Use and Postoperative Outcomes among Cardiac Surgery Patients

Background:Although a single dose of etomidate can cause relative adrenal insufficiency, the impact of etomidate exposure on postoperative outcomes is unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the association between a single induction dose of etomidate and clinically important postoperative outcomes after cardiac surgery. Methods:The authors retrospectively examined the association between etomidate exposure during induction of anesthesia and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery from January 2007 to December 2009 by using multivariate logistic regression analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. Postoperative outcomes of interest were severe hypotension, mechanical ventilation hours, hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. Results:Sixty-two percent of 3,127 patients received etomidate. Etomidate recipients had a higher incidence of preoperative congestive heart failure (23.0 vs. 18.3%; P = 0.002) and a lower incidence of preoperative cardiogenic shock (1.3 vs. 4.0%; P < 0.001). The adjusted odds ratio for severe hypotension and in-hospital mortality associated with receiving etomidate was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.58–1.09) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.45–1.24), respectively, and the adjusted hazard ratio for time to mechanical ventilation removal and time to hospital discharge was 1.10 (95% CI, 1.00–1.21) and 1.07 (95% CI, 0.97–1.18), respectively. Propensity score analysis did not change the association between etomidate use and postoperative outcomes. Conclusions:In this study, there was no evidence to suggest that etomidate exposure was associated with severe hypotension, longer mechanical ventilation hours, longer length of hospital stay, or in-hospital mortality. Etomidate should remain an option for induction of anesthesia in cardiac surgery patients.

Episodic Monoplane Transesophageal Echocardiography Impacts Postoperative Management of the Cardiac Surgery Patient

OBJECTIVE A new slender, flexible, and miniaturized disposable monoplane transesophageal TEE probe has been approved for episodic hemodynamic transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring. The authors hypothesized that episodic monoplane TEE with a limited examination would help guide the postoperative management of high-risk cardiac surgery patients. DESIGN The authors analyzed the initial consecutive observational experience with the miniaturized transesophageal echocardiography monitoring system (ClariTEE, ImaCor, Uniondale, New York). SETTING Single institution in a university setting. PARTICIPANTS Unstable cardiac surgery patients. INTERVENTIONS The authors assessed fluid responsiveness, echocardiographic data, and concordance among hemodynamic data. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS From June 2010 to February 2011, 21 unstable cardiac surgery patients with postoperative instability were identified. Two patients (10%) required reoperation for bleeding and tamponade physiology. Right ventricular dysfunction was diagnosed by episodic TEE monitoring in 7 patients (33%), while hypovolemia was documented in 12 patients (57%). Volume responsiveness was documented in 11 patients. In this observational study, discordance between hemodynamic monitoring and episodic TEE was qualitatively observed in 14 patients (66%). CONCLUSION The authors demonstrated the ability of episodic monoplane TEE to identify discordance between hemodynamic monitoring to better define clinical scenarios in unstable cardiac surgery patients. For these challenging patients, limited episodic TEE assessment has become a cornerstone of ICU care in this institution.

Early bispectral index and sedation requirements during therapeutic hypothermia predict neurologic recovery following cardiac arrest.

Objectives:To test the hypothesis that low bispectral index scores and low sedative requirements during therapeutic hypothermia predict poor neurologic outcome. Design:Observational study of a prospectively collected cohort. Setting:Cardiovascular ICU. Patients:One hundred sixty consecutive cardiac arrest patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia. Interventions:None. Measurements and Results:Eighty-four of the 141 subjects (60%) who survived hypothermia induction were discharged from the ICU with poor neurologic outcome, defined as a cerebral performance category score of 3, 4, or 5. These subjects had lower bispectral index (p < 0.001) and sedative requirements (p < 0.001) during hypothermia compared with the 57 subjects discharged with good outcome. Early prediction of neurologic recovery was best 7 hours after ICU admission, and median bispectral index scores at that time were 31 points lower in subjects discharged with poor outcome (11 [interquartile range, 4–29] vs 42 [37–49], p < 0.001). Median sedation requirements decreased by 17% (interquartile range, –50 to 0%) 7 hours after ICU admission in subjects with poor outcome but increased by 50% (interquartile range, 0–142%) in subjects with good outcome (p < 0.001). Each 10-point decrease in bispectral index was independently associated with a 59% increase in the odds of poor outcome (95% CI, 32–76%; p < 0.001). The model including bispectral index and sedative requirement correctly reclassified 15% of subjects from good to poor outcome and 1% of subjects from poor to good outcome. The model incorrectly reclassified 1% of subjects from poor to good outcome but did not incorrectly reclassify any from good to poor outcome. Conclusions:Bispectral index scores and sedative requirements early in the course of therapeutic hypothermia improve the identification of patients who will not recover from brain anoxia. The ability to accurately predict nonrecovery after cardiac arrest could facilitate discussions with families, reduce patient suffering, and limit use of ICU resources in futile cases.

Hemodynamic Transesophageal Echocardiography After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

OBJECTIVE The authors hypothesized that the clinical profile of patients undergoing hTEE after continuous flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implant would be in patients with greater acuity, more blood product utilization, and longer length of ICU stay, and that hTEE would change clinical management. DESIGN Retrospective review. SETTING University hospital. PARTICIPANTS One hundred consecutive patients receiving a CF-LVAD. INTERVENTIONS Retrospective review using a standardized electronic form of a miniaturized disposable transesophageal echocardiography probe that documented not only physical findings but also changes in hemodynamic management (hTEE) in CF-LVAD patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Of the 100 patients, 41 received an hTEE probe. The INTERMACS score, Leitz-Miller Score, and Kormos score indicated the hTEE group had a statistically significant greater risk of morbidity and mortality. Interoperatively, the hTEE group received more blood products and was more likely to have an open chest. Postoperatively, the hTEE group received more blood products, had a longer total length of stay, and had increased mortality. ICU length of stay, days on inotropes and days on mechanical ventilation were not statistically significant between the 2 groups. Information obtained from hTEE changed ICU management in 72% of studies. CONCLUSION Retrospective review of CF-LVAD patients revealed that postoperative hTEE is used in sicker CF-LVAD patients and frequently leads to changes in ICU clinical management.

Comparison of expert and novice performance of a simulated transesophageal echocardiography examination.

Introduction Training in transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) requires a significant commitment of time and resources on behalf of the trainees and the instructors. Training opportunities may be limited in the busy clinical environment. Medical simulation has emerged as a complementary means by which to develop clinical skills. Transesophageal echocardiography simulators have been commercially available for several years, yet their ability to distinguish experts from novices has not been demonstrated. We used a standardized assessment tool to distinguish experts from novices using a commercially available TEE simulator. Methods Anesthesiologists certified in advanced perioperative TEE and anesthesiology resident physicians were recruited into the expert and novice cohorts, respectively. The cohorts were recruited from 2 academic medical centers. The novice cohort received a structured introduction to the basic TEE examination. Both cohorts then proceeded to perform a basic TEE examination involving normal cardiac anatomy, which was evaluated by blinded raters using a standardized assessment tool. Results The expert cohort consistently demonstrated the ability to obtain standard TEE imaging views in less time and more accurately than the novice cohort during the course of a simulated TEE examination. Conclusions A simulated transesophageal examination of normal cardiac anatomy in concert with a standardized assessment tool permits ample discrimination between expert and novice echocardiographers as defined for this investigation. Future research will examine in detail the role echocardiography simulators should play during echocardiography training including assessment of training level.

Monitoring myocardial recovery during induced hypothermia with a disposable monoplane TEE probe.

A 73 year old female with a history coronary artery bypass grafting and coronary stents had a witnessed cardiac arrest at home. She was transferred to an outside hospital and emergency heart catheterization revealed patent LIMA to LAD, stented grafts open, and no new culprit lesions. A temporary transvenous pacing wire was placed for bradycardia. She was transferred to the ICU where she was sedated and paralyzed for induction of hypothermia approximately five hours after the arrest. A miniaturized disposable TEE probe (Photo 1) was placed to allow ongoing monitoring of cardiac function and intravascular volume.

ACNP intensivist: A new ICU care delivery model and its supporting educational programs

Abstract The purposes of this article are to describe a physician (MD)/acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) intensivist model for delivery of critical care services in a tertiary academic medical center and to describe an innovative nurse practitioner educational program developed to support the model. In an effort to address the current shortage of intensivists, Vanderbilt Medical Center has developed and refined a multidisciplinary intensivist MD/ACNP teams to provide expanded critical care services. The ACNPs, in collaboration with intensivist MDs, function as intensivist teams and are responsible for developing and executing the daily medical plan, bedside procedures, and emergency response. These teams provide 24‐h a day coverage of tertiary level ICUs, and provide several unique benefits over traditional resident ICU staffing models. As the concept of the MD/ACNP intensivist team has developed, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing ACNP Program has expanded its curriculum to provide graduates with the knowledge, skills, and experiences to safely manage unstable critically ill patients. Multidisciplinary critical care teams of MD intensivists who work in collaboration with ACNP intensivists address the current shortfall of intensivists and represent a cost‐effective means for expanding ICU coverage and increasing ICU bed availability while maintaining Leap Frog ICU staffing compliance.

Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Sepsis Now You See It, Now You Don’t

Current Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines inadequately address the limitations of central venous pressure monitoring, which are due, in part, to right and left ventricular dysfunction associated with sepsis. Septic cardiomyopathy is well described in the literature but is both underrecognized and undertreated clinically. Direct cardiac assessment with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has documented advantages, but is limited by single evaluations and the need for advanced training. Recently, a disposable, monoplane TEE probe that provides for serial echocardiographic assessments in unstable patients to guide medical management, or hemodynamic TEE (hTEE), has been introduced. This article reviews a case of a 48-year-old gentleman with a history of smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and Child’s A cirrhosis who underwent an uneventful off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting and 2 days later developed septic shock from pneumonia complicated by right ventricular dysfunction. hTEE provide...