Constance G. Weismann

Factors Affecting the Decision to Defer Endotracheal Extubation After Surgery for Congenital Heart Disease: A Prospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND: Fast-tracking and early endotracheal extubation have been described in patients undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD); however, criteria for patient selection have not been validated in a prospective manner. Our goal in this study was to prospectively identify factors associated with the decision to defer endotracheal extubation in the operating room (OR). METHODS: We performed a prospective observational study of 275 patients (median age 18 months) at the Mount Sinai Medical Center (MSMC), New York, New York, and 49 patients (median age 25 months) at the University of Tokyo Hospital (UTH), Tokyo, Japan, undergoing surgery for CHD requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. These patients were all eligible for fast-tracking, including extubation in the OR immediately after surgery, according to the respective inclusion/exclusion criteria applied at the 2 sites. RESULTS: Eighty-nine percent of patients at the MSMC, and 65% of patients at the UTH were extubated in the OR. At the MSMC, all patients without aortic cross-clamp, and patients with simple procedures (Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery [RACHS] score 1) were extubated in the OR. Among the remaining MSMC patients, regression analysis showed that procedure complexity was still an independent predictor for not proceeding with planned extubation in the OR. Extubation was more likely to be deferred in the RACHS score 3 surgical risk patients compared with the RACHS score 2 group (P = 0.005, odds ratio 3.8 [CI: 1.5, 9.7]). Additionally, trisomy 21 (P = 0.0003, odds ratio 9.9 [CI: 2.9, 34.5]) and age (P = 0.0015) were significant independent predictors for deferring OR extubation. We tested our findings on the patients from the UTH by developing risk categories from the MSMC data that ranked eligible patients according to the chance of OR extubation. The risk categories proved to predict endotracheal extubation in the 49 patients who had undergone surgery at the UTH relative to their overall extubation rate, despite differences in anesthetic regimen and inclusion/exclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperatively known factors alone can predict the relative chances of deferring extubation after surgery for CHD. The early extubation strategies applied in the 2 centers were successful in the majority of cases.

Left Ventricular End-Systolic Eccentricity Index for Assessment of Pulmonary Hypertension in Infants

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common problem in the neonatal intensive care unit and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to identify a quantitative echocardiographic marker of septal curvature that can be used to accurately identify PH in NICU infants with concern for PH.

Prevalence of post-thrombotic syndrome after cardiac catheterization.

As the survival of children with cardiac disease increases, chronic complications of deep venous thrombosis from cardiac catheterization, particularly post‐thrombotic syndrome, may be important to monitor for and treat, if needed. We aimed to determine the prevalence of this syndrome in children who underwent cardiac catheterization.

Comparison of valvar and right ventricular function following transcatheter and surgical pulmonary valve replacement

OBJECTIVE Trans-catheter (TC) pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) has become common practice for patients with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO) and/or pulmonic insufficiency (PI). Our aim was to compare PVR and right ventricular (RV) function of patients who received TC vs surgical PVR. DESIGN Retrospective review of echocardiograms obtained at three time points: before, immediately after PVR, and most recent. PATIENTS Sixty-two patients (median age 19 years, median follow-up 25 months) following TC (N = 32) or surgical (N = 30) PVR at Yale-New Haven Hospital were included. OUTCOME MEASURES Pulmonary valve and right ventricular function before, immediately after, and most recently after PVR. RESULTS At baseline, the TC group had predominant RVOTO (74% vs 10%, P < .001), and moderate-severe PI was less common (61% vs 100%, P < .001). Immediate post-procedural PVR function was good throughout. At last follow-up, the TC group had preserved valve function, but the surgical group did not (moderate RVOTO: 6% vs 41%, P < .001; >mild PI: 0% vs 24%, P = .003). Patients younger than 17 years at surgical PVR had the highest risk of developing PVR dysfunction, while PVR function in follow-up was similar in adults. Looking at RV size and function, both groups had a decline in RV size following PVR. However, while RV function remained stable in the TC group, there was a transient postoperative decline in the surgical group. CONCLUSIONS TC PVR in patients age <17 years is associated with better PVR function in follow-up compared to surgical valves. There was a transient decline in RV function following surgical but not TC PVR. TC PVR should therefore be the first choice in children who are considered for PVR, whenever possible.

Normal Pediatric Data for Isovolumic Acceleration at the Lateral Tricuspid Valve Annulus—A Heart Rate – Dependent Measure of Right Ventricular Contractility

Quantitative assessment of right ventricular (RV) function is important for the management of patients with congenital heart disease. Tissue Doppler (TDI)‐derived myocardial acceleration during isovolumic contraction (IVA) is an echocardiographic measure of contractility that is independent of loading conditions. The aim of this study was to establish normative data for IVA at the lateral tricuspid valve annulus (RV IVA).

Association between right ventricular dysfunction and restrictive lung disease in childhood cancer survivors as measured by quantitative echocardiography

Restrictive lung disease is a complication in childhood cancer survivors who received lung‐toxic chemotherapy and/or thoracic radiation. Left ventricular dysfunction is documented in these survivors, but less is known about right ventricular (RV) function. Quantitative echocardiography may help detect subclinical RV dysfunction. The aim of this study was to assess RV function quantitatively in childhood cancer survivors after lung‐toxic therapy.

Early Extubation in Adults Undergoing Surgery for Congenital Heart Disease

OBJECTIVES Early extubation in adults undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease has not been described. The authors report their experience with extubation in the operating room (OR), including factors associated with the decision to defer extubation to a later time. DESIGN A retrospective chart review. SETTING A tertiary-care teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS This study included adults undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease using cardiopulmonary bypass. Exclusion criteria were as follows: preoperative mechanical ventilation, age >70 years, inotrope score >20 after surgery, and surgical risk (Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery [RACHS] score ≥4). INTERVENTIONS A stepwise logistic regression model was used to test for the independent influence of the various factors on extubation in the OR. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Sixty-seven patients (age 18-59 years, median = 32 years) were included. Overall, 79% of patients were extubated in the OR. The RACHS score was the strongest predictor of deferring extubation (RACHS 3 v 1 or 2: odds ratio = 16.7; 95% confidence interval, 3.3-84.2; p = 0.0006). Further exploration of the high-risk group (RACHS 3) showed that 75% of the RACHS 3 patients with a body mass index <25 were extubated compared with only 20% of patients who had a body mass index ≥25 (p = 0.01). Other factors included in the analysis did not contribute any additional independent information. CONCLUSIONS Extubation of adult patients in the OR after surgery for congenital heart disease is feasible in most cases. Surgical risk (RACHS score) and body mass index predict the decision for OR extubation in this patient population.

Letter by Weismann and Hager Regarding Article, “Segmental Aortic Stiffness in Children and Young Adults With Connective Tissue Disorders: Relationships With Age, Aortic Size, Rate of Dilation, and Surgical Root Replacement”

We read with great interest the article “Segmental Aortic Stiffness in Children and Young Adults With Connective Tissue Disorders: Relationships With Age, Aortic Size, Rate of Dilation, and Surgical Root Replacement.”1 The authors assessed the relation between 3 aortic stiffness indices at multiple levels by cardiac MRI and risk for aortic root replacement in children and young adults with connective tissue disorders. Following multivariable analysis, the authors conclude that lower aortic root strain ( P =0.05) and higher vertebral tortuosity index ( P =0.01) are independently associated with aortic root replacement. However, when the latest aortic root diameter z …