M. Langley

Hemodynamic effects, myocardial ischemia, and timing of tracheal extubation with propofol-based anesthesia for cardiac surgery

Recent interest in earlier tracheal extubation after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has focused attention on the potential benefits of a propofol-based technique. We randomized 124 patients (34 with poor ventricular function) undergoing CABG surgery to receive either a propofol-based (5 mg [center dot] kg-1 [centered dot] h-1 prior to sternotomy, 3 mg [center dot] kg-1 [center dot] h (-1) thereafter; n = 58) or enflurane-based (0.2%-1.0%, n = 66) anesthetic. Induction of anesthesia consisted of fentanyl 15 micro g/kg and midazolam 0.05 mg/kg intravenously in both groups. The enflurane group received an additional bolus of fentanyl 5 micro g/kg prior to sternotomy and fentanyl 10 micro g/kg with midazolam 0.1 mg/kg at commencement of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patients receiving propofol were extubated earlier (median 9.1 h versus 12.3 h, P = 0.006), although there was no difference in time to intensive care unit (ICU) discharge (both 22 h, P = 0.54). Both groups had similar hemodynamic changes throughout (all P > 0.10), as well as metaraminol (P = 0.49) and inotrope requirements (P > 0.10), intraoperative myocardial ischemia (P = 0.12) and perioperative myocardial infarction (P = 0.50). The results of this trial suggest that a propofol-based anesthetic, when compared to an enflurane-based anesthetic requiring additional dosing of fentanyl and midazolam for CPB, can lead to a significant reduction in time to extubation after CABG surgery, without adverse hemodynamic effects, increased risk of myocardial ischemia or infarction. (Anesth Analg 1997;84:12-9)

Integrating Incident Reporting into an Electronic Patient Record System

Developments in information technology offer new opportunities to design electronic patient record systems (EPR) which integrate a broad range of functions such as clinical decision support, order entry, or electronic alerts. It has been recently suggested that EPR could support new applications for disease surveillance and patient safety. We describe the integration of a voluntary incident reporting system into an EPR used in operating theatres, to allow the reporting of accidents and preventable complications. We assessed systems reliability and users acceptance. During the 4-years observation period (2002-2006), 48,983 interventional procedures were performed. Clinicians documented 85.1% of procedures on the incident reporting form. Agreement between chart review and electronically reported incidents was 80.6%. The integration of an incident reporting system into an EPR is reliable and well supported by health care professionals.

Anesthesia for bilateral sequential lung transplantation: Experience of 64 cases

OBJECTIVESnTo review the experience of anesthesia for bilateral sequential lung transplantation (BSLTx) and describe factors associated with outcome.nnnDESIGNnCase series.nnnSETTINGnUniversity hospital.nnnPARTICIPANTSnSixty-four adult patients undergoing BSLTx.nnnINTERVENTIONSnDescriptive and inferential statistical analysis.nnnMEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTSnDetails of anesthetic technique, patient, and perioperative characteristics are presented. Mean (SD) lung allograft ischemic times were 320 (81) minutes for the first lung and 446 (93) minutes for the second lung. Mean (SD) duration of surgery was 8.5(2) hours, and median time to extubation was 28 hours. There was a reduction in the use of cardiopulmonary bypass, from 10 of 19 (53%) in 1992 to 1993 to 10 of 45 (22%) in 1994 to 1996, p = 0.016. There was an association between time to extubation and duration of surgery (Spearman rank correlation, p = 0.33, p = 0.008), but no association with intraoperative fluid administration (p = 0.18, p = 0.16), or inotrope requirements (p = 0.06, p = 0.65). Predictors of in-hospital mortality were preoperative renal impairment (p = 0.034), early reoperation (p = 0.005), and delay in extubation (p = 0.013); and for 12-month mortality was patient age (p = 0.01). The actuarial survival rates were 90%, 73%, and 58% at 30 days, 1 year, and 2 years, respectively.nnnCONCLUSIONSnAnesthesia for BSLTx is a most challenging procedure, for which maintenance of tissue oxygenation and right ventricular perfusion are essential. Recent advances include use of inhaled nitric oxide, ventilator management that reduces dynamic hyperinflation, and permissive hypercapnia. Analysis of outcome from a large case series such as this enables the anesthesiologist to be more aware of the important features of anesthesia for BSLTx, as well as identify potential areas of improvement.