Timothy Williamson

The perioperative management of an inferior vena caval tumor thrombus in patients with renal cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVES Inferior vena caval tumor thrombus (IVC-TT) occurs in 10% of patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The perioperative management of these patients remains challenging. Despite multiple publications outlining surgical approaches and outcomes there have been few studies detailing the best peri-operative management of patients with IVC-TT. Our goal was to define the optimal management of patients with RCC and IVC-TT. MATERIALS AND METHODS A review of all published literature regarding the management of RCC with IVC-TT was performed utilizing Pub Med and the Cochrane Database. Reviews were also made of all relevant literature regarding the need for cardiopulmonary bypass and recommendations regarding thrombus in any location in patients with malignancy. Specific items critically examined included: need for preoperative heart catheterization, need for anticoagulation and type of anticoagulation, need for additional studies such as lower extremity duplex or venogram, and indications for vena caval filter placement. The results were then presented to a multidisciplinary group made up of experts in the fields of Urology, Hematology, Oncology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Interventional Radiology, and Pulmonary/Critical Care. Based on the available literature a best practice guidelines regarding the management of RCC with IVC-TT was established at our institution. RESULTS Our institutional recommendations include (1) preoperative cardiac catheterization in all patients believed to require cardiopulmonary bypass for removal of the thrombus but only cardiac clearance for those who bypass is unlikely, (2) preoperative anticoagulation using a low molecular weight heparin such as enoxaparin unless contraindicated due to bleeding from the tumor or other contraindication, (3) avoidance of vena caval filters whenever possible is recommended due the potential for caval thrombosis and the difficulties they present during surgical resection. CONCLUSION This study identified the available literature on the management of IVC-TT in association with RCC and was carefully reviewed by a multidisciplinary team. As a result, we have established a set of practice guidelines at our institution to help optimally manage patients with renal cell carcinoma and an inferior venal caval thrombus.

The Effect of Model Fidelity on Learning Outcomes of a Simulation-Based Education Program for Central Venous Catheter Insertion.

Introduction Simulation-based education for central venous catheter (CVC) insertion has been repeatedly documented to improve performance, but the impact of simulation model fidelity has not been described. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of the physical fidelity of the simulation model on learning outcomes for a simulation-based education program for CVC insertion. Methods Forty consecutive residents rotating through the medical intensive care unit of an academic medical center completed a simulation-based education program for CVC insertion. The curriculum was designed in accordance with the principles of deliberate practice and mastery learning. Each resident underwent baseline skills testing and was then randomized to training on a commercially available CVC model with high physical fidelity (High-Fi group) or a simply constructed model with low physical fidelity (Low-Fi group) in a noninferiority trial. Upon completion of their medical intensive care unit rotation 4 weeks later, residents returned for repeat skills testing on the high-fidelity model using a 26-item checklist. Results The mean (SD) posttraining score on the 26-item checklist for the Low-Fi group was 23.8 (2.2) (91.5%) and was not inferior to the mean (SD) score for the High-Fi group of 22.5 (2.6) (86.5%) (P < 0.0001). Residents in both groups judged the training program to be highly useful despite perceiving a lesser degree of physical realism in the low-fidelity model compared with the high-fidelity model (P = 0.05). Conclusions Simulation-based education using equipment with low physical fidelity can achieve learning outcomes comparable with those with high-fidelity equipment, as long as other aspects of fidelity are maintained and robust educational principles are applied during the design of the curriculum.

COMPLICATIONS OF IMPLANTABLE CARDIAC-DEFIBRILLATOR IMPLANTATION IN PATIENTS WITH PULMONARY HYPERTENSION

Pulmonary hypertension is associated with significant changes in the right heart. The safety of performing Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator (ICD) implantation in these patients is not well evaluated. We performed a retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients who had a clinical diagnosis of