Perfusion.com Cardiovascular News Roundup: November 2, 2022

Relevant reading, listening or viewing – curated by the creator of Tiny Perfusion Letter, Luc Puis

Every week, we collect 10 or 20 articles from the peer-reviewed literature that we think will be of interest to the perfusionist community. Feel free to comment on the findings or suggest entries for the newsletter by emailing the Editor – Luc Puis.

This RoundUp gives us a diversified bunch of articles, all worth exploring!

For a comprehensive overview of possible neurologic complications after CPB and an update about risks, prevention, and treatment, read this contribution from our colleagues from the other side of the Atlantic.

From there, this retrospective case-control study explored the effect of the quality of life after ECLS treatment during an ICU stay three months after hospitalization. Looks like there is no significant effect. Good job!

The use of corticosteroids during CPB is an ongoing debate. This recent meta-analysis found no differences with regard to rates of in-hospital mortality, infection, or delirium but reports a reduction in the incidence of renal failure and the length of ICU stay with the use of corticosteroids.

Ever heard of clemastine fumarate? Neither did we. But apparently, it can restrain the increase in histamine concentration and provide safer hemodynamics in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB.

This ELSO study of 2400 patients reports that if pulse pressure and systolic blood pressure improve within 24 hours after VA-ECLS initiation, survival to discharge improved likewise. Long live registries!

Urine oxygen partial pressure (PuO2) is a new tool for assessing acute kidney injury (AKI) risk during cardiac surgery. This study demonstrates that real-time PuO2 monitoring during CPB and the post-CPB period is feasible.

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed us to use isolation techniques for ECLS patients. This publication explores remote monitoring tools in the management of ECLS patients with mechanical circulatory support.

As the pandemic stretches out, we get more and more data available with regard to outcomes of the use of ECLS for COVID-19 patients. This study found higher mortality than non-COVID-19 patients and significantly longer VV ECMO runs for COVID-19 survivors than non-COVID survivors.

Finally, we have two patient blood management articles. One explores the factors associated with RBC transfusion during first bloodless priming cardiac surgery in children, and the other looks at the feasibility, efficacy, and safety profile of high-dose prothrombin complex concentrate without fresh frozen plasma or fibrinogen concentrate for coagulopathic cardiac surgical field bleeding.

Enjoy the read!