Use of aprotinin in extrapleural pneumonectomy: effect on hemostasis and incidence of complications

Blood Loss and Massive Transfusion in Patients Undergoing Major Oncological Surgery: What Do We Know?

Patients with solid malignancies who were not candidates for tumor resections in the past are now presenting for extensive oncological resections. Cancer patients are at risk for thromboembolic complications due to an underlying hypercoagulable state; however, some patients may have an increased risk for bleeding due to the effects of chemotherapy, the administration of anticoagulant drugs, tumor-related fibrinolysis, tumor location, tumor vascularity, and extent of disease. A common potential complication of all complex oncological surgeries is massive intra- and postoperative hemorrhage and the subsequent risk for massive blood transfusion. This can be anticipated or unexpected. Several surgical and anesthesia interventions including preoperative tumor embolization, major vessel occlusion, hemodynamic manipulation, and perioperative antifibrinolytic therapy have been used to prevent or control blood loss with varying success. The exact incidence of massive blood transfusion in oncological surgery is largely unknown and/or underreported. The current literature mostly consists of purely descriptive observational studies. Thus, recommendation regarding specific perioperative intervention cannot be made at this point, and more research is warranted.

A possible association between aprotinin and improved survival after radical surgery for mesothelioma

BACKGROUND

Aprotinin has been used to decrease blood loss with complicated cardiac surgery but has not been investigated in extrapleural pneumonectomy, an operation that does not use cardiopulmonary bypass. In this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, the authors investigated whether aprotinin decreased blood loss in patients who underwent this operation.

METHODS

After appropriate statistical design and institutional review board approval, eligible patients who were scheduled for extrapleural pneumonectomy were randomized to receive either aprotinin or placebo during the operation. Blood loss and survival data were obtained from electronic medical records and surgical databases.

RESULTS

Of 20 patients who were enrolled, 16 patients met criteria for blood loss analysis. Four patients were excluded from the blood loss analysis: Three patients were inoperable because of tumor spread and underwent limited surgery, and 1 patient died intraoperatively because of acute, massive hemorrhage. The mean blood loss was 769 mL with aprotinin versus 1832 mL with placebo (P = .05; Wilcoxon test). All 20 patients were included in survival analyses. All 9 patients who received placebo died. In contrast, 7 of 11 patients who received aprotinin remained alive at the time of the current report. Kaplan-Meier survival curves differed significantly between the 2 groups (P = .0004). A Bayesian multivariate survival analysis of 18 patients who had complete data available on 8 prognostic variables indicated a posterior probability of .99 that aprotinin was beneficial.

CONCLUSIONS

Aprotinin decreased blood loss. After accounting for covariate effects, there was a significant comparative benefit with aprotinin in postoperative survival. This finding was unexpected and could not be considered conclusive because of the small size of the current study. A confirmatory study may be warranted.

Anesthetic management of patients undergoing extrapleural pneumonectomy for mesothelioma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a radical and aggressive surgery that presents a great challenge to the thoracic anesthesiologist. This surgery is performed routinely by only a few centers in the world and this review represents our institution's experience in anesthetic care.

RECENT FINDINGS

Prominent among the developing multimodal treatment options is the combination of extrapleural pneumonectomy with intraoperative intracavitary hyperthermic chemotherapy. Outcome survival benefits have recently been demonstrated for the less completely cytoreductive pleurectomy procedure when combined with intraoperative intracavitary hyperthermic chemotherapy and trials are well under way for extrapleural pneumonectomy plus intraoperative intracavitary hyperthermic chemotherapy. Anesthetic management of extrapleural pneumonectomy is further impacted by these developments.

SUMMARY

Anesthetic management importantly contributes to containment of the perioperative complications of extrapleural pneumonectomy. An appreciation of the technical aspects and physiologic disruptions associated with extrapleural pneumonectomy is critical to effective management. While data on this relatively uncommon surgical procedure are scarce, some referral centers have accumulated extensive experience. This review summarizes relevant surgical aspects and anesthetic insights from the Brigham and Women's Hospital experience. Included are the anesthetic implications of intraoperative intracavitary hyperthermic chemotherapy in combination with extrapleural pneumonectomy - an emerging therapeutic option in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.