A systematic review and consensus definitions for standardised end-points in perioperative medicine: pulmonary complications

The effects of laryngeal mask versus endotracheal tube on atelectasis after general anesthesia induction assessed by lung ultrasound: A randomized controlled trial

STUDY OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the impact of Supreme™ laryngeal masks versus endotracheal tubes on atelectasis during general anesthesia using lung ultrasound (LUS), and provide evidence for respiratory management.

DESIGN

A single-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted.

SETTING

The study was conducted in both the operating room and the post-anesthesia care unit, with follow-up assessments performed in the ward.

PATIENTS

Enrollment included 180 cases undergoing non-laparoscopic surgeries in gynecology, urology, and orthopedic limb surgeries.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to the endotracheal intubation or laryngeal mask group.

MEASUREMENTS

LUS scores were recorded across 12 lung regions at baseline, 15 min after airway establishment, at the end of surgery, and 30 min following airway removal. Outcome measures encompassed the oxygenation index, dynamic lung compliance, incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications, throat pain, and other postoperative complications assessed at 24 and 48 h postoperatively. The primary outcome focused on the LUS score in all 12 lung regions at 15 min after airway establishment.

MAIN RESULTS

Intention-to-treat analysis of 177 subjects revealed endotracheal intubation led to significantly higher LUS scores at 15 min {P < 0.001, mean difference 4.15 ± 0.60, 95% CI [2.97, 5.33]}, end of surgery (P < 0.001, mean difference 3.37 ± 0.68, 95% CI [2.02, 4.72]), and 30 min post-removal (P < 0.001, mean difference 2.63 ± 0.48, 95% CI [1.68, 3.58]). No major complications occurred in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to endotracheal intubation, laryngeal masks effectively reduce atelectasis formation and progression in gynecological, urological non-laparoscopic, and orthopedic limb surgeries. However, caution is warranted when generalizing these findings to surgeries with a higher risk of laryngeal mask leakage or obese patients. Additionally, the efficacy of laryngeal masks in reducing postoperative atelectasis remains uncertain when comprehensive monitoring of muscle relaxation and reversal therapy is employed.

Sex dependence of postoperative pulmonary complications - A post hoc unmatched and matched analysis of LAS VEGAS

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Male sex has inconsistently been associated with the development of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). These studies were different in size, design, population and preoperative risk. We reanalysed the database of 'Local ASsessment of Ventilatory management during General Anaesthesia for Surgery study' (LAS VEGAS) to evaluate differences between females and males with respect to PPCs.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PATIENTS

Post hoc unmatched and matched analysis of LAS VEGAS, an international observational study in patients undergoing intraoperative ventilation under general anaesthesia for surgery in 146 hospitals across 29 countries. The primary endpoint was a composite of PPCs in the first 5 postoperative days. Individual PPCs, hospital length of stay and mortality were secondary endpoints. Propensity score matching was used to create a similar cohort regarding type of surgery and epidemiological factors with a known association with development of PPCs.

MAIN RESULTS

The unmatched cohort consisted of 9697 patients; 5342 (55.1%) females and 4355 (44.9%) males. The matched cohort consisted of 6154 patients; 3077 (50.0%) females and 3077 (50.0%) males. The incidence in PPCs was neither significant between females and males in the unmatched cohort (10.0 vs 10.7%; odds ratio (OR) 0.93 [0.81-1.06]; P = 0.255), nor in the matched cohort (10.5 vs 10.0%; OR 1.05 [0.89-1.25]; P = 0.556). New invasive ventilation occurred less often in females in the unmatched cohort. Hospital length of stay and mortality were similar between females and males in both cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

In this conveniently-sized worldwide cohort of patients receiving intraoperative ventilation under general anaesthesia for surgery, the PPC incidence was not significantly different between sexes.

REGISTRATION

LAS VEGAS was registered at clinicaltrial.gov (study identifier NCT01601223).

A Nomogram for Predicting Postoperative Pulmonary Complications in Critical Patients Transferred to ICU After Abdominal Surgery

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with postoperative pulmonary complications(PPCs) in critically ill patients transferred to intensive care unit(ICU) after abdominal surgery and develop a predictive model for this disease.

METHODS

Data for 3716 patients who were admitted to ICU after abdominal surgery in Peking University People's Hospital between January 2015 and December 2020 were retrospectively collected and analyzed to identify the risk factors and develop a nomogram prediction model. Data for patients admitted to ICU following abdominal surgery at Peking University People's Hospital from March 2021 to December 2022 were prospectively collected as a validation set to validate and assess the model.

RESULTS

10 independent risk factors for PPCs in critically ill patients transferred to ICU after abdominal surgery were identified. A nomogram prediction model was constructed for PPCs in this group patients, the area under ROC curve was 0.771[95%CI: 0.756,0.786] and 0.759[95%CI: 0.726,0.792] in the training set and validation set, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, independent risk factors for PPCs in critically ill patients transferred to ICU after abdominal surgery were identified. A nomogram prediction model for PPCs in critically ill surgical population was constructed using these factors, demonstrating a good predictive value.

Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index and 30-Day Postoperative Mortality in Geriatric Burn Patients

INTRODUCTION

The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) can easily identify malnutrition-associated morbidity and mortality. We investigated the association between preoperative GNRI and 30-d mortality in geriatric burn patients who underwent surgery.

METHODS

The study involved geriatric burn patients (aged ≥ 65 y) who underwent burn surgery between 2012 and 2022. The GNRI was computed using the following formula: 1.489 × serum albumin concentration (mg/L) + 41.7 × patient body weight/ideal body weight. Patients were dichotomized into the high GNRI (≥ 82) and low GNRI (< 82) groups. GNRI was evaluated as an independent predictor of 30-d postoperative mortality. The study also evaluated the association between GNRI and sepsis, the need for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), major adverse cardiac events (MACE), and pneumonia.

RESULTS

Out of 270 patients, 128 (47.4%) had low GNRI (< 82). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that low GNRI was significantly associated with 30-d postoperative mortality (hazard ratio: 1.874, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.146-3.066, P = 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the 30-day mortality rate differed significantly between the low and high GNRI groups (log-rank test, P < 0.001). The 30-d postoperative mortality (hazard ratio: 2.677, 95% CI: 1.536-4.667, P < 0.001) and the incidence of sepsis (odds ratio [OR]: 2.137, 95% CI: 1.307-3.494, P = 0.004), need for CRRT (OR: 1.919, 95% CI: 1.101-3.344, P = 0.025), MACE (OR: 1.680, 95% CI: 1.018-2.773, P = 0.043), and pneumonia (OR: 1.678, 95% CI: 1.019-2.764, P = 0.044), were significantly higher in the low GNRI group than in the high GNRI group.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative low GNRI was associated with increased 30-d postoperative mortality, sepsis, need for CRRT, MACE, and pneumonia in geriatric burn patients.

Data Infrastructure for Improvement in Perioperative Medicine: Experience at a London Tertiary Hospital

Adoption of electronic health record systems offers an opportunity to collate massive volumes of complex information about patient care. Healthcare data can inform performance management, enable predictive analytics and enhance strategic decision making. A data-driven approach to improving patient care is vital to address the growing burden of morbidity and mortality associated with major surgery. We describe our methodology for transforming and utilising process of care data in an electronic health record system to develop a registry for quality improvement purposes in patients undergoing major surgery at a single UK hospital. We highlight development of our data-driven vision, technical aspects of processing raw data into metrics relevant to clinical decision making, alongside challenges encountered. Finally, we outline how our data infrastructure supports clinical governance, quality improvement and research. In sharing our experiences, we hope to enable others to embed and access the transformative clinical insights that healthcare data can yield.

Mortality risk of patients with intestinal obstruction

BACKGROUND

Intestinal obstruction represents a severe intestinal disease associated with higher mortality rates. However, the determinants of mortality in patients with intestinal obstruction remain inadequately understood. This study sought to elucidate the potential risk factors associated with mortality in the context of intestinal obstruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on a cohort of 227 patients diagnosed with intestinal obstruction at the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, spanning the period from September 7, 2022, to January 7, 2023. The primary endpoint of the study was mortality within four weeks following discharge. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were utilized to evaluate the risk factors associated with mortality outcomes.

RESULTS

A cohort of 227 patients diagnosed with intestinal obstruction (median age, 59.02 years [IQR, 48.95-70.85 years]) was included in our study. Malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) and COVID-19 were identified as independent risk factors for mortality among these patients. Notably, the mortality rate increased significantly to 38.46% when MBO was concomitant with COVID-19. Furthermore, postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) (OR, 54.21 [death]; 95% CI, 3.17-926.31), gastric cancer (OR, 9.71 [death]; 95% CI, 1.38-68.18), VTE (Caprini Score ≥ 5) (OR, 7.64 [death]; 95% CI, 1.37-42.51), and COVID-19 (OR, 5.72 [death]; 95% CI, 1.01-32.29) were all determined to be independent risk factors for postoperative mortality. Additionally, gastric cancer could have emerged as one of the most severe risk factors for mortality in individuals with intestinal obstruction within the cohort of cancer patients, of which gastric cancer exhibited higher mortality rates compared to individuals with other forms of cancer.

CONCLUSION

The study identifies MBO, gastric cancer, COVID-19, PPC, and VTE as potential risk factors for mortality in cases of intestinal obstruction. These findings highlight the necessity for continuous monitoring of indicators related to these mortality risk factors and their associated complications, thereby offering valuable insights for the management and treatment of intestinal obstruction.

Predictors of length of hospital stay after pediatric Ebstein anomaly corrective surgery: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The remarkable advancements in surgical techniques over recent years have shifted the clinical focus from merely reducing mortality to enhancing the quality of postoperative recovery. The duration of a patient's hospital stay serves as a crucial indicator in evaluating postoperative recovery and surgical outcomes. This study aims to identify predictors of the length of hospital stay for children who have undergone corrective surgery for Ebstein Anomaly (EA).

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study on children (under 18 years of age) diagnosed with EA who were admitted for corrective surgery between January 2009 and November 2021 at Fuwai Hospital. The primary outcome was the Time to Hospital Discharge (THD). Cox proportional hazard models were utilized to identify predictors of THD. In the context of time-to-event analysis, discharge was considered an event. In cases where death occurred before discharge, it was defined as an extended THD, input as 100 days (exceeding the longest observed THD), and considered as a non-event.

RESULTS

A total of 270 children were included in this study, out of which three died in the hospital. Following the Cox proportional hazard analysis, six predictors of THD were identified. The hazard ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were as follows: age, 1.030(1.005,1.055); C/R > 0.65, 0.507(0.364,0.707); Carpentier type C or D, 0.578(0.429,0.779); CPB time, 0.995(0.991,0.998); dexamethasone, 1.373(1.051,1.795); and transfusion, 0.680(0.529,0.875). The children were categorized into three groups based on the quartile of THD. Compared to children in the ≤ 6 days group, those in the ≥ 11 days group were associated with a higher incidence of adverse outcomes. Additionally, the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay, as well as hospital costs, were significantly higher in this group.

CONCLUSION

We identified six predictors of THD for children undergoing corrective surgery for EA. Clinicians can utilize these variables to optimize perioperative management strategies, reduce adverse complications, improve postoperative recovery, and reduce unnecessary medical expenses.

[Neuromuscular Blockade in Geriatric Patients]

The administration of neuromuscular blocking agents has been used in anesthesia for decades and continues to play an important role in modern anesthesia. Special patient populations, such as very young or very old patients, require adapted use. The following article discusses the specifics of neuromuscular blocking agents administration in geriatric patients.

The effect of a hybrid structured pulmonary rehabilitation education program for patients with lung cancer with a high risk of postoperative pulmonary complications: A quasi-experimental study

PURPOSE

The absence of standardized protocols and education are the main obstacles to perioperative pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), especially for patients with high-risk factors of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). We aimed to explore the effect of a hybrid structured pulmonary rehabilitation education program (SPREP) on patients with lung cancer at high risk of PPCs.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental trial with a pre-post test design was conducted. The control group (n = 53) adopted routine perioperative pulmonary rehabilitation, while the intervention group (n = 53) received SPREP. Respiratory function, 6-min walk distance, Borg dyspnea scale, quality of life, anxiety-depression scores at admission, discharge, 2 weeks and 3 months post-discharge, and incidence of PPCs were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences on the 6-min walk distance and Borg Dyspnoea Scale at discharge between the two groups (P > 0.05), whereas the intervention group showed improved performance at the remaining time points (P < 0.05). In addition, the intervention group had improved exercise capacity, pulmonary function and quality of life, reduced levels of anxiety and depression at discharge, 2 weeks post-discharge and 3 months post-discharge (P < 0.05). In addition, incidence of PPCs was significantly reduced in the intervention group, especially postoperative pneumonia.

CONCLUSIONS

The SPREP could show significant benefits in enhancing exercise capacity, lung function, and quality of life, while diminishing the occurrence of PPCs and mitigating the levels of anxiety and depression, future large RCT need to further explore the efficacy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered with the China Clinical Trial Registration Center (ChiCTR) under the Clinical Trial Registration Number [ChiCTR2200066698].

Weaning from mechanical ventilation in the operating room: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are associated with postoperative mortality and prolonged hospital stay. Although intraoperative mechanical ventilation (MV) is a risk factor for PPCs, strategies addressing weaning from MV are understudied. In this systematic review, we evaluated weaning strategies and their effects on postoperative pulmonary outcomes.

METHODS

Our protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022379145). Eligible studies included randomised controlled trials and observational studies of adults weaned from MV in the operating room. Primary outcomes included atelectasis and oxygenation; secondary outcomes included lung volume changes and PPCs. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB2) tool, and quality of evidence with the GRADE framework.

RESULTS

Screening identified 14 randomised controlled trials including 1719 patients; seven studies were limited to the weaning phase and seven included interventions not restricted to the weaning phase. Strategies combining pressure support ventilation (PSV) with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and low fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) improved atelectasis, oxygenation, and lung volumes. Low FiO2 improved atelectasis and oxygenation but might not improve lung volumes. A fixed-PEEP strategy led to no improvement in oxygenation or atelectasis; however, individualised PEEP with low FiO2 improved oxygenation and might be associated with reduced PPCs. Half of included studies are of moderate or high risk of bias; the overall quality of evidence is low.

CONCLUSIONS

There is limited research evaluating weaning from intraoperative MV. Based on low-quality evidence, PSV, individualised PEEP, and low FiO2 may be associated with reduced postoperative pulmonary outcomes.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL

PROSPERO (CRD42022379145).

Impact of spinal or epidural anaesthesia on perioperative outcomes in adult noncardiac surgery: a narrative review of recent evidence

Spinal and epidural anaesthesia and analgesia are important anaesthetic techniques, familiar to all anaesthetists and applied to patients undergoing a range of surgical procedures. Although the immediate effects of a well-conducted neuraxial technique on nociceptive and sympathetic pathways are readily observable in clinical practice, the impact of such techniques on patient-centred perioperative outcomes remains an area of uncertainty and active research. The aim of this review is to present a narrative synthesis of contemporary clinical science on this topic from the most recent 5-year period and summarise the foundational scholarship upon which this research was based. We searched electronic databases for primary research, secondary research, opinion pieces, and guidelines reporting the relationship between neuraxial procedures and standardised perioperative outcomes over the period 2018-2023. Returned citation lists were examined seeking additional studies to contextualise our narrative synthesis of results. Articles were retrieved encompassing the following outcome domains: patient comfort, renal, sepsis and infection, postoperative cancer, cardiovascular, and pulmonary and mortality outcomes. Convincing evidence of the beneficial effect of epidural analgesia on patient comfort after major open thoracoabdominal surgery outcomes was identified. Recent evidence of benefit in the prevention of pulmonary complications and mortality was identified. Despite mechanistic plausibility and supportive observational evidence, there is less certain experimental evidence to support a role for neuraxial techniques impacting on other outcome domains. Evidence of positive impact of neuraxial techniques is best established for the domains of patient comfort, pulmonary complications, and mortality, particularly in the setting of major open thoracoabdominal surgery. Recent evidence does not strongly support a significant impact of neuraxial techniques on cancer, renal, infection, or cardiovascular outcomes after noncardiac surgery in most patient groups.

Perioperative hypotension and use of vasoactive agents in non-cardiac surgery: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Perioperative hypotension is common and associated with adverse patient outcomes. Vasoactive agents are often used to manage hypotension, but the ideal drug, dose and duration of treatment has not been established. With this scoping review, we aim to provide an overview of the current body of evidence regarding the vasoactive agents used to treat perioperative hypotension in non-cardiac surgery.

METHODS

We included all studies describing the use of vasoactive agents for the treatment of perioperative hypotension in non-cardiac surgery. We excluded literature reviews, case studies, and studies on animals and healthy subjects. We posed the following research questions: (1) in which surgical populations have vasoactive agents been studied? (2) which agents have been studied? (3) what doses have been assessed? (4) what is the duration of treatment? and (5) which desirable and undesirable outcomes have been assessed?

RESULTS

We included 124 studies representing 10 surgical specialties. Eighteen different agents were evaluated, predominantly phenylephrine, ephedrine, and noradrenaline. The agents were administered through six different routes, and numerous comparisons between agents, dosages and routes were included. Then, 88 distinct outcome measures were assessed, of which 54 were judged to be non-patient-centred.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that studies concerning vasoactive agents for the treatment of perioperative hypotension varied considerably in all aspects. Populations were heterogeneous, interventions and exposures included multiple agents compared against themselves, each other, fluids or placebo, and studies reported primarily non-patient-centred outcomes.

Preoperative physiotherapy prevents postoperative pulmonary complications after major abdominal surgery: a meta-analysis of individual patient data

QUESTIONS

Among patients having elective abdominal surgery, how much does preoperative physiotherapy education with breathing exercise training reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), hospital length of stay and 12-month mortality? How stable are the treatment effects across different PPC definitions, including pneumonia? How much do the treatment effects on PPC, hospital length of stay and mortality vary within clinically relevant subgroups?

DESIGN

Individual participant-level meta-analysis (n = 800) from two randomised controlled trials analysed with multivariable regression.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults undergoing major elective abdominal surgery.

INTERVENTIONS

Experimental participants received a single preoperative session with a physiotherapist within 4 weeks of surgery and educated on PPC prevention with breathing exercises and early mobilisation. They were taught breathing exercises and instructed to start them immediately on waking from surgery. The control group received no preoperative or postoperative physiotherapy, or early ambulation alone.

OUTCOME MEASURES

PPC, hospital length of stay and 12-month mortality.

RESULTS

Participants who received preoperative physiotherapy had 47% lower odds of developing a PPC (adjusted OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.85). This effect was stable regardless of PPC definition. Effects were greatest in participants who smoked, were aged ≤ 45 years, had abnormal body weight, had multiple comorbidities, or were undergoing bariatric or upper gastrointestinal surgery. Participants having operations ≤ 3 hours in duration were least responsive to preoperative physiotherapy. Participants with multiple comorbidities were more likely to have a shorter hospital stay if provided with preoperative physiotherapy (adjusted MD -3.2 days, 95% CI -6.2 to -0.3). Effects on mortality were uncertain.

CONCLUSION

There is strong evidence to support preoperative physiotherapy in preventing PPCs after elective abdominal surgery.

Association between reversal agents (sugammadex vs. neostigmine) for neuromuscular block and postoperative pulmonary complications: A retrospective analysis

AIMS

Residual neuromuscular blockade has been linked to pulmonary complications in the postoperative period. This study aimed to determine whether sugammadex was associated with a lower risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) compared with neostigmine.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary academic medical center. Patients ≥18 year of age undergoing noncardiac surgical procedures with general anesthesia and mechanical ventilation were enrolled between January 2019 and September 2021. We identified all patients receiving rocuronium and reversal with neostigmine or sugammadex via electronic medical record review. The primary endpoint was a composite of PPCs (including pneumonia, atelectasis, respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism, pleural effusion, or pneumothorax). The incidence of PPCs was compared using propensity score analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 1786 patients were included in this study. Among these patients, 976 (54.6%) received neostigmine, and 810 (45.4%) received sugammadex. In the whole sample, PPCs occurred in 81 (4.54%) subjects (7.04% sugammadex vs. 2.46% neostigmine). Baseline covariates were well balanced between groups after overlap weighting. Patients in the sugammadex group had similar risk (overlap weighting OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.40 to 1.41) compared to neostigmine. The sensitivity analysis showed consistent results. In subgroup analysis, the interaction P-value for the reversal agents stratified by surgery duration was 0.011.

CONCLUSION

There was no significant difference in the rate of PPCs when the neuromuscular blockade was reversed with sugammadex compared to neostigmine. Patients undergoing prolonged surgery may benefit from sugammadex, which needs to be further investigated.

Exploring phenotype-based ventilator parameter optimization to mitigate postoperative pulmonary complications: a retrospective observational cohort study

PURPOSE

To identify tidal volume (VT) and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) associated with the lowest incidence and severity of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) for each phenotype based on preoperative characteristics.

METHODS

The subjects of this retrospective observational cohort study were 34,910 adults who underwent surgery, using general anesthesia with mechanical ventilation. Initially, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression was employed to select relevant preoperative characteristics. Then, the classification and regression tree (CART) was built to identify phenotypes. Finally, we computed the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves from logistic regressions to identify VT and PEEP associated with the lowest incidence and severity of PPCs for each phenotype.

RESULTS

CARTs classified seven phenotypes for each outcome. A probability of the development of PPCs ranged from the lowest (3.51%) to the highest (68.57%), whereas the probability of the development of the highest level of PPC severity ranged from 3.3% to 91.0%. Across all phenotypes, the VT and PEEP associated with the most desirable outcomes were within a small range of VT 7-8 ml/kg predicted body weight with PEEP of between 6 and 8 cmH2O.

CONCLUSIONS

The ranges of optimal VT and PEEP were small, regardless of the phenotypes, which had a wide range of risk profiles.

Predictive significance of systemic immune-inflammation index combined with prealbumin for postoperative pneumonia following lung resection surgery

BACKGROUND

We aimed to determine whether systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) combined with prealbumin can provide better predictive power for postoperative pneumonia in patients undergoing lung resection surgery.

METHODS

We identified eligible patients undergoing lung resection surgery at the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from March 2021 to March 2022. Demographic characteristics, clinical data, and laboratory information were collected and reviewed from the electronic medical records of the patients. To test the effect of the combined detection of SII and prealbumin, we made an equation using logistic regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted to evaluate the predictive powers, sensitivity, and specificity of prealbumin, SII, and SII combined with prealbumin. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to determine the clinical validity and net benefit of different methods of detection.

RESULTS

Totally 386 eligible patients were included with a median age of 62.0 years (IQR: 55.0, 68.0), and 57 (14.8%) patients presented with postoperative pneumonia within 7 days after surgery. The multivariate regression analysis showed that preoperative SII as continuous variable was associated with an increased risk of postoperative pneumonia (OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.19-2.83, P = 0.011), whereas the prealbumin as continuous variable remained as an independent protective predictor of postoperative pneumonia in the adjusted analysis (OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.37-0.89, P = 0.023). Compared to SII or prealbumin, the combined detection of preoperative SII and prealbumin showed a higher predictive power with area under curve of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71-0.86, P < 0.05 for all). Additionally, DCA indicated that the combined detection was superior over preoperative SII or prealbumin alone in clinical validity and net benefit.

CONCLUSION

Both preoperative SII and prealbumin are independent influencing factors for postoperative pneumonia after lung resection surgery. The combined detection of preoperative SII and prealbumin can significantly improve prediction capability to identify potential postoperative pneumonia-susceptible patients, facilitating early interventions to improve postoperative quality of life for surgical lung resection patients.

The protocol of enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery in adult patients: A stepped wedge cluster randomized trial

BACKGROUND

The enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery is a bundle of measurements from preoperative to postoperative phases to improve patients' recovery.

METHODS

This study is a multicenter, stepwise design, cluster randomized controlled trial. About 3,600 patients presenting during control and intervention periods are eligible if they are aged from 18 to 80 years old awaiting elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). About 5 centers are randomly assigned to staggered start dates for one-way crossover from the control phase to the intervention phase. In the intervention periods, patients will receive ERAS strategy including preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative approaches. During the control phase, patients receive usual care. The primary outcome consists of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), and acute kidney injury (AKI).

DISCUSSION

This study aims to compare the application of ERAS management protocol and traditional management protocol in adult cardiac surgery under extracorporeal circulation.

Utilising intraoperative respiratory dynamic features for developing and validating an explainable machine learning model for postoperative pulmonary complications

BACKGROUND

Timely detection of modifiable risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) could inform ventilation strategies that attenuate lung injury. We sought to develop, validate, and internally test machine learning models that use intraoperative respiratory features to predict PPCs.

METHODS

We analysed perioperative data from a cohort comprising patients aged 65 yr and older at an academic medical centre from 2019 to 2023. Two linear and four nonlinear learning models were developed and compared with the current gold-standard risk assessment tool ARISCAT (Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia Tool). The Shapley additive explanation of artificial intelligence was utilised to interpret feature importance and interactions.

RESULTS

Perioperative data were obtained from 10 284 patients who underwent 10 484 operations (mean age [range] 71 [65-98] yr; 42% female). An optimised XGBoost model that used preoperative variables and intraoperative respiratory variables had area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) of 0.878 (0.866-0.891) and 0.881 (0.879-0.883) in the validation and prospective cohorts, respectively. These models outperformed ARISCAT (AUROC: 0.496-0.533). The intraoperative dynamic features of respiratory dynamic system compliance, mechanical power, and driving pressure were identified as key modifiable contributors to PPCs. A simplified model based on XGBoost including 20 variables generated an AUROC of 0.864 (0.852-0.875) in an internal testing cohort. This has been developed into a web-based tool for further external validation (https://aorm.wchscu.cn/).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that real-time identification of surgical patients' risk of postoperative pulmonary complications could help personalise intraoperative ventilatory strategies and reduce postoperative pulmonary complications.

Risk factors for pulmonary complications after colorectal cancer surgery: a Japanese multicenter study

PURPOSE

Pulmonary complications (PC) are a serious condition with a 20% mortality rate. However, few reports have examined risk factors for PC after colorectal surgery. This study investigated the frequency, characteristics, and risk factors for PC after colorectal cancer surgery.

METHODS

Between January 2016 and December 2022, we retrospectively reviewed 3979 consecutive patients who underwent colorectal cancer surgery in seven participating hospitals. Patients were divided into patients who experienced PC (PC group, n = 54) and patients who did not (non-PC group, n = 3925). Clinical and pathological features were compared between groups.

RESULTS

Fifty-four patients (1.5%) developed PC, of whom 2 patients (3.7%) died due to PC. Age was greater (80 years vs 71 years; p < 0.001), frequency of chronic obstructive pulmonary distress was greater (9.3% vs 3.2%; p = 0.029), performance status was poorer (p < 0.001), the proportion of underweight was higher (42.6% vs 13.4%, p < 0.001), frequency of open surgery was greater (24.1% vs 9.3%; p < 0.001), and blood loss was greater (40 mL vs 22 mL; p < 0.001) in the PC group. Multivariate analysis revealed male sex (odds ratio (OR) 2.165, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.176-3.986; p = 0.013), greater age (OR 3.180, 95%CI 1.798-5.624; p < 0.001), underweight (OR 3.961, 95%CI 2.210-7.100; p < 0.001), and poorer ASA-PS (OR 3.828, 95%CI 2.144-6.834; p < 0.001) as independent predictors of PC.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed male sex, greater age, underweight, and poorer ASA-PS as factors associated with development of PC, and suggested that pre- and postoperative rehabilitation and pneumonia control measures should be implemented for patients at high risk of PC.

Venous-to-arterial carbon-dioxide tension difference as a useful predictor of patient prognosis after major surgery

PURPOSE

Change in venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure difference[P(v-a)CO2] could be a useful marker to assess tissue perfusion status. Herein, we assessed the predictive values of postoperative P(v-a)CO2 measurements for mortality in critically ill patients after major surgery. The correlation between P(v-a)CO2 values and other conventional parameters of patient prognosis was also evaluated.

METHODS

Patients admitted to the intensive care unit(ICU) after abdominal surgery were enrolled. Arterial and venous blood gas analyses were performed within 1 h(T0) and after 24 h(T1) of admission to the ICU, respectively. The relationship between P(v-a)CO2 levels at T1 and other conventional parameters were assessed using a Bland-Altman plot. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the predisposing factors of mortality after surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 231 patients were finally analyzed. We divided the participants into the high PvaCO2 group[P(v-a)CO2 ≥ 8.6] and the low PvaCO2 group[P(v-a)CO2 < 8.6]. Seven-day-, 28-day, and in-hospital mortality were significantly higher in the high PvaCO2 group than in the low PvaCO2 group. There was significant agreement between P(v-a)CO2 values at T1 and APACHE II scores, lactate levels at T1 and total SOFA scores at T1. In multivariate logistic analysis, an increased P(v-a)CO2 value at T1 was the only significant risk factor of 7-day mortality after surgery. [odds ratio:1.341, 95%confidence interval: 1.050-1.714, p=0.019].

CONCLUSION

P(v-a)CO2 measurements could be not only a significant predictor of postoperative prognosis, but also a useful surveillance parameter to maintain tissue perfusion after abdominal surgery in patients with a potential risk of fatal complication-related tissue hypoperfusion.

Prehabilitation in Adults Undergoing Cancer Surgery: A Comprehensive Review on Rationale, Methodology, and Measures of Effectiveness

Cancer surgery places a significant burden on a patients' functional status and quality of life. In addition, cancer surgery is fraught with postoperative complications, themselves influenced by a patient's functional status. Prehabilitation is a unimodal or multimodal strategy that aims to increase a patient's functional capacity to reduce postoperative complications and improve postoperative recovery and quality of life. In most cases, it involves exercise, nutrition, and anxiety-reducing interventions. The impact of prehabilitation has been explored in several types of cancer surgery, most commonly colorectal and thoracic. Overall, the existing evidence suggests prehabilitation improves physiological outcomes (e.g., lean body mass, maximal oxygen consumption) as well as clinical outcomes (e.g., postoperative complications, quality of life). Notably, the benefit of prehabilitation is additional to that of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs. While safe, prehabilitation programs require multidisciplinary coordination preoperatively. Despite the existence of numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses, the certainty of evidence demonstrating the efficacy and safety of prehabilitation is low to moderate, principally due to significant methodological heterogeneity and small sample sizes. There is a need for more large-scale multicenter randomized controlled trials to draw strong clinical recommendations.

Improving Neuromuscular Monitoring Through Education-Based Interventions and Studying Its Association With Adverse Postoperative Outcomes: A Retrospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND

We assessed the association between education-based interventions, the frequency of train-of-four (TOF) monitoring, and postoperative outcomes.

METHODS

We studied adults undergoing noncardiac surgery from February 1, 2020 through October 31, 2021. Our education-based interventions consisted of 3 phases. An interrupted time-series analysis, adjusting for patient- and procedure-related characteristics and secular trends over time, was used to assess the associations between education-based interventions and the frequency of TOF monitoring, postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), 90-day mortality, and sugammadex dosage. For each outcome and intervention phase, we tested whether the intervention at that phase was associated with an immediate change in the outcome or its trend (weekly rate of change) over time. In a sensitivity analysis, the association between education-based interventions and postoperative outcomes was adjusted for TOF monitoring.

RESULTS

Of 19,422 cases, 11,636 (59.9%) had documented TOF monitoring. Monitoring frequency increased from 44.2% in the first week of preintervention stage to 83.4% in the final week of the postintervention phase. During the preintervention phase, the odds of TOF monitoring trended upward by 0.5% per week (odds ratio [OR], 1.005; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.002-1.007). Phase 1 saw an immediate 54% increase (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.33-1.79) in the odds, and the trend OR increased by 3% (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05) to 1.035, or 3.5% per week (joint Wald test, P < .001). Phase 2 was associated with a further immediate 29% increase (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.02-1.64) but no significant association with trend (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-1.01) of TOF monitoring (joint test, P = .04). Phase 3 and postintervention phase were not significantly associated with the frequency of TOF monitoring (joint test, P = .16 and P = .61). The study phases were not significantly associated with PPCs or sugammadex administration. The trend OR for 90-day mortality was larger by 24% (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.06-1.45; joint test, P = .03) in phase 2 versus phase 1, from a weekly decrease of 8% to a weekly increase of 14%. However, this trend reversed again at the transition from phase 3 to the postintervention phase (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68-0.99; joint test, P = .05), from a 14% weekly increase to a 6.2% weekly decrease in the odds of 90-day mortality. In sensitivity analyses, adjusting for TOF monitoring, we found similar associations between study initiatives and postoperative outcomes. TOF monitoring was associated with lower odds of PPCs (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.55-0.86) and 90-day mortality (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.98), but not sugammadex dosing (mean difference, -0.02; 95% CI, -0.04 to 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Our education-based interventions were associated with both TOF utilization and 90-day mortality but were not associated with either the odds of PPCs or sugammadex dosing. TOF monitoring was associated with reduced odds of PPCs and 90-day mortality.

Adherence to lung protective mechanical ventilation in patients admitted to a surgical intensive care unit and the associated increased mortality

Background

The adherence rate to the lung protective ventilation (LPV) strategy, which is generally accepted as a standard practice in mechanically ventilated patients, reported in the literature is approximately 40%. This study aimed to determine the adherence rate to the LPV strategy, factors associated with this adherence, and related clinical outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU).

Methods

This prospective observational study was conducted in the SICU of a tertiary university-based hospital between April 2018 and February 2019. Three hundred and six adult patients admitted to the SICU who required mechanical ventilation support for more than 12 h were included. Ventilator parameters at the initiation of mechanical ventilation support in the SICU were recorded. The LPV strategy was defined as ventilation with a tidal volume of equal or less than 8 ml/kg of predicted body weight plus positive end-expiratory pressure of at least 5 cm H2O. Demographic and clinical data were recorded and analyzed.

Results

There were 306 patients included in this study. The adherence rate to the LPV strategy was 36.9%. Height was the only factor associated with adherence to the LPV strategy (odds ratio for each cm, 1.10; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06-1.15). Cox regression analysis showed that the LPV strategy was associated with increased 90-day mortality (hazard ratio, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.02-2.94).

Conclusion

The adherence rate to the LPV strategy among patients admitted to the SICU was modest. Further studies are warranted to explore whether the application of the LPV strategy is simply a marker of disease severity or a causative factor for increased mortality.

Diagnostic value of systematic bronchial aspirate on postoperative pneumonia after pulmonary resection surgery for lung cancer: a monocentre retrospective study

OBJECTIVES

Intraoperative bacterial airway colonization seems to be associated with an increased risk of postoperative pneumonia (POP). It can be easily assessed by performing a bronchial aspirate (BA). The objective of this study is to assess the diagnostic performance of the BA to predict POP.

METHODS

We conducted a single-centre retrospective observational study over a period of 10 years, from 1 January 2011 to 30 December 2020. The population study included patients admitted for a scheduled pulmonary resection surgery for lung cancer. Patients were classified into 2 populations depending on whether or not they developed a POP. Uni- and multivariable analyses were performed to identify risk factors for developing POP. The diagnostic performance of BA was represented by its sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values.

RESULTS

A total of 1006 patients were included in the study. Uni- and multivariable analyses found that a positive BA was independently associated with a greater risk of developing POP with an odds ratio of 6.57 [4.165-10.865]; P < 0.001. Its specificity was 95%, sensitivity was 31%, positive predictive value was 66% and negative predictive value was 81%.

CONCLUSIONS

A positive intraoperative BA is an independent risk factor for POP after lung cancer surgery. Further trials are required to validate the systematic implementation of BA as an early diagnostic tool for POP.

Identifying High-Risk Patients for Severe Pulmonary Complications after Cardiosurgical Procedures as a Target Group for Further Assessment of Lung-Protective Strategies

OBJECTIVES

It remains unclear whether intraoperative lung-protective strategies can reduce the rate of respiratory complications after cardiac surgery, partly because low-risk patients have been studied in the past. The authors established a screening model to easily identify a high-risk group for severe pulmonary complications (ie, pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome) that may be the ideal target population for the assessment of the potential benefits of such measures.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational trial.

SETTING

Departments of cardiac surgery and cardiac anesthesia of a university hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass and subsequent treatment at a dedicated cardiosurgical intensive care unit between January 2019 and March 2021.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Of the 2,572 patients undergoing surgery, 84 (3.3%) developed pneumonia/acute respiratory distress syndrome that significantly affected the outcome (ie, longer ventilatory support [66% vs 11%], higher reintubation rate [39% vs 3%]), prolonged length of intensive care unit [33 ± 36 vs 4 ± 10 days] and hospital stay [10 ± 15 vs 6 ± 7 days], and higher in-hospital [43% vs 9%] as well as 30-day [7% vs 3%] mortality). The screening model for severe pulmonary complications included left ventricular ejection fraction <52%, EuroSCORE II (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II) >5.9, cardiopulmonary bypass time >123 minutes, left ventricular assist device or aortic repair surgery, and bronchodilatory therapy. A cutoff for the predicted risk of 2.5% showed optimal sensitivity and specificity, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.82.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors suggest that future research on intraoperative lung-protective measures focuses on this high-risk population, primarily aiming to mitigate severe forms of postoperative pulmonary dysfunction associated with poor outcomes and increased resource consumption.

Effect of Mechanical Ventilation Mode Type on Postoperative Pulmonary Complications After Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES

It is unknown whether there is a difference in pulmonary outcome in different intraoperative ventilation modes for cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The aim of this trial was to determine whether patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB could benefit from intraoperative optimal ventilation mode.

DESIGN

This was a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

The study was conducted at a single-center tertiary-care hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1,364 adults undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB participated in this trial.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were assigned randomly (1:1:1) to receive 1 of 3 ventilation modes: volume-controlled ventilation (VCV), pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV), and pressure-controlled ventilation-volume guaranteed (PCV-VG). All arms of the study received the lung-protective ventilation strategy.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The primary outcome was a composite of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) within the first 7 postoperative days. Pulmonary complications occurred in 168 of 455 patients (36.9%) in the PCV-VG group, 171 (37.6%) in the PCV group, and 182 (40.1%) in the VCV group, respectively. There was no statistical difference in the risk of overall pulmonary complications among groups (p = 0.585). There were no significant differences in the severity grade of PPCs within 7 days, postoperative ventilation duration, intensive care unit stay, postoperative hospital stay, or 30-day postoperative mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients scheduled for cardiac surgery with CPB, intraoperative ventilation mode type did not affect the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications.

Positive end-expiratory pressure during one-lung ventilation for preventing atelectasis after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a triple-arm, randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

There is little evidence regarding the benefits of lung-protective ventilation in patients undergoing one-lung ventilation for thoracic surgery. This study aimed to determine the optimal level of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) during one-lung ventilation for minimizing postoperative atelectasis through lung ultrasonography.

METHODS

A total of 142 adult patients scheduled for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery at Seoul National University Hospital between May 2019 and February 2020 were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly assigned to different groups: 1) PEEP 3 cmH2O group; 2) PEEP 6 cmH2O group; and 3) PEEP 9 cmH2O group during one-lung ventilation. The lung ultrasound score was used to evaluate lung aeration using ultrasonography 1 hour after surgery.

RESULTS

The 1-hour post-surgery lung ultrasound scores were 8.1±2.5, 6.8±2.6, and 5.9±2.6 in the PEEP 3, 6, and 9 cmH2O groups, respectively (P<0.001). The PEEP 3 cmH2O group showed significantly higher lung ultrasound scores than the PEEP 6 (adjusted P=0.034) and 9 cmH2O groups (adjusted P<0.001). The PaO2/FiO2 ratio measured at 10 minutes after the end of one-lung ventilation was significantly lower in the PEEP 3 cmH2O group (392 [331 to 469]) than the PEEP 6 cmH2O (458 [384 to 530], adjusted P=0.018) or PEEP 9 cmH2O groups (454 [374 to 522], adjusted P=0.016).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the optimal level of PEEP during one-lung ventilation was not determined, the application of higher PEEP can prevent aeration loss in the ventilated lung after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery under one-lung ventilation.

Chart-Derived Frailty Index and 90-Day Mortality After Burn Surgery

INTRODUCTION

Frailty is a reduced physiological reserve condition associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality. The chart-derived frailty index (CFI) can measure frailty using demographic and laboratory values. We evaluated the association of preoperative CFI with 90-d mortality after burn surgery.

METHODS

This large retrospective study included burn intensive care unit (ICU) patients between 2012 and 2021 and calculated CFI using the sum of the following five variables: age >70 y, body mass index <18.5 kg/m2, hematocrit <35%, albumin <3.4 g/dL, and creatinine >2.0 mg/dL; high CFI was a score of 3-5. Postoperative 90-d mortality rate, major adverse cardiac events (MACE), pneumonia, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) requirement, and prolonged ICU stay (>60 d) were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 1118 patients, 147 (13.1%) had high CFI. High CFI patients had a higher 90-d mortality rate than did low CFI patients (38.8% versus 22.6%, P < 0.001). A high CFI was significantly associated with postoperative 90-d mortality (hazard ratio = 4.124, 95% confidence interval = 2.980-5.707, P < 0.001) in multivariate Cox regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly different postoperative 90-d mortality rates between patients with high and low CFIs (log-rank test, P < 0.001). Incidences of postoperative MACE, pneumonia, the need for CRRT, and prolonged ICU stay were significantly higher in patients with high CFIs than in those with low CFIs.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative high CFI was associated with increased 90-d mortality, MACE, pneumonia, CRRT requirement, and ICU stay following burn surgery.

Optimum timing of lung resection surgery following SARS-CoV-2 infection for non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on postoperative recovery of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is need to be understood, thereby informing the optimal timing of surgical decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic for NSCLC patients. This study reports the postoperative outcomes of surgical NSCLC patients with preoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection.

METHOD

This single-center retrospective cohort study included 241 NSCLC patients who underwent lobectomy or sub-lobectomy between December 1, 2022 and February 14, 2023. Surgical outcomes of patients with preoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection (stratified by the time from diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection to surgery) were compared with those without preoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcomes were total postoperative complications and postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), the secondary outcomes included operation time, total postoperative drainage and time, length of hospital stay (LOS), 30-day and 90-day postoperative symptoms.

RESULTS

This study included 153 (63.5%) patients with preoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and 88 (36.5%) patients without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. In patients with a preoperative SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, the incidence of total postoperative complications (OR, 3.00; 95% CI, 1.12-8.01; p = 0.028) and PPCs (OR, 4.20; 95% CI, 1.11-15.91; p = 0.035) both increased in patients infected having surgery within 2 weeks compared with non-infection before surgery. However, patients who underwent lung resection more than 2 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis had a similar risk of postoperative complications and surgical outcomes with those non-infection before surgery.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to provide evidence regarding the optimum timing of lung resection surgery and assessing early outcomes after surgery in NSCLC patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our study documents that the SARS-CoV-2 infection did not complicate surgical procedures for lung cancer, and suggest that lung surgery should be postponed at least 2 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection for NSCLC patients.

PHYSIO+++: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial assessing the feasibility of physiotherapist-led non-invasive ventilation for patients with hypoxaemia following abdominal surgery

INTRODUCTION

Few clinical trials have investigated physiotherapy interventions to treat hypoxaemia following abdominal surgery. The objective of this study is to determine the feasibility and safety of conducting a clinical trial of physiotherapist-led non-invasive ventilation (NIV).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This single-centre, 50-patient, parallel-group, assessor blinded, pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation will enrol spontaneously ventilating adults with hypoxaemia within 72 hours of major abdominal surgery. Participants will receive either (1) usual care physiotherapy of a single education session (talk), daily walking of 10-15 min (walk) and four sessions of coached deep breathing and coughing (breathe) or (2) usual care physiotherapy plus four 30 min sessions of physiotherapist-led NIV delivered over 2 postoperative days. Primary feasibility and safety outcome measures are; number of eligible patients recruited per week, total time of NIV treatment delivered, acceptability of treatments to patients and clinicians and incidence of adverse events. Secondary feasibility outcomes include measures of recruitment and treatment adherence. Exploratory outcome measures include change in respiratory parameters, postoperative pulmonary complications, length of hospital stay, health-related quality of life, postoperative activity levels and mortality.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval has been obtained from the relevant institution. Results will be published to inform future research.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN12622000839707.

Functional capacity in smoking patients after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: a quasi-experimental study

Coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) is an important approach to treating coronary heart disease. However, patients undergoing open heart surgery are at risk of postoperative complications. Cigarette smoking is one of the preoperative risk factors that may increase postoperative complications. Studies show that early mobilization intervention may reduce these complications and improve functional capacity, but the impact of smoking on early outcomes after CABG has been controversial for the past two decades. This quasi-experimental study explored the effects of early mobilization on functional capacity among patients with different smoking histories undergoing CABG. The study involved 51 participants who underwent CABG surgery, divided into three groups: current smokers, former smokers, and non-smokers (n=17 each). A day before surgery, all groups underwent a six-minute walking test (6MWT). Every participant received the same intervention after surgery, including deep breathing exercises, an upper limb range of motion assessment, an incentive spirometer, and walking with and without assistance. Five days postoperatively, all outcomes - including the 6MWT, length of stay (LOS) in the ICU, and postoperative pulmonary complications - were assessed, and the 6MWT was repeated. There was a reduced functional capacity after CABG in ex-smokers (215.8±102 m) and current smokers (272.7±97m) compared to non-smokers (298.5±97.1m) in terms of 6MWT (p<0.05). Current smokers were more likely to have atelectasis after CABG than ex-smokers (76.5% vs. 52.9%), with non-smokers being the least likely to have atelectasis among the three groups (29.4%, p<0.05). Additionally, current smokers required longer ventilator support post-CABG (11.9±7.3 hours) compared to ex-smokers (8.3±4.3 hours) and non-smokers (7±2.5 hours, p<0.01). Smoking status significantly impacts functional capacity reduction after CABG, with current smokers being more susceptible to prolonged ventilator use and atelectasis.

A mixed methods study protocol to identify research priorities for perioperative medicine in Australia

Background

Clinical research in perioperative medicine requires the perspectives of patients and caregivers to increase its relevance and quality, benefiting both researchers and the community. Identifying these priorities will enable researchers, funders, and governing bodies to efficiently use scarce funding and resources. We aim to identify the top 10 research priorities in perioperative medical research in Australia.

Methods

A mixed-methods, exploratory-sequential design will be conducted. The study will include five phases. Initially, a published open-ended survey gathered responses from the population (researchers, healthcare workers, and consumers) regarding uncertainties/questions relevant to the population about perioperative medical research. We collected 544 questions and quantitatively analysed and grouped them according to the Standardised Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine-Core Outcomes Measures in Perioperative and Anaesthetic Care (StEP-COMPAC) endpoints. Using multicriteria decision-making software, workshops combining the population will be conducted to determine the top 10 priorities for perioperative medicine research for the Australian population.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval to conduct the study was obtained from the Alfred Health (Australia) Human Research Ethics Committee (ID: 171/19). The findings will be disseminated in peer review publications, conferences, and dissemination across perioperative research networks. The top 10 priorities will be available to inform research funders, grant submissions, guidelines, and the population.

Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of thoracic epidural and paravertebral blockade in reducing chronic post-thoracotomy pain: 2 (TOPIC 2)

BACKGROUND

Thoracotomy is considered one of the most painful surgical procedures and can cause debilitating chronic post-surgical pain lasting months or years postoperatively. Aggressive management of acute pain resulting from thoracotomy may reduce the likelihood of developing chronic pain. This trial compares the two most commonly used modes of acute analgesia provision at the time of thoracotomy (thoracic epidural blockade (TEB) and paravertebral blockade (PVB)) in terms of their clinical and cost-effectiveness in preventing chronic post-thoracotomy pain.

METHODS

TOPIC 2 is a multi-centre, open-label, parallel group, superiority, randomised controlled trial, with an internal pilot investigating the use of TEB and PVB in 1026 adult (≥ 18 years old) patients undergoing thoracotomy in up to 20 thoracic centres throughout the UK. Patients (N = 1026) will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive either TEB or PVB. During the first year, the trial will include an integrated QuinteT (Qualitative Research Integrated into Trials) Recruitment Intervention (QRI) with the aim of optimising recruitment and informed consent. The primary outcome is the incidence of chronic post-surgical pain at 6 months post-randomisation defined as 'worst chest pain over the last week' equating to a visual analogue score greater than or equal to 40 mm indicating at least a moderate level of pain. Secondary outcomes include acute pain, complications of regional analgesia and surgery, health-related quality of life, mortality and a health economic analysis.

DISCUSSION

Both TEB and PVB have been demonstrated to be effective in the prevention of acute pain following thoracotomy and nationally practice is divided. Identification of which mode of analgesia is both clinically and cost-effective in preventing chronic post-thoracotomy pain could ameliorate the debilitating effects of chronic pain, improving health-related quality of life, facilitating return to work and caring responsibilities and resulting in a cost saving to the NHS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03677856 [ClinicalTrials.gov] registered September 19, 2018. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03677856 . First patient recruited 8 January 2019.

Risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications in neonates: a retrospective cohort study

Objective

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are an important quality indicator and are associated with significantly increased mortality in infants. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for PPCs in neonates undergoing non-cardiothoracic surgery.

Methods

In this retrospective study, all neonates who underwent non-cardiothoracic surgery in a children's hospital from October 2020 to September 2022 were included for analysis. Demographic data and perioperative variables were obtained. The primary outcome was the occurrence of PPCs. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the effect of patient-related factors on the occurrence of PPCs.

Results

Totally, 867 neonatal surgery patients met the inclusion criteria in this study, among which 35.3% (306/867) patients experienced pulmonary complications within 1 week postoperatively. The PPCs observed in this study were 51 exacerbations of pre-existing pneumonia, 198 new patchy shadows, 123 new pulmonary atelectasis, 10 new pneumothorax, and 6 new pleural effusion. Patients were divided into two groups: PPCs (n=306) and non-PPCs (n=561). The multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed five independent risk factors for PPCs: corrected gestational age (OR=0.938; 95% CI 0.890 to 0.988), preoperative pneumonia (OR=2.139; 95% CI 1.033 to 4.426), length of surgery (> 60 min) (OR=1.699; 95% CI 1.134 to 2.548), preoperative mechanical ventilation (OR=1.857; 95% CI 1.169 to 2.951), and intraoperative albumin infusion (OR=1.456; 95% CI 1.041 to 2.036) in neonates undergoing non-cardiothoracic surgery.

Conclusion

Identifying risk factors for neonatal PPCs will allow for the identification of patients who are at higher risk and intervention for any modifiable risk factors identified.

Postoperative pulmonary complications and mortality after major abdominal surgery. An observational multicenter prospective study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) significantly contribute to postoperative morbidity and mortality. We conducted a study to determine the incidence of PPCs after major elective abdominal surgery and their association with early and 1-year mortality in patient without pre-existing respiratory disease.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter observational prospective clinical study in 40 Italian centers. 1542 patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery were recruited in a time period of 14 days and clinically managed according to local protocol. The primary outcome was to determine the incidence of PPCs. Further, we aimed to identify independent predictors for PPCs and examine the association between PPCs and mortality.

RESULTS

PPCs occurred in 12.6% (95% CI 11.1-14.4%) of patients with significant differences among general (18.3%, 95% CI 15.7-21.0%), gynecological (3.7%, 95% CI 2.1-6.0%) and urological surgery (9.0%, 95% CI 6.0-12.8%). PPCs development was associated with known pre- and intraoperative risk factors. Patients who developed PPCs had longer length of hospital stay, higher risk of 30-days hospital readmission, and increased in-hospital and one-year mortality (OR 3.078, 95% CI 1.825-5.191; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of PPCs in patients without pre-existing respiratory disease undergoing elective abdominal surgery is high and associated with worse clinical outcome at one year after surgery. General surgery is associated with higher incidence of PPCs and mortality compared to gynecological and urological surgery.

Impact of Dementia on Incidence and Severity of Postoperative Pulmonary Complications Following Hip Fracture Surgery Among Older Patients

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are the leading cause of death following hip fracture surgery. Dementia has been identified as a PPC risk factor that complicates the clinical course. By leveraging electronic health records, this retrospective observational study evaluated the impact of dementia on the incidence and severity of PPCs, hospital length of stay, and postoperative 30-day mortality among 875 older patients (≥65 years) who underwent hip fracture surgery between October 1, 2015 and December 31, 2018 at a health system in the southeastern United States. Inverse probability of treatment weighting using propensity scores was utilized to balance confounders between patients with and without dementia to isolate the impact of dementia on PPCs. Regression analyses revealed that dementia did not have a statistically significant impact on the incidence and severity of PPCs or postoperative 30-day mortality. However, dementia significantly extended the hospital length of stay by an average of 1.37 days.

Development of an automated, general-purpose prediction tool for postoperative respiratory failure using machine learning: A retrospective cohort study

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Postoperative respiratory failure is a major surgical complication and key quality metric. Existing prediction tools underperform, are limited to specific populations, and necessitate manual calculation. This limits their implementation. We aimed to create an improved, machine learning powered prediction tool with ideal characteristics for automated calculation.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS

We retrospectively reviewed 101,455 anesthetic procedures from 1/2018 to 6/2021. The primary outcome was the Standardized Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine consensus definition for postoperative respiratory failure. Secondary outcomes were respiratory quality metrics from the National Surgery Quality Improvement Sample, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and CMS. We abstracted from the electronic health record 26 procedural and physiologic variables previously identified as respiratory failure risk factors. We randomly split the cohort and used the Random Forest method to predict the composite outcome in the training cohort. We coined this the RESPIRE model and measured its accuracy in the validation cohort using area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) analysis, among other measures, and compared this with ARISCAT and SPORC-1, two leading prediction tools. We compared performance in a validation cohort using score cut-offs determined in a separate test cohort.

MAIN RESULTS

The RESPIRE model exhibited superior accuracy with an AUROC of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.92-0.95) compared to 0.82 for both ARISCAT and SPORC-1 (P-for-difference < 0.0001 for both). At comparable 80-90% sensitivities, RESPIRE had higher positive predictive value (11%, 95% CI: 10-12%) and lower false positive rate (12%, 95% CI: 12-13%) compared to 4% and 37% for both ARISCAT and SPORC-1. The RESPIRE model also better predicted the established quality metrics for postoperative respiratory failure.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a general-purpose, machine learning powered prediction tool with superior performance for research and quality-based definitions of postoperative respiratory failure.

Effects of an open lung extubation strategy compared with a conventional extubation strategy on postoperative pulmonary complications after general anesthesia: a single-centre pilot randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are a common cause of morbidity. Postoperative atelectasis is thought to be a significant risk factor in their development. Recent imaging studies suggest that patients' extubation may result in similar postoperative atelectasis regardless of the intraoperative mechanical ventilation strategy used. In this pilot trial, we hypothesized that a study investigating the effects of an open lung extubation strategy compared with a conventional one on PPCs would be feasible.

METHODS

We conducted a pilot, single-centre, double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Adult patients at moderate to high risk of PPCs and scheduled for elective surgery were eligible. Patients were randomized to an open lung extubation strategy (semirecumbent position, fraction of inspired oxygen [FIO2] 50%, pressure support ventilation, unchanged positive end-expiratory pressure) or to a conventional extubation strategy (dorsal decubitus position, FIO2 100%, manual bag ventilation). The primary feasibility outcome was global protocol adherence while the primary exploratory efficacy outcome was PPCs.

RESULTS

We randomized 35 patients to the conventional extubation group and 34 to the open lung extubation group. We observed a global protocol adherence of 96% (95% confidence interval, 88 to 99), which was not different between groups. Eight PPCs occurred (two in the conventional extubation group vs six in the open lung extubation group). Less postoperative supplemental oxygen and better lung aeration were observed in the open lung extubation group.

CONCLUSIONS

In this single-centre pilot trial, we observed excellent feasibility. A multicentre pilot trial comparing the effect of an open lung extubation strategy with that of a conventional extubation strategy on the occurrence of PPCs is feasible.

STUDY REGISTRATION DATE

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04993001); registered 6 August 2021.

The effect of driving pressure-guided versus conventional mechanical ventilation strategy on pulmonary complications following on-pump cardiac surgery: A randomized clinical trial

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Postoperative pulmonary complications occur frequently and are associated with worse postoperative outcomes in cardiac surgical patients. The advantage of driving pressure-guided ventilation strategy in decreasing pulmonary complications remains to be definitively established. We aimed to investigate the effect of intraoperative driving pressure-guided ventilation strategy compared with conventional lung-protective ventilation on pulmonary complications following on-pump cardiac surgery.

DESIGN

Prospective, two-arm, randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

The West China university hospital in Sichuan, China.

PATIENTS

Adult patients who were scheduled for elective on-pump cardiac surgery were enrolled in the study.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery were randomized to receive driving pressure-guided ventilation strategy based on positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) titration or conventional lung-protective ventilation strategy with fixed 5 cmH2O of PEEP.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome of pulmonary complications (including acute respiratory distress syndrome, atelectasis, pneumonia, pleural effusion, and pneumothorax) within the first 7 postoperative days were prospectively identified. Secondary outcomes included pulmonary complication severity, ICU length of stay, and in-hospital and 30-day mortality.

MAIN RESULTS

Between August 2020 and July 2021, we enrolled 694 eligible patients who were included in the final analysis. Postoperative pulmonary complications occurred in 140 (40.3%) patients in the driving pressure group and 142 (40.9%) in the conventional group (relative risk, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-1.18; P = 0.877). Intention-to-treat analysis showed no significant difference between study groups regarding the incidence of primary outcome. The driving pressure group had less atelectasis than the conventional group (11.5% vs 17.0%; relative risk, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.98; P = 0.039). Secondary outcomes did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSION

Among patients who underwent on-pump cardiac surgery, the use of driving pressure-guided ventilation strategy did not reduce the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications when compared with conventional lung-protective ventilation strategy.

Study protocol for IMPRoVE: a multicentre prospective observational cohort study of the incidence, impact and mechanisms of perioperative right ventricular dysfunction in non-cardiac surgery

INTRODUCTION

Perioperative myocardial injury evidenced by elevated cardiac biomarkers (both natriuretic peptides and troponin) is common after major non-cardiac surgery. However, it is unclear if the rise in cardiac biomarkers represents global or more localised cardiac injury. We have previously shown isolated right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in patients following lung resection surgery, with no change in left ventricular (LV) function. Given that perioperative RV dysfunction (RVD) can manifest insidiously, we hypothesise there may be a substantial burden of covert yet clinically important perioperative RVD in other major non-cardiac surgical groups. The Incidence, impact and Mechanisms of Perioperative Right VEntricular dysfunction (IMPRoVE) study has been designed to address this knowledge gap.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A multicentre prospective observational cohort study across four centres in the West of Scotland and London. One hundred and seventy-five patients will be recruited from five surgical specialties: thoracic, upper gastrointestinal, vascular, colorectal and orthopaedic surgery (35 patients from each group). All patients will undergo preoperative and postoperative (day 2-4) echocardiography, with contemporaneous cardiac biomarker testing. Ten patients from each surgical specialty (50 patients in total) will undergo T1-cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging preoperatively and postoperatively. The coprimary outcomes are the incidence of perioperative RVD (diagnosed by RV speckle tracking echocardiography) and the effect that RVD has on days alive and at home at 30 days postoperatively. Secondary outcomes include LV dysfunction and clinical outcomes informed by Standardised Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine consensus definitions. T1 CMR will be used to investigate for imaging correlates of myocardial inflammation as a possible mechanism driving perioperative RVD.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Approval was gained from Oxford C Research Ethics Committee (REC reference 22/SC/0442). Findings will be disseminated by various methods including social media, international presentations and publication in peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05827315.

Effect of individualized positive end-expiratory pressure based on electrical impedance tomography guidance on pulmonary ventilation distribution in patients who receive abdominal thermal perfusion chemotherapy

Background

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has been shown to be useful in guiding individual positive end-expiratory pressure titration for patients with mechanical ventilation. However, the appropriate positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) level and whether the individualized PEEP needs to be adjusted during long-term surgery (>6 h) were unknown. Meanwhile, the effect of individualized PEEP on the distribution of pulmonary ventilation in patients who receive abdominal thermoperfusion chemotherapy is unknown. The primary aim of this study was to observe the effect of EIT-guided PEEP on the distribution of pulmonary ventilation in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with hot intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). The secondary aim was to analyze their effect on postoperative pulmonary complications.

Methods

A total of 48 patients were recruited and randomly divided into two groups, with 24 patients in each group. For the control group (group A), PEEP was set at 5 cm H2O, while in the EIT group (group B), individual PEEP was titrated and adjusted every 2 h with EIT guidance. Ventilation distribution, respiratory/circulation parameters, and PPC incidence were compared between the two groups.

Results

The average individualized PEEP was 10.3 ± 1.5 cm H2O, 10.2 ± 1.6 cm H2O, 10.1 ± 1.8 cm H2O, and 9.7 ± 2.1 cm H2O at 5 min, 2 h, 4 h, and 6 h after tracheal intubation during CRS + HIPEC. Individualized PEEP was correlated with ventilation distribution in the regions of interest (ROI) 1 and ROI 3 at 4 h mechanical ventilation and ROI 1 at 6 h mechanical ventilation. The ventilation distribution under individualized PEEP was back-shifted for 6 h but moved to the control group's ventral side under PEEP 5 cm H2O. The respiratory and circulatory function indicators were both acceptable either under individualized PEEP or PEEP 5 cm H2O. The incidence of total PPCs was significantly lower under individualized PEEP (66.7%) than PEEP 5 cm H2O (37.5%) for patients with CRS + HIPEC.

Conclusion

The appropriate individualized PEEP was stable at approximately 10 cm H2O during 6 h for patients with CRS + HIPEC, along with better ventilation distribution and a lower total PPC incidence than the fixed PEEP of 5 cm H2O.Clinical trial registration: identifier ChiCTR1900023897.

Good clinical research practice (GCRP) in pharmacodynamic studies of neuromuscular blocking agents III: The 2023 Geneva revision

The set of guidelines for good clinical research practice in pharmacodynamic studies of neuromuscular blocking agents was developed following an international consensus conference in Copenhagen in 1996 (Viby-Mogensen et al., Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 1996, 40, 59-74); the guidelines were later revised and updated following the second consensus conference in Stockholm in 2005 (Fuchs-Buder et al., Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2007, 51, 789-808). In view of new devices and further development of monitoring technologies that emerged since then, (e.g., electromyography, three-dimensional acceleromyography, kinemyography) as well as novel compounds (e.g., sugammadex) a review and update of these recommendations became necessary. The intent of these revised guidelines is to continue to help clinical researchers to conduct high-quality work and advance the field by enhancing the standards, consistency, and comparability of clinical studies. There is growing awareness of the importance of consensus-based reporting standards in clinical trials and observational studies. Such global initiatives are necessary in order to minimize heterogeneous and inadequate data reporting and to improve clarity and comparability between different studies and study cohorts. Variations in definitions of endpoints or outcome variables can introduce confusion and difficulties in interpretation of data, but more importantly, it may preclude building of an adequate body of evidence to achieve reliable conclusions and recommendations. Clinical research in neuromuscular pharmacology and physiology is no exception.

Perioperative Pulmonary Complications in the Elderly: The Forgotten System

With a rapidly aging population and increasing global surgical volumes, managing the elevated risk of perioperative pulmonary complications has become an expanding focus for quality improvement in health care. In this narrative review, we will analyze the evidence-based literature to provide high-quality and actionable management strategies to better detect, stratify risk, optimize, and manage perioperative pulmonary complications in geriatric populations.

The Effect of Neuromuscular Blockade Reversal Agents on Postoperative Pulmonary Complications in Patients undergoing Femur Fracture Repair Surgery: A Retrospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Femoral fracture repair surgery under general anesthesia is associated with postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). However, information on PPCs caused by residual neuromuscular blockade following perioperative use of neuromuscular blockers is limited. This study aimed to identify the differences in the incidence of PPCs according to the type of neuromuscular blockade reversal agent used in femoral fracture repair surgery, as well as the risk factors for PPCs.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the electronic medical records of 604 patients aged >18 years who underwent general anesthesia for femoral fracture repair surgery at a single university hospital between March 2017 and March 2022. Patients in whom sugammadex or anticholinesterase was used to reverse the neuromuscular block were subjected to propensity score matching. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for PPCs.

RESULTS

Among the 604 patients, 108 were matched in each group. The incidence rates of PPCs overall and in the anticholinesterase and sugammadex groups were 7.0%, 8.3%, and 5.6%, respectively, with no significant differences between the groups. Older age, higher ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) physical status, and lower preoperative oxygen saturation were risk factors, whereas emergency surgery was a preventive factor.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrated that the incidence of PPC did not differ significantly between sugammadex and anticholinesterase in patients undergoing femur fracture repair under general anesthesia. Identifying the risk factors and confirming complete recovery from neuromuscular blockade might be more important.

Machine learning algorithms to predict risk of postoperative pneumonia in elderly with hip fracture

BACKGROUND

Hip fracture (HF) is one of the most common fractures in the elderly and is significantly associated with high mortality and unfavorable prognosis. Postoperative pneumonia (POP), the most common postoperative complication of HF, can seriously affect patient prognosis and increase the burden on the healthcare system. The aim of this study was to develop machine learning models for identifying elderly patients at high risk of pneumonia after hip fracture surgery.

METHODS

From May 2016 to November 2022, patients admitted to a single central hospital for HF served as the study population. We extracted data that could be collected within 24 h of patient admission. The dataset was divided into training and validation sets according to 70:30. Based on the screened risk factors, prediction models were developed using seven machine learning algorithms, namely CART, GBM, KNN, LR, NNet, RF, and XGBoost, and their performance was evaluated.

RESULTS

Eight hundred five patients were finally included in the analysis and 75 (9.3%) patients suffered from POP. Age, CI, COPD, WBC, HB, GLU, STB, GLOB, Ka+ which are used as features to build machine learning models. By evaluating the model's AUC value, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, Kappa value, MCC value, Brier score value, calibration curve, and DCA curve, the model constructed by XGBoost algorithm has the best and near-perfect performance.

CONCLUSION

The machine learning model we created is ideal for detecting elderly patients at high risk of POP after HF at an early stage.

Anesthesia quality indicators to measure and improve your practice: a modified delphi study

BACKGROUND

Implementation of the new competency-based post-graduate medical education curriculum has renewed the push by medical regulatory bodies in Canada to strongly advocate and/or mandate continuous quality improvement (cQI) for all physicians. Electronic anesthesia information management systems contain vast amounts of information yet it is unclear how this information could be used to promote cQI for practicing anesthesiologists. The aim of this study was to create a refined list of meaningful anesthesia quality indicators to assist anesthesiologists in the process of continuous self-assessment and feedback of their practice.

METHODS

An initial list of quality indicators was created though a literature search. A modified-Delphi (mDelphi) method was used to rank these indicators and achieve consensus on those indicators considered to be most relevant. Fourteen anesthesiologists representing different regions across Canada participated in the panel.

RESULTS

The initial list contained 132 items and through 3 rounds of mDelphi the panelists selected 56 items from the list that they believed to be top priority. In the fourth round, a subset of 20 of these indicators were ranked as highest priority. The list included items related to process, structure and outcome.

CONCLUSION

This ranked list of anesthesia quality indicators from this modified Delphi study could aid clinicians in their individual practice assessments for continuous quality improvement mandated by Canadian medical regulatory bodies. Feasibility and usability of these quality indicators, and the significance of process versus outcome measures in assessment, are areas of future research.

Three Logistic Predictive Models for the Prediction of Mortality and Major Pulmonary Complications after Cardiac Surgery

Background and Objectives: Pulmonary complications are a leading cause of morbidity after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to develop models to predict postoperative lung dysfunction and mortality. Materials and Methods: This was a single-center, observational, retrospective study. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 11,285 adult patients who underwent all types of cardiac surgery from 2003 to 2015. We developed logistic predictive models for in-hospital mortality, postoperative pulmonary complications occurring in the intensive care unit, and postoperative non-invasive mechanical ventilation when clinically indicated. Results: In the "preoperative model" predictors for mortality were advanced age (p < 0.001), New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (p < 0.001) and emergent surgery (p = 0.036); predictors for non-invasive mechanical ventilation were advanced age (p < 0.001), low ejection fraction (p = 0.023), higher body mass index (p < 0.001) and preoperative renal failure (p = 0.043); predictors for postoperative pulmonary complications were preoperative chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p = 0.007), preoperative kidney injury (p < 0.001) and NYHA class (p = 0.033). In the "surgery model" predictors for mortality were intraoperative inotropes (p = 0.003) and intraoperative intra-aortic balloon pump (p < 0.001), which also predicted the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications. There were no specific variables in the surgery model predicting the use of non-invasive mechanical ventilation. In the "intensive care unit model", predictors for mortality were postoperative kidney injury (p < 0.001), tracheostomy (p < 0.001), inotropes (p = 0.029) and PaO2/FiO2 ratio at discharge (p = 0.028); predictors for non-invasive mechanical ventilation were kidney injury (p < 0.001), inotropes (p < 0.001), blood transfusions (p < 0.001) and PaO2/FiO2 ratio at the discharge (p < 0.001). Conclusions: In this retrospective study, we identified the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative characteristics associated with mortality and complications following cardiac surgery.

Prophylactic noninvasive respiratory support in the immediate postoperative period after cardiac surgery - a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Noninvasive respiratory support has been increasingly applied in the immediate postoperative period to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). However, the optimal approach remains uncertain. We sought to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of various noninvasive respiratory strategies used in the immediate postoperative period after cardiac surgery.

METHODS

We conducted a frequentist random-effect network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the prophylactic use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), high flow nasal cannula (HFNC), or postoperative usual care (PUC) in the immediate postoperative period after cardiac surgery. Databases were systematically searched through September 28, 2022. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed in duplicate. The primary outcome was the incidence of PPCs.

RESULTS

Sixteen RCTs enrolling 3011 patients were included. Compared with PUC, NIV significantly reduced the incidence of PPCs [relative risk (RR) 0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.49 to 0.93; absolute risk reduction (ARR) 7.6%, 95% CI: 1.6-11.8%; low certainty] and the incidence of atelectasis (RR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.93; ARR 19.3%, 95% CI: 3.9-30.4%; moderate certainty); however, prophylactic NIV was not associated with a decreased reintubation rate (RR 0.82, 95% CI: 0.29 to 2.34; low certainty) or reduced short-term mortality (RR 0.64, 95% CI: 0.16 to 2.52; very low certainty). As compared to PUC, the preventive use of CPAP (RR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.60 to 1.20; very low certainty) or HFNC (RR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.46 to 1.20; low certainty) had no significant beneficial effect on the incidence of PPCs, despite exhibiting a downward trend. Based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve, the highest-ranked treatment for reducing the incidence of PPCs was NIV (83.0%), followed by HFNC (62.5%), CPAP (44.3%), and PUC (10.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

Current evidence suggest that the prophylactic use of NIV in the immediate postoperative period is probably the most effective noninvasive respiratory approach to prevent PPCs in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Given the overall low certainty of the evidence, further high-quality research is warranted to better understand the relative benefits of each noninvasive ventilatory support.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ , registry number: CRD42022303904.