Pulmonary hypertension and major surgery

Self-reported functional status predicts post-operative outcomes in non-cardiac surgery patients with pulmonary hypertension

Background

Pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) is associated with increased post-procedure morbidity and mortality. Pre-procedure echocardiography (ECHO) is a widely used tool for evaluation of these patients, but its accuracy in predicting post-procedure outcomes is unproven. Self-reported exercise tolerance has not been evaluated for operative risk stratification of PHTN patients.

Objective

We analyzed whether self-reported exercise tolerance predicts outcomes (hospital length-of-stay [LOS], mortality and morbidity) in PHTN patients (WHO Class I–V) undergoing anesthesia and surgery.

Methods and findings

We reviewed 550 non-cardiac, non-obstetric procedures performed on 370 PHTN patients at a single institution between 2007 and 2013. All patients had cardiac ECHO documented within 1 year prior to the procedure. Pre-procedure comorbidities and ECHO data were collected. Functional status (< or ≥ 4 metabolic equivalents of task [METs]) was assigned based on responses to standard patient interview questions during the pre-anesthesia clinic visit. Multiple logistic regression was used to develop a risk score model (Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Risk Score; PHORS) and determine its value in predicting post-procedure outcomes. In an adjusted model, functional status <4 METs was independently associated with a LOS >7 days (p < .003), as were higher ASA class (p < .002), open surgical approach (p < .002), procedure duration > 2 hours (p < .001), and the absence of systemic hypertension (p = .012). PHORS Score ≥2 was associated with an increased 30-day major complication rate (28.7% vs. 19.2%; p < 0.001) and ICU admission rate (8.6% s 2.8%; p = .007), but no statistical difference in hospital readmissions rate (17.6% vs. 14.0%; p = .29), or mortality (3.5% vs. 1.4%; p = .75). Similar ECHO findings did not further improve outcome prediction.

Conclusions

Poor functional status is associated with severe PHTN and predicts increased LOS and post-procedure complications in patients with moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension with different etiologies. A risk assessment model predicts increased LOS with fair accuracy. A thorough evaluation of underlying etiologies of PHTN should be undertaken in every patient.

Perioperative management of patients with severe pulmonary hypertension in major orthopedic surgery: experience-based recommendations

Introduction: It is known that pulmonary hypertension is associated with worse outcome in both cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. The aims of our retrospective analysis were to evaluate the outcomes of our patients with pulmonary hypertension undergoing major orthopedic surgery and to give experience-based recommendations for the perioperative management.

Material and methods: From 92 patients with pulmonary hypertension undergoing different kinds of surgical procedures from 2011–2014 in a tertiary academic hospital we evaluated 16 patients with major orthopedic surgery for perioperative morbidity and mortality.

Results: Regarding the in-hospital morbidity and mortality, one patient died postoperatively due to pulmonary infection and right heart failure (6.25%) and 6 patients suffered significant postoperative complications (37.5%; bleeding = 1, infection = 1, wound healing deficits = 3; dysrhythmia = 1).

Conclusion: Our data show that major orthopedic surgery is feasible with satisfactory outcome even in cases of severe pulmonary hypertension by an individualized, disease-adapted interdisciplinary treatment concept.

Saudi Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension: General management for pulmonary hypertension

Treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients is challenging and should only be initiated after a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. Such treatment should ideally be done in specialized centers with full capability for hemodynamic measurements, having access to a broad range of PAH therapies, and adequate experience in the management of critically ill patients. The following discussion is intended to review the general measures and the non-specific (supportive) therapy used in managing PH patients, while the specific therapy will be discussed in a subsequent different article.

Perioperative anesthesiological management of patients with pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is a major reason for elevated perioperative morbidity and mortality, even in noncardiac surgical procedures. Patients should be thoroughly prepared for the intervention and allowed plenty of time for consideration. All specialty units involved in treatment should play a role in these preparations. After selecting each of the suitable individual anesthetic and surgical procedures, intraoperative management should focus on avoiding all circumstances that could contribute to exacerbating pulmonary hypertension (hypoxemia, hypercapnia, acidosis, hypothermia, hypervolemia, and insufficient anesthesia and analgesia). Due to possible induction of hypotonic blood circulation, intravenous vasodilators (milrinone, dobutamine, prostacyclin, Na-nitroprusside, and nitroglycerine) should be administered with the greatest care. A method of treating elevations in pulmonary pressure with selective pulmonary vasodilation by inhalation should be available intraoperatively (iloprost, nitrogen monoxide, prostacyclin, and milrinone) in addition to invasive hemodynamic monitoring. During the postoperative phase, patients must be monitored continuously and receive sufficient analgesic therapy over an adequate period of time. All in all, perioperative management of patients with pulmonary hypertension presents an interdisciplinary challenge that requires the adequate involvement of anesthetists, surgeons, pulmonologists, and cardiologists alike.