Cardiac arrest during anesthesia:

In-hospital cardiac arrest characteristics, causes and outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease across different departments: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Cardiac etiologies arrest accounts for almost half of all in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), and previous studies have shown that the location of IHCA is an important factor affecting patient outcomes. The aim was to compare the characteristics, causes and outcomes of cardiovascular disease in patients suffering IHCA from different departments of Fuwai hospital in Beijing, China.

METHODS

We included patients who were resuscitated after IHCA at Fuwai hospital between March 2017 and August 2022. We categorized the departments where cardiac arrest occurred as cardiac surgical or non-surgical units. Independent predictors of in-hospital survival were assessed by logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 119 patients with IHCA were analysed, 58 (48.7%) patients with cardiac arrest were in non-surgical units, and 61 (51.3%) were in cardiac surgical units. In non-surgical units, acute myocardial infarction/cardiogenic shock (48.3%) was the main cause of IHCA. Cardiac arrest in cardiac surgical units occurred mainly in patients who were planning or had undergone complex aortic replacement (32.8%). Shockable rhythms (ventricular fibrillation/ventricular tachycardia) were observed in approximately one-third of all initial rhythms in both units. Patients who suffered cardiac arrest in cardiac surgical units were more likely to return to spontaneous circulation (59.0% vs. 24.1%) and survive to hospital discharge (40.0% vs. 10.2%). On multivariable regression analysis, IHCA in cardiac surgical units (OR 5.39, 95% CI 1.90-15.26) and a shorter duration of resuscitation efforts (≤ 30 min) (OR 6.76, 95% CI 2.27-20.09) were associated with greater survival rate at discharge.

CONCLUSION

IHCA occurring in cardiac surgical units and a duration of resuscitation efforts less than 30 min were associated with potentially increased rates of survival to discharge.

Mortality and cardiac arrest rates of emergency surgery in developed and developing countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The magnitude of the risk of death and cardiac arrest associated with emergency surgery and anesthesia is not well understood. Our aim was to assess whether the risk of perioperative and anesthesia-related death and cardiac arrest has decreased over the years, and whether the rates of decrease are consistent between developed and developing countries.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed using electronic databases to identify studies in which patients underwent emergency surgery with rates of perioperative mortality, 30-day postoperative mortality, or perioperative cardiac arrest. Meta-regression and proportional meta-analysis with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were performed to evaluate global data on the above three indicators over time and according to country Human Development Index (HDI), and to compare these results according to country HDI status (low vs. high HDI) and time period (pre-2000s vs. post-2000s).

RESULTS

35 studies met the inclusion criteria, representing more than 3.09 million anesthetic administrations to patients undergoing anesthesia for emergency surgery. Meta-regression showed a significant association between the risk of perioperative mortality and time (slope: -0.0421, 95%CI: from - 0.0685 to -0.0157; P = 0.0018). Perioperative mortality decreased over time from 227 per 10,000 (95% CI 134-380) before the 2000s to 46 (16-132) in the 2000-2020 s (p < 0-0001), but not with increasing HDI. 30-day postoperative mortality did not change significantly (346 [95% CI: 303-395] before the 2000s to 292 [95% CI: 201-423] in the 2000s-2020 period, P = 0.36) and did not decrease with increasing HDI status. Perioperative cardiac arrest rates decreased over time, from 113 per 10,000 (95% CI: 31-409) before the 2000s to 31 (14-70) in the 2000-2020 s, and also with increasing HDI (68 [95% CI: 29-160] in the low-HDI group to 21 [95% CI: 6-76] in the high-HDI group, P = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite increasing baseline patient risk, perioperative mortality has decreased significantly over the past decades, but 30-day postoperative mortality has not. A global priority should be to increase long-term survival in both developed and developing countries and to reduce overall perioperative cardiac arrest through evidence-based best practice in developing countries.

Global anaesthesia-related cardiac arrest rates in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Neonates and infants have a higher perioperative risk of cardiac arrest and mortality than adults. The Human Development Index (HDI) ranges from 0 to 1, representing the lowest and highest levels of development, respectively. The relation between anaesthesia safety and country HDI has been described previously. We examined the relationship among the anaesthesia-related cardiac arrest rate (ARCAR), country HDI, and time in a mixed paediatric patient population.

METHODS

Electronic databases were searched up to July 2022 for studies reporting 24-h postoperative ARCARs in children. ARCARs (per 10,000 anaesthetic procedures) were analysed in low-HDI (HDI<0.8) vs high-HDI countries (HDI≥0.8) and over time (pre-2001 vs 2001-22). The magnitude of these associations was studied using systematic review methods with meta-regression analysis and meta-analysis.

RESULTS

We included 38 studies with 5,493,489 anaesthetic procedures and 1001 anaesthesia-related cardiac arrests. ARCARs were inversely correlated with country HDI (P<0.0001) but were not correlated with time (P=0.82). ARCARs did not change between the periods in either high-HDI or low-HDI countries (P=0.71 and P=0.62, respectively), but were higher in low-HDI countries than in high-HDI countries (9.6 vs 2.0; P<0.0001) in 2001-22. ARCARs were higher in children aged <1 yr than in those ≥1 yr in high-HDI (10.69 vs 1.48; odds ratio [OR] 8.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.96-10.81; P<0.0001) and low-HDI countries (36.02 vs 2.86; OR 7.32, 95% CI 3.48-15.39; P<0.0001) in 2001-22.

CONCLUSIONS

The high and alarming anaesthesia-related cardiac arrest rates among children younger than 1 yr of age in high-HDI and low-HDI countries, respectively, reflect an ongoing challenge for anaesthesiologists.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL

PROSPERO CRD42021229919.

Global burden of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in children: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression

The incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and its mortality among children decreased globally over the years. However, the incidence, mortality, and its determinants are heterogeneous globally. The current study was designed to investigate the incidence of OHCA, mortality, and its determinants based on a systematic review of published literature. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed/Medline; Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Hinari, and LILACS without language and date restrictions. The data were extracted with two independent authors in a customized format. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa appraisal tool. A total of 2526 articles were identified from different databases with an initial search. Forty-eight articles with 138.3 million participants were included in the systematic review. The meta-analysis showed that the pooled rate of mortality was found to be 70% (95% CI: 57-81%, 42 studies, 28,345 participants). The incidence of OHCA and mortality among children was very high among children with significant regional disparity. Those children with cardiovascular causes of arrest, and initial nonshockable rhythm were independent predictors of OHCA-related mortality. This systematic review and meta-analysis is registered in Prospero (CRD42022316602). IMPACT: This systematic review addresses a significant health problem in a global context from 1995 to 2022. The meta-regression revealed that the incidence of OHCA and mortality of children decline over the years in high-income countries despite regional dispraises among individual studies. Body of evidence on the incidence of OHCA and mortality is lacking in low- and middle-income countries.

The Value of Routine Tests before Pediatric Eye Surgery: A 10-Year Experience at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background

Routine tests before ophthalmologic surgery in adult patients are no longer recommended. However, there are limited data on the utility of routine preoperative tests for children.

Aims

We aimed to describe the effect of routine preoperative tests on systemic perioperative complications by hospital discharge or by day 30 following eye surgery.

Settings and Design

This was a single-center, observational, and descriptive study.

Subjects and Methods

We examined all patients ≤ 17 years old for whom ophthalmologists consulted with anesthesiologists before eye surgery under general anesthesia in an academic teaching tertiary care hospital from January 2010 to December 2019.

Results

A total of 708 pediatric patients were analyzed. The mean patient age was 8.5 ± 4.6 years. The most frequently performed procedure was strabismus surgery in 433 patients (61.2%). Following anesthetic consultations, 15 patients (2.1%) underwent surgery postponed due to abnormalities at the physical examination. Routine tests identified that the two patients (0.3%) required additional evaluations due to elevated serum creatine kinase and electrocardiographic abnormalities. However, further examinations found that these abnormalities were unremarkable. The remaining 691 patients (97.6%) underwent surgery as scheduled. Substantial intraoperative blood loss was observed only in three patients with malignant tumors or trauma. The incidence of systemic complications was 0 (0%; 95% confidence interval, 0%-0.05%).

Conclusions

These data indicated that the development of systemic perioperative complications following pediatric ophthalmic surgery is rare. Preoperative tests should be requested only if they are clinically indicated or before potentially bleeding procedures, such as malignancy or trauma surgery.

Global mortality of children after perioperative cardiac arrest: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression

Background

The body of evidence showed that perioperative cardiac arrest and mortality trends varied globally over time particularly in low and middle-income nations. However, the survival of children after cardiac arrest and its independent predictors are still uncertain and a topic of debate. This study was designed to investigate the mortality of children after a perioperative cardiac arrest based on a systematic review of published peer-reviewed literature.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed/Medline; Science direct, CINHAL, and LILACS from December 2000 to August 2021. All observational studies reporting the rate of perioperative CA among children were included. The data were extracted with two independent authors in a customized format. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa appraisal tool.

Results

A total of 397 articles were identified from different databases. Thirty-eight studies with 3.35 million participants were included. The meta-analysis revealed that the global incidence of perioperative cardiac arrest was 2.54(95% CI: 2.23 to 2.84) per 1000 anesthetics. The global incidence of perioperative mortality was 41.18 (95% CI: 35.68 to 46.68) per 1000 anesthetics.

Conclusion

The incidence of anesthesia-related pediatric cardiac arrest and mortality is persistently high in the last twenty years in low and middle-income countries. This probes an investment in continuous medical education of the perioperative staff and adhering with the international standard operating protocols for common procedures and critical situations.

Registration

This systematic review and meta-analysis is registered in the research registry (UIN: researchregistry6932).

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The incidence of anesthesia-related cardiac arrest and mortality is persistently high in low and middle-income countries.

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The review also showed that anesthesia-related cardiac arrest was very high among younger children with congenital heart disease.

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The overall perioperative cardiac arrest among children has decreased in the last 20 years in high-income countries.

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The Meta-analysis strongly recommends continuous medical education of the perioperative staff, and adherence to the international standard operating protocols.

Perioperative Cardiac Arrest: A 3-Year Prospective Study from a Tertiary Care University Hospital

Purpose

Perioperative cardiac arrests (CAs) are a rare but catastrophic perioperative complication. Much about incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of such events are still unknown. This study investigated anesthesia-related CAs at a tertiary teaching hospital.

Methods

CA incidence within 24 hours of anesthesia administration was prospectively identified from May 1, 2016 to April 31, 2019. Each CA was matched by four other cases without CA receiving anesthesia on the same date and under similar operating conditions. The CA cases were reviewed and assigned to one of three groups: anesthesia-related, anesthesia-contributing, and anesthesia not related.

Results

A total of 58,303 patients underwent 73,557 procedures under anesthesia during the study period. In sum, 27 CAs were reported for incidence of 3.7 per 10,000 anesthesia administrations (95% CI 2.3–5.1). Eleven CA were anesthesia-related for incidence of 1.5 per 10,000 anesthesia administrations. Four CA cases were anesthesia-contributing for incidence of 0.5 per 10,000 anesthesia administrations, while 53% of the anesthesia-related and -contributing CAs were due to respiratory problems. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score, cardiovascular surgery, emergency surgery, and increased duration of surgery were significantly correlated with CA incidents when compared to the control group. ASA physical status score is an independent risk factor of the occurrence of perioperative CA (OR 7.6, 95% CI 2.6–22.4; P<0.001).

Conclusion

Identifying factors associated with increased risk for anesthesia-related CA is of great importance in risk stratification for surgical patients. ASA physical status score was found to be a major factor in predicting perioperative CA, since patients with higher ASA scores had a statistically significant increased risk of CA. Therefore, extra precautions must be taken when dealing with unprepared patients who have uncontrolled medical illnesses, especially those who will be undergoing emergency surgery.

Clinical practice recommendations on the management of perioperative cardiac arrest: A report from the PERIOPCA Consortium

Background

Perioperative cardiac arrest is a rare complication with an incidence of around 1 in 1400 cases, but it carries a high burden of mortality reaching up to 70% at 30 days. Despite its specificities, guidelines for treatment of perioperative cardiac arrest are lacking. Gathering the available literature may improve quality of care and outcome of patients.

Methods

The PERIOPCA Task Force identified major clinical questions about the management of perioperative cardiac arrest and framed them into the therapy population [P], intervention [I], comparator [C], and outcome [O] (PICO) format. Systematic searches of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for articles published until September 2020 were performed. Consensus-based treatment recommendations were created using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The strength of consensus among the Task Force members about the recommendations was assessed through a modified Delphi consensus process.

Results

Twenty-two PICO questions were addressed, and the recommendations were validated in two Delphi rounds. A summary of evidence for each outcome is reported and accompanied by an overall assessment of the evidence to guide healthcare providers.

Conclusions

The main limitations of our work lie in the scarcity of good quality evidence on this topic. Still, these recommendations provide a basis for decision making, as well as a guide for future research on perioperative cardiac arrest.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13054-021-03695-2.

[Cardiac arrest under special circumstances]

These guidelines of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) Cardiac Arrest under Special Circumstances are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. This section provides guidelines on the modifications required for basic and advanced life support for the prevention and treatment of cardiac arrest under special circumstances; in particular, specific causes (hypoxia, trauma, anaphylaxis, sepsis, hypo-/hyperkalaemia and other electrolyte disorders, hypothermia, avalanche, hyperthermia and malignant hyperthermia, pulmonary embolism, coronary thrombosis, cardiac tamponade, tension pneumothorax, toxic agents), specific settings (operating room, cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterization laboratory, dialysis unit, dental clinics, transportation [in-flight, cruise ships], sport, drowning, mass casualty incidents), and specific patient groups (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neurological disease, morbid obesity, pregnancy).

European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Cardiac arrest in special circumstances

These European Resuscitation Council (ERC) Cardiac Arrest in Special Circumstances guidelines are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. This section provides guidelines on the modifications required to basic and advanced life support for the prevention and treatment of cardiac arrest in special circumstances; specifically special causes (hypoxia, trauma, anaphylaxis, sepsis, hypo/hyperkalaemia and other electrolyte disorders, hypothermia, avalanche, hyperthermia and malignant hyperthermia, pulmonary embolism, coronary thrombosis, cardiac tamponade, tension pneumothorax, toxic agents), special settings (operating room, cardiac surgery, catheter laboratory, dialysis unit, dental clinics, transportation (in-flight, cruise ships), sport, drowning, mass casualty incidents), and special patient groups (asthma and COPD, neurological disease, obesity, pregnancy).

Association between intra-operative cardiac arrest and country Human Development Index status: a systematic review with meta-regression analysis and meta-analysis of observational studies. Anaesthesia 2021;76:1259-1273. [PMID: 33512708 DOI: 10.1111/anae.15374]

Intra-operative cardiac arrests differ from most in-hospital cardiac arrests because they reflect not only the patient's condition but also the quality of surgery and anaesthesia care provided. We assessed the relationship between intra-operative cardiac arrest rates and country Human Development Index (HDI), and the changes occurring in these rates over time. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, LILACS, Web of Science, CINAHL and SciELO from inception to 29 January 2020. For the global population, rates of intra-operative cardiac arrest and baseline ASA physical status were extracted. Intra-operative cardiac arrest rates were analysed by time, country HDI status and ASA physical status using meta-regression analysis. Proportional meta-analysis was performed to compare intra-operative cardiac arrest rates and ASA physical status in low- vs. high-HDI countries and in two time periods. Eighty-two studies from 25 countries with more than 29 million anaesthetic procedures were included. Intra-operative cardiac arrest rates were inversely correlated with country HDI (p = 0.0001); they decreased over time only in high-HDI countries (p = 0.040) and increased with increasing ASA physical status (p < 0.0001). Baseline ASA physical status did not change in high-HDI countries (p = 0.106), while it decreased over time in low-HDI countries (p = 0.040). In high-HDI countries, intra-operative cardiac arrest rates (per 10,000 anaesthetic procedures) decreased from 9.59 (95%CI 6.59-13.16) pre-1990 to 5.17 (95%CI 4.42-5.97) in 1990-2020 (p = 0.013). During the same time periods, no improvement was observed in the intra-operative cardiac arrest rates in low-HDI countries (p = 0.498). Odds ratios of intra-operative cardiac arrest rates in ASA 3-5 patients were 8.48 (95%CI 1.67-42.99) times higher in low-HDI countries than in high-HDI countries (p = 0.0098). Intra-operative cardiac arrest rates are related to country-HDI and decreased over time only in high-HDI countries. The widening gap in these rates between low- and high-HDI countries needs to be addressed globally.

Analysis of perioperative cardiac arrest in a rural hospital in Korea

Background

Perioperative cardiac arrest has been studied in many countries but few related studies have been conducted in Korea. Previous studies were not applicable to rural hospitals due to differences in the demographics between the regions. In the present study, the incidence, mortality, and related factors of perioperative cardiac arrest in a hospital in Youngdong province were analyzed and compared with previous research.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted from the January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2018, on patients who underwent both anesthesia and surgery in our hospital. Patients who received local anesthesia were not included in the study. The collected data included the patient characteristics, anesthesia methods, the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, surgical department, emergency status, traumatic status, pre- and post-cardiac arrest medical records, and patient outcomes.

Results

A total of 57,746 patients received anesthesia and underwent surgery during the study period, and 28 patients (4.85 per 10,000 anesthesia cases) received cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation (CPCR) during or within 24 h of surgery. Eight patients survived and twenty patients died (3.46 per 10,000 anesthesia cases). There were three anesthesia-related arrests and all of these patients survived. When limiting the analysis to patients with intraoperative CPCR, the incidence and mortality were 1.56, and 1.39 per 10,000 anesthesia cases, respectively.

Conclusions

The incidence and mortality of perioperative cardiac arrest in our hospital were higher than those in a recent study in Seoul, demonstrating a regional gap in Korea.

Incidences and factors associated with perioperative cardiac arrest in trauma patients receiving anesthesia

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine the incidences and factors associated with perioperative cardiac arrest in trauma patients who received anesthesia for emergency surgery.

Patients and methods

This retrospective cohort study was approved by the medical ethical committee, Faculty of Medicine, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Thailand. Data of 19,683 trauma patients who received anesthesia between January 2007 and December 2016, such as patient characteristics, surgery procedures, anesthesia information, anesthetic drugs, and cardiac arrest outcomes, were analyzed. Data of patients receiving local anesthesia by surgeons or monitoring anesthesia care (MAC) and those with much information missing were excluded. Factors associated with perioperative cardiac arrest were identified using univariate analysis and the multiple regression model. A stepwise algorithm was chosen at a P-value of <0.20 which was selected for multivariate analysis. A P-value of <0.05 was concluded as statistically significant.

Results

The perioperative cardiac arrest in trauma patients receiving anesthesia for emergency surgery was 170.04 per 10,000 cases. Factors associated with perioperative cardiac arrest in trauma patients were as follows: age >65 years (risk ratio [RR] =1.41, CI =1.02–1.96, P=0.039), American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status 3 or higher (ASA physical status 3–4, RR =4.19, CI =2.09–8.38, P<0.001; ASA physical status 5–6, RR =21.58, CI =10.36–44.94, P<0.001), sites of surgery (intracranial, intrathoracic, upper intra-abdominal, and major vascular, each P<0.001), cardiopulmonary comorbidities (RR =1.55, CI =1.10–2.17, P=0.012), hemodynamic instability with shock prior to receiving anesthesia (RR =1.60, CI =1.21–2.11, P<0.001), and having a history of alcoholism (RR =5.27, CI =4.09–6.79, P<0.001).

Conclusion

The incidence of perioperative cardiac arrest in trauma patients receiving anesthesia for emergency surgery was very high and correlated with patient’s factors, especially old age and cardiopulmonary comorbidities, a history of drinking alcohol, increased ASA physical status, hemodynamic instability with shock prior to surgery, and sites of surgery such as brain, thorax, abdomen, and the major vascular region. Anesthesiologists and surgeons should be aware of a warning system and a well-equipped track to manage the surgical trauma patients.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Sudden cardiac arrest under spinal anesthesia in a mission hospital: a case report and review of the literature

The Editor-in-Chief has retracted this case report because of concerns about patient consent to publish. The content of this article is no longer available online to protect the privacy of the patient. The author has not responded to correspondence from the publisher about this retraction.

Comparison of upper lip bite test and ratio of height to thyromental distance with other airway assessment tests for predicting difficult endotracheal intubation

Background:

Various anatomical measurements and noninvasive clinical tests, singly or in various combinations can be performed to predict difficult intubation. Upper lip bite test (ULBT) and ratio of height to thyromental distance (RHTMD) are claimed to have high predictability. Hence, we have conducted this study to compare the predictive value of ULBT and RHTMD with the following parameters: Mallampati grading, inter-incisor gap, thyromental distance, sternomental distance, head and neck movements, and horizontal length of mandible for predicting difficult intubation.

Materials and Methods:

In this single blinded, prospective, observational study involving 170 adult patients of either sex belonging to American Society of Anesthesiologists physical Status I–III scheduled to undergo general anesthesia were recruited. All patients were subjected to the preoperative airway assessment and, the above parameters were recorded correlated with Cormack and Lehane grade and analyzed. The number of intubation attempts and use of intubation aids were also noted.

Results:

ULBT and RHTMD had highest sensitivity (96.64%, 90.72%), specificity (82.35%, 80.39%), positive predictive value (92.74%, 91.53%), and negative predictive value (91.3%, 78.8%), respectively, compared to other parameters. While odds ratio and likelihood ratio >1 for all the tests.

Conclusion:

ULBT can be used as a simple bedside screening test for prediction of difficult intubation, but it should be combined with other airway assessment tests for better airway predictability. RHTMD can also be used as an acceptable alternative.

Perioperative morbidity and mortality in the first year of life: a systematic review (1997-2012)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Although many recognize that the first year of life and specifically the neonatal period are associated with increased risk of anesthetic morbidity and mortality, there are no studies directed to these pediatric subpopulations. This systematic review of the scientific literature including the last 15 years aimed to analyze the epidemiology of morbidity and mortality associated with general anesthesia and surgery in the first year of life and particularly in the neonatal (first month) period.

CONTENT

The review was conducted by searching publications in Medline/PubMed databases, and the following outcomes were evaluated: early mortality in the first year of life (<1 year) and in subgroups of different vulnerability in this age group (0-30 days and 1-12 months) and the prevalence of cardiac arrest and perioperative critical/adverse events of various types in the same subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

The current literature indicates great variability in mortality and morbidity in the age group under consideration and in its subgroups. However, despite the obvious methodological heterogeneity and absence of specific studies, epidemiological profiles of morbidity and mortality related to anesthesia in children in the first year of life show higher frequency of morbidity and mortality in this age group, with the highest peaks of incidence in the neonates' anesthesia.

Perioperative cardiac arrest: an evolutionary analysis of the intra-operative cardiac arrest incidence in tertiary centers in Brazil

BACKGROUND

Great changes in medicine have taken place over the last 25 years worldwide. These changes in technologies, patient risks, patient profile, and laws regulating the medicine have impacted the incidence of cardiac arrest. It has been postulated that the incidence of intraoperative cardiac arrest has decreased over the years, especially in developed countries. The authors hypothesized that, as in the rest of the world, the incidence of intraoperative cardiac arrest is decreasing in Brazil, a developing country.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to search the literature to evaluate the publications that relate the incidence of intraoperative cardiac arrest in Brazil and analyze the trend in the incidence of intraoperative cardiac arrest.

CONTENTS

There were 4 articles that met our inclusion criteria, resulting in 204,072 patients undergoing regional or general anesthesia in two tertiary and academic hospitals, totalizing 627 cases of intraoperative cardiac arrest. The mean intraoperative cardiac arrest incidence for the 25 years period was 30.72:10,000 anesthesias. There was a decrease from 39:10,000 anesthesias to 13:10,000 anesthesias in the analyzed period, with the related lethality from 48.3% to 30.8%. Also, the main causes of anesthesia-related cause of mortality changed from machine malfunction and drug overdose to hypovolemia and respiratory causes.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a clear reduction in the incidence of intraoperative cardiac arrest in the last 25 years in Brazil. This reduction is seen worldwide and might be a result of multiple factors, including new laws regulating the medicine in Brazil, incorporation of technologies, better human development level of the country, and better patient care.

Prognostic factors for death and survival with or without complications in cardiac arrest patients receiving CPR within 24 hours of anesthesia for emergency surgery

Purpose

To determine prognostic factors for death and survival with or without complications in cardiac arrest patients who received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) within 24 hours of receiving anesthesia for emergency surgery.

Patients and methods

A retrospective cohort study approved by the Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai University Hospital Ethical Committee. Data used were taken from records of 751 cardiac arrest patients who received their first CPR within 24 hours of anesthesia for emergency surgery between January 1, 2003 and October 31, 2011. The reviewed data included patient characteristics, surgical procedures, American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status classification, anesthesia information, the timing of cardiac arrest, CPR details, and outcomes at 24 hours after CPR. Univariate and polytomous logistic regression analyses were used to determine prognostic factors associated with the outcome variable. P-values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

The outcomes at 24 hours were death (638/751, 85.0%), survival with complications (73/751, 9.7%), and survival without complications (40/751, 5.3%). The prognostic factors associated with death were: age between 13–34 years (OR =3.08, 95% CI =1.03–9.19); ASA physical status three and higher (OR =6.60, 95% CI =2.17–20.13); precardiopulmonary comorbidity (OR =3.28, 95% CI =1.09–9.90); the condition of patients who were on mechanical ventilation prior to receiving anesthesia (OR =4.11, 95% CI =1.17–14.38); surgery in the upper abdominal site (OR =14.64, 95% CI =2.83–75.82); shock prior to cardiac arrest (OR =6.24, 95% CI =2.53–15.36); nonshockable electrocardiography (EKG) rhythm (OR =5.67, 95% CI =1.93–16.62); cardiac arrest occurring in postoperative period (OR =7.35, 95% CI =2.89–18.74); and duration of CPR more than 30 minutes (OR =4.32, 95% CI =1.39–13.45). The prognostic factors associated with survival with complications were being greater than or equal to 65 years of age (OR =4.30, 95% CI =1.13–16.42), upper abdominal site of surgery (OR =10.86, 95% CI =1.99–59.13), shock prior to cardiac arrest (OR =3.62, 95% CI =1.30–10.12), arrhythmia prior to cardiac arrest (OR =4.61, 95% CI =1.01–21.13), and cardiac arrest occurring in the postoperative period (OR =3.63, 95% CI =1.31–10.02).

Conclusion

The mortality and morbidity in patients who received anesthesia for emergency surgery within 24 hours of their first CPR were high, and were associated with identifiable patient comorbidity, age, shock, anatomic site of operation, the timing of cardiac arrest, EKG rhythm, and the duration of CPR. EKG monitoring helps to identify cardiac arrest quickly and diagnose the EKG rhythm as a shockable or nonshockable rhythm, with CPR being performed as per the American Heart Association (AHA) CPR Guidelines 2010. The use of the fast track system in combination with an interdisciplinary team for surgery, CPR, and postoperative care helps to rescue patients in a short time.

Incidence of and factors associated with perioperative cardiac arrest within 24 hours of anesthesia for emergency surgery

Purpose

To determine the incidence of and factors associated with perioperative cardiac arrest within 24 hours of receiving anesthesia for emergency surgery.

Patients and methods

This retrospective cohort study was approved by the ethical committee of Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Thailand. We reviewed the data of 44,339 patients receiving anesthesia for emergency surgery during the period from January 1, 2003 to March 31, 2011. The data included patient characteristics, surgical procedures, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification, anesthesia information, location of anesthesia performed, and outcomes. Data of patients who had received topical anesthesia or monitoring anesthesia care were excluded. Factors associated with cardiac arrest were identified by univariate analyses. Multiple regressions for the risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to determine the strength of factors associated with cardiac arrest. A forward stepwise algorithm was chosen at a P-value <0.05.

Results

The incidence (within 24 hours) of perioperative cardiac arrest in patients receiving anesthesia for emergency surgery was 163 per 10,000. Factors associated with 24-hour perioperative cardiac arrest in emergency surgery were age of 2 years or younger (RR =1.46, CI =1.03–2.08, P=0.036), ASA physical status classification of 3–4 (RR =5.84, CI =4.20–8.12, P<0.001) and 5–6 (RR =33.98, CI =23.09–49.98, P<0.001), the anatomic site of surgery (upper intra-abdominal, RR =2.67, CI =2.14–3.33, P<0.001; intracranial, RR =1.74, CI =1.35–2.25, P<0.001; intrathoracic, RR =2.35, CI =1.70–3.24, P<0.001; cardiac, RR =3.61, CI =2.60–4.99, P<0.001; and major vascular; RR =3.05, CI =2.22–4.18, P<0.001), respiratory or cardiovascular comorbidities (RR =1.95, CI =1.60–2.38, P<0.001 and RR =1.38, CI =1.11–1.72, P=0.004, respectively), and patients in shock prior to receiving anesthesia (RR =2.62, CI =2.07–3.33, P<0.001).

Conclusion

The perioperative incidence of cardiac arrest within 24 hours of anesthesia for emergency surgery was high and associated with multiple factors such as young age (≤2 years old), cardiovascular and respiratory comorbidities, increasing ASA physical status classification, preoperative shock, and surgery site. Perioperative care providers, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses, should be prepared to manage promptly this high risk group of surgical patients.

A comparison of between hyomental distance ratios, ratio of height to thyromental, modified Mallamapati classification test and upper lip bite test in predicting difficult laryngoscopy of patients undergoing general anesthesia

Background:

Failed intubation is imperative source of anesthetic interrelated patient's mortality. The aim of this present study was to compare the ability to predict difficult visualization of the larynx from the following pre-operative airway predictive indices, in isolation and combination: Modified Mallampati test (MMT), the ratio of height to thyromental distance (RHTMD), hyomental distance ratios (HMDR), and the upper-lip-bite test (ULBT).

Materials and Methods:

We collected data on 525 consecutive patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia requiring endotracheal intubation and then evaluated all four factors before surgery. A skilled anesthesiologist, not imparted of the noted pre-operative airway assessment, did the laryngoscopy and rating (as per Cormack and Lehane's classification). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for every airway predictor in isolation and in combination were established.

Results:

The most sensitive of the single tests was ULBT with a sensitivity of 90.2%. The hyomental distance extreme of head extension was the least sensitive of the single tests with a sensitivity of 56.9. The HMDR had sensitivity 86.3%. The ULBT had the highest negative predictive value: And the area under a receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC of ROC curve) among single predictors. The AUC of ROC curve for ULBT, HMDR and RHTMD was significantly more than for MMT (P < 0.05). No significant difference was noted in the AUC of ROC curve for ULBT, HMDR, and RHTMD (P > 0.05).

Conclusion:

The HMDR is comparable with RHTMD and ULBT for prediction of difficult laryngoscopy in the general population, but was significantly more than for MMT.

Prediction of difficult laryngoscopy: Extended mallampati score versus the MMT, ULBT and RHTMD

BACKGROUND

Preoperative using of anatomical landmarks detects potentially difficult laryngoscopies. The main object of the present study was to evaluate the predictive power of Extended Mallampati Score (EMS) in comparison with modified Mallampati test (MMT), the ratio of height to thyromental distance (RHTMD) and the Upper-Lip-Bite test (ULBT) in isolation and combination.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Four hundred seventy sixadult patients who candidate for elective surgery under general anesthesia requiring endotracheal intubation were included in this study and evaluated based of all four factors before surgery. This study was randomized prospective double - blind. After that, laryngoscopy was performed by an anesthesiologist who didn't involve in preoperative airway assessment and graded based on Cormack and Lehane's classification. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and area under receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) (AUC) for each score.

RESULTS

The AUCof the ROC was significantly more for the ULBT (AUC = 0.820, P = 0.049) and RHTMD score (AUC = 0.845, P = 0.033) than the EMS (AUC = 0.703). This variable was significantly higher for the EMS compared with MMT (0.703 vs. 0.569, P = 0.046 respectively). There was no significant difference between the AUC of the ROC for the ULBT and the RHTMD score (P = 0.685). The optimalcut-off point for the RHTMD for predicting difficult laryngoscopy was 29.3.

CONCLUSION

EMS predicted difficult laryngoscopy better than MMT while both ULBT and RHTMD had more power than EMS and MMT in this regard. ULBT and RHTMD had similar predictive value for prediction of difficult laryngoscopy in general population.

Adrenaline increases blood-brain-barrier permeability after haemorrhagic cardiac arrest in immature pigs

BACKGROUND

Adrenaline (ADR) and vasopressin (VAS) are used as vasopressors during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Data regarding their effects on blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and neuronal damage are lacking. We hypothesised that VAS given during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after haemorrhagic circulatory arrest will preserve BBB integrity better than ADR.

METHODS

Twenty-one anaesthetised sexually immature male piglets (with a weight of 24.3 ± 1.3 kg) were bled 35% via femoral artery to a mean arterial blood pressure of 25 mmHg in the period of 15 min. Afterwards, the piglets were subjected to 8 min of untreated ventricular fibrillation followed by 15 min of open-chest CPR. At 9 min of circulatory arrest, piglets received amiodarone 1.0 mg/kg and hypertonic-hyperoncotic solution 4 ml/kg infusions for 20 min. At the same time, VAS 0.4 U/kg was given intravenously to the VAS group (n = 9) while the ADR group received ADR 20 μg/kg (n = 12). Internal defibrillation was attempted from 11 min of cardiac arrest to achieve restoration of spontaneous circulation. The experiment was terminated 3 h after resuscitation.

RESULTS

The intracranial pressure (ICP) in the post-resuscitation phase was significantly greater in ADR group than in VAS group. VAS group piglets exhibited a significantly smaller BBB disruption compared with ADR group. Cerebral pressure reactivity index showed that cerebral blood flow autoregulation was also better preserved in VAS group.

CONCLUSIONS

Resuscitation with ADR as compared with VAS after haemorrhagic circulatory arrest increased the ICP and impaired cerebrovascular autoregulation more profoundly, as well as exerted an increased BBB disruption though no significant difference in neuronal injury was observed.

The initial success rate of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and its associated factors in patients with cardiac arrest within 24 hours after anesthesia for an emergency surgery

PURPOSE

To determine the initial success rate and its associated factors on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in patients with cardiac arrest within 24 hours after receiving anesthesia for an emergency surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

After the hospital ethical committee gave approval for this study, the anesthesia providers recorded all relevant data regarding CPR in patients with cardiac arrest within 24 hours after anesthesia for emergency surgery at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, a university hospital in Northern Thailand. Only data from the cardiac arrest patients who received the first CPR attempt were included in the analysis. The end point of the initial success of CPR was return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Factors related to ROSC were determined by univariate analyses and multiple logistic regression analysis. The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to calculate the strength of the factors associated with the ROSC.

RESULTS

Of the 96 cardiac arrest patients, 44 patients (45.8%) achieved ROSC. Factors associated with ROSC were electrocardiogram monitoring for detected cardiac arrest (OR =4.03; 95% CI =1.16-14.01; P=0.029), non-shock patients before arrest (OR =8.54; 95% CI =2.13-34.32; P=0.003), timing to response of activated CPR team within 1 minute (OR =9.37; 95% CI =2.55-34.39; P<0.001), having trained CPR teams (OR =8.76; 95% CI =2.50-30.72; P<0.001), and administration of more than one dose of epinephrine (OR =5.62; 95% CI =1.32-23.88; P<0.019).

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing anesthesia for an emergency surgery are at risk for perioperative cardiac arrest with high mortality which requires immediate CPR. Our results have confirmed that early detection of cardiac arrest by vigilant electrocardiogram monitoring and prompt management with a qualified team are important factors in improving the success of CPR. Emergency surgical patients at risk for cardiac arrest should be promptly managed, with facilities available not only during the operation but also during the pre- to postoperative period.

Incidence and factors associated with cardiac arrest complicating emergency airway management

OBJECTIVE

Cardiac arrest (CA) is a rare but recognized complication of emergency airway management. Our aim was to measure the incidence of peri-intubation CA during emergency intubation and identify factors associated with this complication.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of emergency endotracheal intubations performed in a large, urban emergency department over a one-year period. Patients were included if they were >18 years old and not in CA prior to intubation. Multiple logistic regression modeling was used to define factors independently associated with CA.

RESULTS

A total 542 patients underwent emergency intubation during the study period and 410 met inclusion criteria for this study. CA occurred in 17/410 (4.2%) at a median of 6 min post-intubation. Nearly two-thirds of CA events occurred within 10 min of drug induction; early peri-intubation CA rate 2.4% (95% CI: 1.3-4.5%). Pulseless electrical activity was the initial rhythm in the majority of cases. More than half of CA events were successfully resuscitated but CA was associated with increased odds of hospital death (OR 14.8; 95% CI: 4.2-52). Pre-intubation hemodynamic and oximetry variables were associated with CA. CA was more common in patients experiencing pre intubation hypotension (12% vs 3%; p<0.002). Pre RSI shock index (SI) and weight were independently associated with CA.

CONCLUSIONS

In this series, 1 in 25 emergency intubations was associated with the complication of CA. Peri-intubation CA is associated with increased mortality. Pre-intubation patient characteristics are associated with this complication.

Frequency of intraoperative cardiac arrest and medium-term survival

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE

Although advances in surgical and anesthetic techniques have reduced perioperative morbidity-mortality, the survival rate following cardiac arrest remains low. The aim of this study was to evaluate, over the course of one year, the prevalence of intraoperative cardiac arrest and the 30-day survival rate after this event in a tertiary teaching hospital.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Prospective cohort study in a tertiary teaching hospital.

METHODS

Following approval by the institutional ethics committee, anesthetic procedures and cases of intraoperative cardiac arrest between January and December 2007 were evaluated. Patients undergoing cardiac surgery were excluded. The data were gathered prospectively using the modified Utstein model, with evaluation of demographic data, pre-arrest conditions, intraoperative care, care during arrest and postoperative outcome up to the 30th day. The data were recorded by the attending anesthesiologist.

RESULTS

During the study period, 40,379 anesthetic procedures were performed, and 52 cases of intraoperative cardiac arrest occurred (frequency of 13:10,000). Among these, 69% presented spontaneous return of circulation after the initial arrest, and only 25% survived for 30 days after the event. The following factors were associated with shorter survival: American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status IV and V, emergency surgery, hemorrhagic events, hypovolemia as the cause of arrest and use of atropine during resuscitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the frequency of cardiac arrest in the surgical environment has declined and resources to attend to this exist, the survival rate is low. Factors associated with worst prognosis are more frequent in critical patients.

Sex differences in cardiac injury after severe haemorrhage and ventricular fibrillation in pigs

AIM OF THE STUDY

Experimental studies have shown sex differences in haemodynamic response and outcome after trauma and haemorrhagic shock. We recently reported that female sex protects against cerebral injury after exsanguination cardiac arrest (CA), independent of sexual effects of hormones. The current study examines if female sex is also cardioprotective.

METHODS

In this study 21 sexually immature piglets (12 males and 9 females) were subjected to 5 min of haemorrhagic shock followed by 2 min of ventricular fibrillation and 8 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Volume resuscitation was started during CPR with intravenous administration of 3 ml kg(-1) hypertonic saline-dextran (HSD) solution for 20 min. Sexually immature animals were used to differentiate innate sex differences from the effects of sexual hormones. Sex differences in haemodynamics, myocardial injury (troponin I), and short-term survival (3-h) were evaluated.

RESULTS

After resuscitation female animals had a higher blood pressure, lower heart rate, lower troponin I concentrations, and higher survival rate (100% and 63% in 3 h) despite comparable sex hormone levels.

CONCLUSIONS

After resuscitation from haemorrhage and circulatory arrest, haemodynamic parameters are better preserved and myocardial injury is smaller in female piglets. This difference in outcome is independent of sexual hormones.

Neurosurgery and elderly: analysis through the years

The aging of the population in westernized countries constitutes an important issue for the health systems struggling with limited resources and increasing costs. Morbidity and mortality rates reported for neurosurgical procedures in the elderly vary widely. The lack of data on risk benefit ratios may result in challenging clinical decisions in this expanding group of patients. The aim of this paper is to analyze the elderly patients cohort undergoing neurosurgical procedures and any trend variations over time. The medical records of elderly patients (defined as an individual of 70 years of age and over) admitted to the Neurosurgical and Neuro-ICU Departments of a major University Hospital in Paris over a 25-year period were retrospectively reviewed. The analysis included: (1) number of admissions, (2) percentage of surgically treated patients, (3) type of procedures performed, (4) length of hospital stay, and (5) mortality. The analysis showed a progressive and significant increase in the proportion of elderly presenting for neurosurgical elective and/or emergency procedures over the last 25 years. The number of procedures on patients over 70 years of age increased significantly whereas the mortality dropped. Though the length of hospital stay was reduced, it remained significantly higher than the average stay. The types of procedures also changed over time with more craniotomies and endovascular procedures being performed. Age should not be considered as a contraindication for complex procedures in neurosurgery. However, downstream structures for postoperative elderly patients must be further developed to reduce the mean hospital stay in neurosurgical departments because this trend is likely to continue to grow.

[Perioperative mortality: retrospective cross-sectional study of surgical patients who died between 2004 and 2008 in a tertiary care hospital]

OBJECTIVE

Retrospective analysis of all surgical, early postoperative, and 1-week to detect risk factors.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A database was established to record clinical, anesthetic, and surgical variables, grouped as preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative factors, and reflecting comorbidities and postoperative complications. Each patient's cause of death was also recorded. Factors influencing mortality during surgery, at 48 hours, and at 1 week were explored by comparing frequencies to detect correlations.

RESULTS

From 2004 to 2008, a total of 809 deaths occurred in the 82412 hospitalized surgical patients. Patients who died during surgery or within 48 hours were younger, had a higher ASA physical status classification, had more cardiovascular risk factors, were less likely to have a diagnosis of cancer, and had spent less time in hospital before the operation. Intraoperative complications, particularly bleeding and cardiac events, were more frequent in patients whose condition was more complex and who died during surgery; that pattern was similar but less marked in patients dying within 48 hours. The patients who died within 48 hours had a higher rate of postoperative hemodynamic complications; the patients who died during the week following surgery had higher rates of septic, neurologic, and respiratory complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Emergency surgery stands out as an important predictor of death during or after surgery; other significant risk factors are postoperative complications.