Silent myocardial ischaemia in patients undergoing transurethral prostatectomy. A study to evaluate risk scoring and anaesthetic technique with outcome

Safe and uncomplicated inguinal hernia surgery in the elderly – message from anesthesiologists to general surgeons

Introduction Elderly patients are often discouraged from surgery due to the risk of complications that increases with age. Aim We wanted to assess mortality, morbidity, and complications in patients older than 75 years who underwent elective or emergency inguinal hernia repair in a single center. Methods All patients older than 75 years who were operated on because of inguinal hernia in the Department of General and Colorectal Surgery, Medical University of Lodz between 2003 and 2015 were analyzed. Detailed information was collected with regard to patient demographics, mode of admission, comorbidities, type of intervention, applied anesthesia, and 30-day outcomes. Postoperative outcomes included medical and surgical complications, readmissions, and survival status. Results One hundred thirty-two patients older than 75 years were operated on for inguinal hernia, 16 (12.1%) in an emergency setting and 116 (87.9%) in an elective setting. Eighteen patients (13.6%) developed complications, 8 (50%) in the emergency group, and 10 (8.6%) in the elective group. In the emergency group, severe medical complications (Clavien-Dindo 4) were frequent, whereas in the elective group, severity of surgical and medical complications was not significantly different (Clavien-Dindo median score 2, p=0.6084), and these complications were classified as mild (Clavien-Dindo 1-2). One death occurred in the emergency group. Conclusion Inguinal hernia surgery in the elderly may be safe and effective in an elective setting and if regional anesthesia is used. Careful examination of patients before surgery and identification of potential risk factors associated with co-existing diseases are vital for reducing the risk of complications. Key point: Hernia surgery in patients older than 65 years is a low-risk intervention, if carried out in an elective setting.

Volatile anaesthetics and cardiac protection in abdominal surgery

BACKGROUND

Clinical studies have shown that sevoflurane is cardio-protective in cardiac surgery patients, but this effect is doubtful in general surgery patients. This study has researched the influence of sevoflurane on the perioperative cardiac function and the incidence of cardiac ischaemic events in abdominal surgical patients.

METHODS

Out of 80 patients scheduled for elective colorectal surgery, 42 received balanced sevoflurane-fentanyl anaesthesia, while 38 received intravenous midazolam-fentanyl anaesthesia. The cardiac index (CI) and cardiac function index (CFI) were measured by the PiCCO device, and Troponin I levels were measured at the beginning of surgery, as well as 4, 12 and 24 h afterwards. BNP was measured at the beginning of surgery, and 24 h afterwards. The data analysis was conducted using the Mann-Whitney nonparametric test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

There was no statistical difference in perioperative Troponin I, BNP, CI and CFI values between the SEVO and TIVA groups throughout the perioperative period.

CONCLUSIONS

Sevoflurane had no effect on the cardiac biomarkers Troponin I and BNP, and on the PiCCO parameters of cardiac function in abdominal surgical patients. Further research on the preconditioning effect of volatile anaesthetics in general surgical population should be concentrated on the population of patients with a high perioperative cardiac risk.

Recurrent intraoperative silent ST depression responding to phenylephrine

Intraoperative myocardial ischemia is attributed to decreased myocardial oxygen supply. We present an unusual case of recurrent, symptomless inferior wall ischemia in an apparently healthy male with no history of coronary artery disease after a spinal block. The recurring episodes were linked to tachycardia and presented with significant ST depression in Lead II with reciprocal elevation in lead aVL. The episodes responded to phenylephrine and subsided without residual sequelae.

[Perioperative myocardial damage in non-cardiac surgery patients]

Perioperative myocardial damage occurs with a high incidence depending on the operative procedure and the patients examined and is considered to be among the most relevant risk factors for increased perioperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. The pathophysiology of myocardial damage in the perioperative period is still not well understood. Both ischemia with and without acute coronary occlusion and non-ischemic stimuli can put a substantial strain on the heart in the perioperative period. However, in many cases the clinical presentation does not allow a clear differentiation between ischemic and non-ischemic myocardial damage. In the majority of cases perioperative myocardial infarctions occur with only mild or even without any clinical symptoms. This is probably due to a considerable difference in phenotype and pathophysiology between perioperative and non-perioperative myocardial infarctions. As a result of this unexplained etiology of perioperative myocardial infarction it remains an open question whether the contemporary diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations for the acute coronary syndrome can be extrapolated to the perioperative situation. The present review reflects the current state of knowledge and presents an optional approach to the diagnosis and therapy of perioperative myocardial injury.

Fluid absorption in endoscopic surgery

Fluid absorption is an unpredictable complication of endoscopic surgery. Absorption of small amounts of fluid (1-2 litre) occurs in 5-10% of patients undergoing transurethral prostatic resection and results in an easily overlooked mild transurethral resection (TUR) syndrome. Large-scale fluid absorption is rare but leads to symptoms severe enough to require intensive care. Pathophysiological mechanisms consist of pharmacological effects of the irrigant solutes, the volume effect of the irrigant water, dilutional hyponatraemia and brain oedema. Other less widely known factors include absolute losses of sodium by urinary excretion and morphological changes in the heart muscle, both of which promote a hypokinetic circulation. Studies in animals, volunteers and patients show that irrigation with glycine solution should be avoided. Preventive measures, such as low-pressure irrigation, might reduce the extent of fluid absorption but does not eliminate this complication. Monitoring the extent of absorption during surgery allows control of the fluid balance in the individual patient, but such monitoring is not used widely. However, the anaesthetist must be aware of the symptoms and be able to diagnose this complication. Treatment should be based on administration of hypertonic saline rather than on diuretics. New techniques, such as bipolar resectoscopes and vaporizing instead of resecting tissue, result in a continuous change of the prerequisites for fluid absorption and its consequences.

Frequency and Outcomes of Transient Myocardial Ischemia in Critically Ill Adults Admitted for Noncardiac Conditions

• Background Critically ill adults admitted for noncardiac conditions are at risk for acute myocardial ischemia.

• Objectives To detect myocardial ischemia and injury in patients admitted for noncardiac conditions and to examine the relationship of myocardial ischemia, injury, and acuity to cardiac events.

• Methods Transient myocardial ischemia, acuity, elevations in serum troponin I, and in-hospital cardiac events were examined in 76 consecutive patients. Transient myocardial ischemia, determined by using continuous electrocardiography, was defined as a 1-mm (0.1-mV) change in ST level from baseline to event in 1 or more leads lasting 1 or more minutes. Acuity was determined by scores on Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II.

• Results A total of 37 ischemic events were detected in 8 patients (10.5%); 32 (86%) were ST-segment depressions, and 35 (96%) were silent. Twelve patients (15.8%) had elevated levels of troponin I. Transient myocardial ischemia, elevated troponin I levels, and advanced age were significant predictors of cardiac complications (R2 = 0.387, F = 15.2, P &lt; .001). Acuity correlated only modestly with increased length of stay in the intensive care unit (r = 0.26, P = .02) and elevated troponin I levels (r = 0.25, P = .03). Patients with transient myocardial ischemia had significantly higher rates of elevations in troponin I (P &lt; .001) and cardiac events (P &lt; .001) than did patients without.

• Conclusions Transient myocardial ischemia and advanced age are predictors of cardiac events and may indicate patients at risk for cardiac events.

Minimizing perioperative adverse events in the elderly

Elderly patients still have the highest postoperative mortality and morbidity rate in the adult surgical population. Preoperative clinical assessment to detect patients at high risk of postoperative events, and specific intraoperative and postoperative anaesthesia management are important to minimize postoperative adverse events in the elderly.

Increases in serum concentrations of cardiac proteins and the prediction of early postoperative cardiovascular complications in noncardiac surgery patients

We investigated the use of measurements of serum concentrations of the cardiac proteins troponins I and T as biochemical markers of myocardial cell damage in 80 patients undergoing vascular or major orthopaedic surgery. Holter electrocardiographic monitoring was carried out before surgery and for 3 days after surgery. Blood samples for troponins I and T and creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme were taken on each of these 4 days. Outcome was assessed at 3 months using a patient questionnaire, general practitioner follow-up and case notes review. Silent postoperative myocardial ischaemia was detected in 21 patients; increases in troponins I and T and creatine kinase-MB occurred in four, six and 17 of these patients, respectively. Eight patients suffered major postoperative complications (cardiac death, myocardial ischaemia, congestive cardiac failure, unstable angina and cerebrovascular accident) and 21 minor complications (poorly controlled hypertension needing increased or new additional treatment, palpitations, increased tiredness or shortness of breath in the absence of known respiratory disease). There were no associations between postoperative ischaemia and cardiac protein concentrations. The relative odds for the associations of major adverse outcome at 3 months after surgery and postoperative ischaemia or increased serum concentrations of the three proteins were 5.39 [95% confidence intervals 1.16-27.67] for postoperative ischaemia; 5.64 [1.07-31.00] for creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme; 17.00 [2.20-116.54] for troponin T and 13.20 [1.12-135.00] for troponin I. We found troponin T to be the only prospective marker for both major and minor cardiovascular complications (relative odds 10.65 [1.26-252.88]).

Peri-operative silent myocardial ischaemia in patients undergoing lower limb joint replacement surgery: an indicator of postoperative morbidity or mortality?

One hundred and twenty-seven patients undergoing major lower limb joint replacement surgery were studied to determine the incidence of silent myocardial ischemia and to ascertain any link between pre-operative cardiac risk factors, silent myocardial ischaemia and postoperative morbidity. Patients underwent ambulatory ECG monitoring for 4 days (on the pre-operative night and for 3 days postoperatively). Postoperative cardiorespiratory symptomatology and morbidity was assessed by questionnaire at 3 months. Eighty-seven patients had risk factors for silent myocardial ischaemia; 42 patients (30 with risk factors) had peri-operative silent myocardial ischaemia. The median ischaemic loads (range) were 1.04 (0.32-13.31) min.h-1 pre-operatively and 5.53 (0.26-56.39), 6.69 (0.04-42.71) and 1.23 (0.1-53.74) min.h-1 on postoperative days 1-3, respectively. Risk factors did not predict the occurrence of silent myocardial ischaemia or an increased ischaemic load pre-operatively or overall postoperatively. New symptoms (chest pain, palpitations, breathlessness or fatigue) were associated with both silent myocardial ischaemia and ischaemic load (p < 0.05). Thus cardiac risk factors do not predict the occurrence of silent myocardial ischaemia or adverse outcome. Peri-operative silent myocardial ischaemia was associated with increased postoperative fatigue.