Evidence for negative effects of elevated intra-abdominal pressure on pulmonary mechanics and oxidative stress

A narrative review on the potential benefits and limitations of deep neuromuscular blockade

BACKGROUND

Neuromuscular blockade was shown to improve surgical conditions. However, the risk of residual neuromuscular blockade upon extubation prevents anaesthesiologists from maintaining complete paralysis. For this reason, deep NMB is still underused in anaesthesia. This review focused on answering six questions revolving around the use of deep NMB versus moderate NMB.

METHODS

This was a non-exhaustive narrative review based on 6 selected relevant questions: does deep NMB 1) improve surgical conditions? 2) reduce surgical complications? 3) facilitate a reduction in intraoperative pneumoperitoneum pressure (PnP)? 4) does a reduction in intraoperative PnP impact clinical outcomes? 5) does the combination of deep NMB and lower PnP improve respiratory parameters? 6) improve OR efficiency or readmission rates?

RESULTS

This review highlights some of the key studies that have demonstrated potential benefits of deep NMB, but it also included reports showing no benefit, highlighting that the evidence is not unequivocal. Deep NMB does in fact improve surgical conditions, but whether this improvement translates into improved clinical outcomes is far from concluded. Indeed, there is an increased risk or residual curarisation, especially if patients are not monitored and reversed appropriately. The most important benefit of deep NMB may be the prevention of unacceptable surgical working conditions. The other potential major benefits are the reduction in PnP and reduction in pain. Deep NMB must be used with appropriate monitoring.

CONCLUSION

Deep NMB was associated with an improvement in surgical conditions, reduction in PnP, pain, and complications; but further research is needed to definitively prove this relationship.

Risk Factors for Severe Complications After Laparoscopic Surgery for T3 or T4 Rectal Cancer for Chinese Patients: Experience from a Single Center

Background

Patients with rectal cancer are usually at advanced stage with or beyond serosa invasion in China. Severe complications after laparoscopic rectal surgery leads to prolonged hospitalization and high medical cost. This study aimed to explore risk factors for severe complications after laparoscopic surgery of T3 or T4 rectal cancer.

Material/Methods

A total of 287 patients diagnosed with T3 or T4 rectal cancer were enrolled from the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of Anhui Provincial Hospital from February 2012 to February 2017. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression model were used to analyze the risk factors for severe complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III) after laparoscopic surgery.

Results

Eighteen patients (6.25%) had severe complications; 15 patients were categorized as Clavien-Dindo grade III, and 3 patients were categorized as Clavien-Dindo grade IV. Univariate analysis showed that male gender, high preoperative white blood cells (WBC), diabetes mellitus, pulmonary dysfunction, and tumor distance from anus were associated with increased risk of severe complications after laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer. Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative WBC ≥6.9×10⁹/L (OR=5.54 (1.58–19.45), P=0.008), diabetes mellitus (OR=13.07 (3.31–51.67), P=0.000) and pulmonary dysfunction (OR=7.75 (1.69–35.63), P=0.008) were independent risk factors for postoperative severe complications.

Conclusions

Preoperative high white blood cells, diabetes mellitus and pulmonary dysfunction were independent risk factors for severe complications after laparoscopic surgery for T3 or T4 rectal cancer.

Comparison of the impact of prolonged low-pressure and standard-pressure pneumoperitoneum on myocardial injury after robot-assisted surgery in the Trendelenburg position: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and robot-assisted radical cystectomy have gradually become the preferred choices for urologists as they allow surgeons to perform complex procedures more precisely and effectively. The pneumoperitoneum, which is normally applied in these surgeries to provide visual clarity and space to perform the procedure, may cause hemodynamic disturbance, potentially myocardial injury. Thus surgeons have recently considered opting for the low-pressure pneumoperitoneum to lower this negative impact.

Herein we describe a protocol for a clinical trial to compare the impact of prolonged low-pressure and standard-pressure pneumoperitoneum on myocardial injury after robot-assisted surgery.

Methods/design

This study is designed to be a bicenter clinical trial. In total 280 patients scheduled to undergo robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy or robot-assisted radical cystectomy will be enrolled and randomized into two groups, with standard- (12–16 mmHg) and low-pressure (7–10 mmHg) pneumoperitoneum, respectively. Troponin T will be measured as the primary endpoint to assess the extent of myocardial injury. Nt-proBNP and hemodynamic indexes will also be recorded for further analysis.

Discussion

The significance of this study is emphasized by the fact that there are few studies that have focused on the impact of prolonged pneumoperitoneum on myocardial injury, which is relevant to postoperative mortality. We hope that the conclusions drawn from this study could provide reference and basis to the future of the pneumoperitoneum in clinical practice.

Trial registration

Registered at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov with the Identifier NCT02600481 on November 5, 2015

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-016-1609-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.