The coagulopathy of liver disease: a shift in thinking

Forearm and elbow secondary surgical procedures in neonatal brachial plexus palsy: a systematic scoping review

Background

Neonatal Brachial plexus palsy is an injury during delivery that can lead to loss of motor function and limited range of motion in patients due to damage of nerves in the brachial plexus. This scoping review aims to explore types of procedures performed and assess outcomes of forearm and elbow secondary surgery in pediatric patients.

Methods

Searches of PubMed, Cochrane, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Sciences, and Scopus were completed to obtain studies describing surgical treatment of elbow and forearm in pediatric patients with neonatal Brachial plexus palsy. 865 abstracts and titles were screened by two independent reviewers resulting in 295 full text papers; after applying of inclusion and exclusion criteria 18 articles were included. The level of evidence of this study is level IV.

Results

Ten main procedures were performed to regain function of the forearm and elbow in neonatal brachial plexus birth palsy patients. Procedures had different aims, with supination contracture (6) and elbow flexion restoration (5) being the most prevalent. The variance between preoperative and postoperative soft tissue and bony procedures outcomes decreased and showed improvement with respect to the aim of each procedure category. For soft tissue procedures, a statistically significant increase was found between preoperative and postoperative values for active elbow flexion, passive supination, and active supination. For bony procedures, there was a statistically significant decrease between preoperative and postoperative values of passive and active supination.

Conclusion

Overall, all procedures completed in the assessed articles of this study were successful in their aim. Bony procedures, specifically osteotomies, were found to have a wider range of results, whereas soft tissue procedures were found to be more consistent and reproducible with respect to their outcomes. Bony and soft tissue procedures were found vary in their aims and outcomes. This study indicates the need for further research to augment knowledge about indications and long-term benefits to each procedure.

How I approach bleeding in hospitalized patients

Excessive bleeding is relatively common in adult inpatients, whether as the primary reason for admission or as a development during the hospital stay. Common causes include structural issues, medication effects, and systemic illnesses; occasionally, unexpected bleeding can develop as a result of an undiagnosed or newly acquired bleeding disorder. The first step in caring for the inpatient who is bleeding is to determine whether the bleeding symptom is truly new or whether the patient has a history of abnormal bleeding. Patients with a history of abnormal bleeding may warrant evaluation for inherited bleeding disorders, such as platelet function disorders, von Willebrand disease, hemophilia, or rare factor deficiencies. Patients with no history of bleeding, for whom other causes, such as liver dysfunction, medication effect, disseminated intravascular coagulation, or certain vitamin deficiencies have been ruled out may require evaluation for acquired coagulopathies, such as acquired hemophilia or acquired von Willebrand disease. Here, we present 3 cases to discuss the diagnosis and management of the 2 most common acquired bleeding disorders as well as a patient with a congenital bleeding disorder with a historical diagnosis.

Clinical Application of Thromboelastography in Patients With Cirrhosis: A Single Center Experience

INTRODUCTION

Thromboelastography (TEG) is a functional test of coagulation used to guide transfusions. Despite literature supporting its utility, its use remains limited to select populations. In patients with cirrhosis, conventional coagulation tests are notoriously inaccurate, and TEG may be a better measure of coagulopathy. We aimed to assess the utilization of TEG in patients with cirrhosis to steward blood transfusions in this high-risk group.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective chart review of all patients ≥18 y old with a diagnosis of liver cirrhosis who had TEG results documented in the electronic medical record from January 1 to November 1, 2021.

RESULTS

There were 277 TEG results on 89 patients with cirrhosis. Overall, 91% of the TEGs performed were associated with a clinical indication for transfusion. However, of the patients who were transfused, abnormal TEG values, including elevated R time and reduced maximum amplitude, did not correspond to transfusion of indicated blood products (fresh frozen plasma and platelets). A reduction in alpha angle showed a statistically significant association with transfusion of cryoprecipitate (P < 0.05). When assessing conventional coagulation tests, abnormal values were not significantly associated with transfusion (P = 0.07).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite TEG suggesting that transfusions could be avoided in many cirrhotic patients, patients are still being transfused platelets and fresh frozen plasma in the absence of evidence of coagulopathy on TEG. Our finding suggests the need for education about appropriate utilization of TEG. More research is needed to understand the role of these tests to guide transfusion practices in patients with cirrhosis.