Spontaneous Pneumothorax Secondary to Bullous Lung Emphysema Positive for Cannabinoids upon Toxicological Examination

Cannabis can be related to respiratory diseases, but the relationship between smoking marijuana and the development of a pneumothorax has scarcely been investigated. We aimed to analyze, in patients with a history of cannabis smoking abuse submitted to lung apicectomy for a primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), the correlation between the presence of cannabinoids in the resected lung and the detection of bullous emphysema within the same tissue. Patients undergoing lung apicectomy for a PSP were prospectively enrolled, and the correlation between the presence of cannabinoids in the resected lung tissue and histological finding of bullous emphysema was investigated with Fisher's exact test. There were 21 male patients, with a median age of 27 years. The cannabinoids found by the toxicological examination in surgical specimens were mainly delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinol (CBN), and cannabidiol (CBD). In 14/21 patients, cannabinoids were detected in the resected lung tissue, and bullous emphysema was present in 13/14 of these (93%), while bullous emphysema was found in only 1/7 (14%) of the remaining patients who were negative for cannabinoids in the lung tissue, and the difference was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.0009). Our study demonstrated the presence of bullous emphysema in most cannabinoid-positive patients and its absence in most of those who were cannabinoid-negative, supporting the correlation between cannabinoids in the lung tissue and bullous emphysema with the development of a "secondary" spontaneous pneumothorax.

Comparison Between Electronic and Traditional Chest Drainage Systems: A Multicenter Randomized Study

BACKGROUND

Air leak is the major factor that influences the permanence of the chest tube and the in-hospital length of stay (LOS) among patients undergoing lung resections. The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of digital chest drain systems, compared with traditional ones, reduced the duration of chest drainage and postoperative in-hospital LOS in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy.

METHODS

The study was a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial. Patients undergoing VATS lobectomy were randomized in 2 groups, receiving a digital drain system or a traditional one and managed accordingly to the protocol.

RESULTS

Among 503 patients who fulfilled inclusion criteria and were randomized, 38 dropped out after randomization. Finally, 465 patients were analyzed, of whom 204 used the digital device and 261 the traditional one. In the digital group, there was a significantly shorter median chest tube duration of 3 postoperative days (interquartile range [IQR], 2-4 days) vs 4 postoperative days (IQR, 3-4 days; P = .001) and postoperative in-hospital LOS of 4 days (IQR, 3-6 days) vs 5 days (IQR, 4-6 days; P = .035). Analysis of predictors for increased duration of air leaks showed a relationship with male sex (P = .039), forced expiratory volume in 1 second percentage (P = .004), forced vital capacity percentage (P = .03), and presence of air leaks at the end of surgery (P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients undergoing VATS lobectomy, the use of a digital drainage system allows an earlier removal of the chest drain compared with the traditional system, leading to a shorter in-hospital LOS.

THYMECTOMY IN SEVERE (MGFA CLASS IV-V) GENERALIZED MYASTHENIA GRAVIS: IS THE GAME REALLY WORTH THE CANDLE?

OBJECTIVES

Total thymectomy in addition to medical treatment is an accepted standard therapy for myasthenia gravis. Patients with severe generalized myasthenia gravis present life-threatening events, poor prognosis and higher risk of postoperative myasthenic crisis. Aim of our study is to investigate neurological and surgical results in patients with MGFA class IV and V MG following thymectomy.

METHODS

Data on 76 myasthenia gravis patients with preoperative MGFA class IV and V who underwent thymectomy were retrospectively collected. Primary end-points included short-term surgical outcomes and long-term neurological results including the achievement of complete stable remission and any improvement as defined by MGFA postintervention status criteria.

RESULTS

There were 27(35.5%) males and 49(64.5%) females; 53(69.7%) were classified as MGFA class IV and 23(30.3%) as class V. Thymectomy was performed through sternotomy in 25(32.9%) patients, by VATS in 5(6.6%) and RATS in 46(60.5%). Median operative time was 120(IQR 95; 148) min. In-hospital mortality was observed in 1(1.3%) patient, postoperative complications in 14 (18.4%). Median postoperative hospital stay was 4(IQR 3; 6) days. Pathological examination revealed 31(40.8%) thymic hyperplasia/other benign and 45(59.2%) thymomas. Cumulative complete stable remission and improvement probabilities were 20.6% and 83.7% at 5-year, and 66.9% and 97.6% at 10-year, respectively. A significant improvement rate was found in patients with age at time of thymectomy of ≤ 50 years(p = 0.0236), MGFA class V(p = 0.0154), and AchR-antibodies positivity(p = 0.0152).

CONCLUSIONS

Thymectomy in patients with severe myasthenia gravis yields good perioperative outcomes and satisfactory long-term neurological improvement, especially for patients younger than 50 years, with MGFA class V and anti-AChR+ myasthenia gravis.

Not only acute respiratory failure: COVID-19 and the post-intubation/tracheostomy upper airways lesions†

Background

An increasing number of patients have been subjected to prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation due to COVID-19 infection, leading to a significant number of post-intubation/tracheostomy (PI/T) upper airways lesions. The purpose of this study is to report our early experience in endoscopic and/or surgical management of PI/T upper airways injuries of patients surviving COVID-19 critical illness.

Materials and Methods

We prospectively collected data from patients referred to our Thoracic Surgery Unit from March 2020 to February 2022. All patients with suspected or documented PI/T tracheal injuries were evaluated with neck and chest computed tomography and bronchoscopy.

Results

Thirteen patients (8 males, 5 females) were included; of these, 10 (76.9%) patients presented with tracheal/laryngotracheal stenosis, 2 (15.4%) with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) and 1 (7.7%) with concomitant TEF and stenosis. Age ranged from 37 to 76 years. Three patients with TEF underwent surgical repair by double layer suture of oesophageal defect associated with tracheal resection/anastomosis (1 case) or direct membranous tracheal wall suture (2 cases) and protective tracheostomy with T-tube insertion. One patient underwent redo-surgery after primary failure of oesophageal repair. Among 10 patients with stenosis, two (20.0%) underwent primary laryngotracheal resection/anastomosis, two (20.0%) had undergone multiple endoscopic interventions before referral to our Centre and, at arrival, one underwent emergency tracheostomy and T-tube positioning and one a removal of a previously positioned endotracheal nitinol stent for stenosis/granulation followed by initial laser dilatation and, finally, tracheal resection/anastomosis. Six (60.0%) patients were initially treated with rigid bronchoscopy procedures (laser and/or dilatation). Post-treatment relapse was experienced in 5 (50.0%) cases, requiring repeated rigid bronchoscopy procedures in 1 (10.0%) for definitive resolution of the stenosis and surgery (tracheal resection/anastomosis) in 4 (40.0%).

Conclusions

Endoscopic and surgical treatment is curative in the majority of patients and should always be considered in PI/T upper airways lesions after COVID-19 illness.

Case report: Successful multimodal assessment and management of chemothorax

Dislocation or wrong placement of central venous catheters into the pleural cavity is rare, but if undiagnosed, may cause major, sometimes life-threatening, complications (pneumothorax, hemothorax, infection, and migration) and accidental pleural effusion due to intravenous injection of fluids containing drugs (i.e. chemotherapy, antibiotics, parenteral nutrition, other). We report a rare case of pleural effusion consisting of chemotherapy (chemothorax) directly injected into the pleural cavity due to the wrong placement of a central venous catheter (Porth-A-Cath) in a woman with breast cancer. A multidisciplinary management consisting of antidote administration, followed by removal of the venous device and washing of the pleural cavity through video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), avoided any major complication related to the adverse event.

Case Report: Inferior Bilobectomy for Lung Cancer to Allow Weaning From Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

In recent years, veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) has allowed complex lung and airways resections in patients with a compromised perioperative respiratory function. In the following report, we present a case of successful weaning from V-V ECMO in a patient who underwent an inferior bilobectomy for lung cancer.

A unique case of a typical carcinoid of the middle mediastinum: en bloc surgical resection on cardiopulmonary bypass

We report a unique case of a 67-year-old man with a typical carcinoid of the middle mediastinum that adhered tightly to the pericardium, the posterior part of the ascending aorta and the pulmonary trunk, that was radically resected with the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass by clamping, sectioning and suturing the ascending aorta.

Multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing digital and traditional chest drain in a VATS pulmonary lobectomy cohort: interim analysis

Background

The usefulness of digital chest drain is still debated. We are carrying out a study to determine if the use of a digital system compared with a traditional system reduces the duration of chest drainage. To evaluate safety, benefit, or futility of this trial we planned the current interim analysis.

Methods

An interim analysis on preliminary data from ongoing investigator-initiated, multicenter, interventional, prospective randomized trial. Original protocol number: (NCT03536130). The interim main endpoint was overall complications; secondary endpoints were the concordance between the two primary endpoints of the RCT (chest tube duration and length of hospital stay). We planned the interim analysis when half of the patients have been randomised and completed the study. Data were described using mean and standard deviation or absolute frequencies and percentage. T-test for unpaired samples, Chi-square test, Poisson regression and absolute standardized mean difference (ASMD) were used. P-value < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

From April 2017 to November 2018, out of 317 patients enrolled by 3 centers, 231 fulfilled inclusion criteria and were randomized. Twenty-two of them dropped out after randomization. Finally, 209 patients were analyzed: among them 94 used the digital device and 115 the traditional one. The overall postoperative complications were 35 (16.8%) including prolonged air leak (1.9%). Mean chest tube duration was 3.6 days (SD = 1.8), with no differences between two groups (p = 0.203). The overall difference between hospital stay and chest tube duration was 1.4 days (SD = 1.4). Air leak at first postoperative day detected by digital and traditional devices predicted increasing in tube duration of 1.6 day (CI 95% 0.8–2.5, p < 0.001) and 2.0 days (CI 95% 1.0–3.1, p < 0.001), respectively.

Conclusions

This interim analysis supported the authors’ will to continue with the enrollment and to analyze data once the estimated sample size will be reached.

Trial registration

Trial registration number NCT03536130, Registered 24 May 2018 - Retrospectively registered.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13019-021-01567-y.

Pulmonary Sclerosing Pneumocytoma: A Pre and Intraoperative Diagnostic Challenge. Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

Pulmonary sclerosing pneumocytoma is a rare benign pulmonary tumor of primitive epithelial origin. Because of the unspecific radiological features mimicking malignancies and its histological heterogeneity, the differential diagnosis with adenocarcinoma and carcinoid tumors is still challenging. We report our experience of two cases of sclerosing pneumocytoma, as well as a review of the literature. Immunohistochemical findings showed intense staining of the cuboidal epithelial cells for cytokeratin-pool and TTF-1, with focal positivity for progesterone receptors. Round and spindle cells expressed positivity for vimentin, TTF-1 and focally for the progesterone receptor. Cytologic diagnosis of pulmonary pneumocytoma requires the identification of its dual cell population, made up of abundant stromal cells and fewer surface cells. Since the pre- and intraoperative diagnosis should guide surgical decision making, obtaining a sufficient specimen size to find representative material in the cell block is of paramount importance.

Rare gastrointestinal metastases from primary lung cancer. Two case reports of patients managed with emergency surgery

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer represents the second leading cause of death in US and the high mortality rate could be related to the diagnosis, usually, performed in an advanced metastatic stage. Gastrointestinal metastases from non-small cell lung cancer, are extremely rare and only few cases complicated by digestive haemorrhage and/or perforation have been reported in literature.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We report two cases of gastrointestinal metastases and their rare clinical onset with haemorrhage and perforation of the digestive tract. Both patients were admitted in an emergency setting. The first case was a 59-year-old man complained of abdominal pain and massive gastrointestinal haemorrhage. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed an ulcerated gastric mass and an emergency CT-scans showed a right lung mass with biopsy conclusive for a large cell lung cancer. The second case was a 62-year-old man with abdominal pain and shock due to gastrointestinal bleeding. He was submitted to an emergency CT-scan showing two lung nodules (1.0 and 3.5 cm of diameter) as well as widespread metastases, intraperitoneal free air and fluids.

RESULTS

Both patients were surgical managed in emergency and pathology revealed the metastatic origin from an unknown large-cell lung cancer and a rare lung adenocarcinoma in the second one.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the rare clinical condition, in patients with a diagnosis of lung cancer managed in emergency for gastrointestinal complication, gastrointestinal metastases should be taken into account, and referred to the primary disease in order to tailor the best approach.

KEY WORDS

Gastrointestinal metastases, Lung cancer, Tailored surgery.

Resectable IIIA-N2 Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): In Search for the Proper Treatment

Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer accounts for one third of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the time of initial diagnosis and presents with a wide range of clinical and pathological heterogeneity. To date, the combined multimodality approach involving both local and systemic control is the gold standard for these patients, since occult distant micrometastatic disease should always be suspected. With the rapid increase in treatment options, the need for an interdisciplinary discussion involving oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists and radiologists has become essential. Surgery should be recommended to patients with non-bulky, discrete, or single-level N2 involvement and be included in the multimodality treatment. Resectable stage IIIA patients have been the subject of a number of clinical trials and retrospective analysis, discussing the efficiency and survival benefits on patients treated with the available therapeutic approaches. However, most of them have some limitations due to their retrospective nature, lack of exact pretreatment staging, and the involvement of heterogeneous populations leading to the awareness that each patient should undergo a tailored therapy in light of the nature of his tumor, its extension and his performance status.

Bubbles-in-the-chamber vs digital screen in chest drainage: A blind analysis of compared postoperative air leaks evaluation

BACKGROUND

Chest drainage systems are affected by intra and inter-observer variability and poor sensibility in detecting minimal or apparent air leaks.

OBJECTIVES

Overcome intra and inter-observer variability in detecting air leaks.

METHODS

After surgery, a single apical chest tube was connected to the Drentech™ PalmEVO device and air leaks were checked twice a day by observation of both bubbles-in-the-chamber and digital data.

RESULTS

On a total of 624 observations, disagreement between digital and traditional systems was recorded in 60(9.6%) cases. In 25(21.4%) patients, a disagreement was recorded. Overall, the digital evaluation influenced clinical management in 13(52%). In 10(40%) patients with temporary discordant features, the presence of high pleural fluid output led to a progressive final concordance.

CONCLUSIONS

Disagreement between traditional and digital systems in checking air leaks is not negligible. Digital systems could give advantages in making an objective assessment of air leaks, standardizing the timing of chest tube removal.

How to identify intersegmental planes in performing sublobar anatomical resections

Pulmonary segmentectomy is a common surgical procedure in thoracic surgery nowadays. Though this technique helps preventing postoperative pulmonary function loss, potential challenges are the management of air leaks and the difficulty of palpating ground-glass components during surgery, as well as how to deal with the intersegmental planes. Several techniques have been proposed for the identification and treatment of the intersegmental planes during sublobar anatomical resections: this review focuses on preoperative planning and workup and intraoperative strategies. Three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography (3D-CTBA), virtual-assisted mapping (VAL-MAP) using bronchoscopy multi-spot dye marking and three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) are preoperative tools that may facilitate the planning of operation. Inflation-deflation techniques, infrared-fluorescence-enhanced method combined with bronchial and intravenous injection of indocyanine green (ICG) and near-infrared fluorescence (NIF) mapping with ICG have been described as intraoperative strategies to identify the intersegmental plane. The treatment and section of the intersegmental planes is mainly accomplished by stapler and electrocautery or energy devices. The use of staplers reduces postoperative air leaks, bleeding risks and operative time but seems to reduce preserved lung volume, compromising adjacent lung expansion; in addition, higher costs and sometimes non-adequate oncological margins, being a non-anatomical technique have been described. The electrocautery and energy devices allow for a more anatomical and precise dissection maintaining safe oncological margins, with a better lung expansion and so an increased postoperative lung function. Time consuming procedure and frequent requirement of aero-haemostatic tools to treat air and blood leaks are the main drawbacks. In conclusion, there are several methods to identify and treat the intersegmental planes but there are no significant differences between the different tools, therefore the use of one technique rather than another depends overall on surgeon's preference and the location of the segment.

Sternochondral replacement: use of cadaveric allograft for the reconstruction of anterior chest wall

Background

Sternum may be involved by different diseases such as trauma, infection after cardiac surgery, tumors (primary and secondary) or chest wall deformities. Surgical excision with a safety margin is the primary goal after sternal resection for tumors, prevention of respiratory impairment due to flail chest and deformity and protection of surrounding organs are other important aims. Various techniques and materials have been used for this operation. We describe the use of cadaveric sternal allograft to reconstruct the chest wall in fourteen patients.

Methods

Between October 2008 and February 2017, five males and nine females underwent surgical procedure because of primary sternal neoplasm, single-site metastatic disease, neuroendocrine thymic carcinoma and sternal dehiscence after cardiac surgery.

Results

Fourteen sternectomy were undertaken. A muscle flap of pectoralis major was prepared to cover the graft in 9 patients. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy were performed after surgery in three patients. No postoperative complications happened in 11 cases (84.6%). One (7.1%) patient died 9 days after surgery because of pulmonary embolism. Two patients (15.4%) had complications: one presented fever caused by systemic candidiasis and one had a muscle flap bleeding. Hospitalization median time was 11 days (range, 6-31 days). At follow up, 7 patients were alive in absence of disease, 1 patient is alive with recurrence, 6 patients died but nor infection neither rejection of the graft happened. No respiratory impairment or flail chest were registered in any patients.

Conclusions

This technique for sternal replacement in our experience can be considered safe with long term results, providing optimal chest wall stability. The allograft resulted well-tolerated permitting an optimal graft integration in the host.

Multicenter randomized study on the comparison between electronic and traditional chest drainage systems

Background

In patients submitted to major pulmonary resection, the postoperative length of stay is mainly influenced by the duration of air leaks and chest tube removal. The measurement of air leaks largely relies on traditional chest drainage systems which are prone to subjective interpretation. Difficulty in differentiating between active air leaks and bubbles due to a pleural space effect may also lead to tentative drain clamping and prolonged time for chest drain removal. New digital systems allow continuous monitoring of air leaks, identifying subtle leakage that may be not visible during daily patient evaluation. Moreover, an objective assessment of air leaks may lead to a reduced interobserver variability and to an optimized timing for chest tube removal.

Methods

This study is a prospective randomized, interventional, multicenter trial designed to compare an electronic chest drainage system (Drentech™ Palm Evo) with a traditional system (Drentech™ Compact) in a cohort of patients undergoing pulmonary lobectomy through a standard three-port video-assisted thoracic surgery approach for both benign and malignant disease. The study will enroll 382 patients in three Italian centers. The duration of chest drainage and the length of hospital stay will be evaluated in the two groups. Moreover, the study will evaluate whether the use of a digital chest system compared with a traditional system reduces the interobserver variability. Finally, it will evaluate whether the digital drain system may help in distinguishing an active air leak from a pleural space effect, by the digital assessment of intrapleural differential pressure, and in identifying potential predictors of prolonged air leaks.

Discussion

To date, few studies have been performed to evaluate the clinical impact of digital drainage systems. The proposed prospective randomized trial will provide new knowledge to this research area by investigating and comparing the difference between digital and traditional chest drain systems. In particular, the objectives of this project are to evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of digital chest drainages and to provide new tools to identify patients at higher risk of developing prolonged air leaks.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03536130. Retrospectively registered on 24 May 2018.

Control angiography for perioperative myocardial Ischemia after coronary surgery: meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Perioperative myocardial ischemia (PMI) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with poor outcome. The aim of this study was to pool the available data on the outcome after control angiography and repeat revascularization in patients with perioperative myocardial ischemia (PMI) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODS

A literature review was performed through PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar to identify studies published since 1990 evaluating the outcome of PMI after CABG.

RESULTS

Nine studies included 1104 patients with PMI after CABG and 1056 of them underwent control angiography early after CABG. Pooled early mortality after reoperation for PMI without control angiography was 43.6% (95%CI 29.7-57.6%) and 79.8% of them (95%CI 64.4-95.2%) had an acute graft failure detected at reoperation. Among patients who underwent control angiography for PMI, 31.7% had a negative finding at angiography (95%CI 25.6-37.8%) and 62.1% had an acute graft failure (95%CI 56.6-67.6%). Repeat revascularization was performed after early control angiography in 46.3% of patients (95%CI 39.9-52.6%; 54.2% underwent repeat surgical revascularization; 45.8% underwent percutaneous coronary intervention). Pooled early mortality after control angiography with or without repeat revascularization was 8.9% (95%CI 6.7-11.1%). Three studies reported on early mortality rates which did not differ between repeat surgical revascularization and PCI (11.7% vs. 9.2%, respectively; risk ratio 1.45, 95%CI 0.67-3.11). In these three series, early mortality after conservative treatment was 5.9% (95%CI 3.6-8.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

Control angiography seems to be a valid life-saving strategy to guide repeat revascularization in hemodynamically stable patients suffering PMI after CABG.

Meta-analysis of the Sources of Bleeding after Adult Cardiac Surgery

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to pool data on the proportion and prognostic impact of sources of bleeding in patients requiring re-exploration after adult cardiac surgery.

DESIGN

Systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis.

SETTING

Multistitutional study.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A literature review was performed to identify studies published since 1990 evaluating the outcome after reoperation for bleeding or tamponade after adult cardiac surgery. Eighteen studies including 5,1497 patients fulfilled the selection criteria. Reoperation for bleeding/tamponade was performed in 2,455 patients (4.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.9%-5.2%, I² 92%). These had a significantly higher risk of in-hospital/30-day mortality compared with patients not reoperated for bleeding (pooled rates: 9.3% v 2.3%; risk ratio 3.30; 95% CI 2.52-4.32; I² 47%; 8 studies; 25,463 patients). Surgical sites of bleeding were identified in 65.7% of cases (95% CI 58.3%-73.2%; I² 94%), cardiac site bleeding in 40.9% of cases (95% CI 29.7%-52.0%; I² 94%), and mediastinal/sternum site bleeding in 27.0% of cases (95% CI 16.8%-37.3%; I² 94%). The main sites of bleeding were the body of the graft (20.2%), the sternum (17.0%), vascular sutures (12.5%), the internal mammary artery harvest site (13.0%), and anastomoses (9.9%). In metaregression, surgical site bleeding was associated with a lower risk of in-hospital/30-day mortality compared with diffuse bleeding (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical site bleeding is identified in two-thirds of patients undergoing re-exploration after adult cardiac surgery. Meticulous surgical technique and systematic intraoperative checking of potential surgical sites of bleeding at the time of the original cardiac surgery may reduce the risk of such a severe complication.

Prediction of severe bleeding after coronary surgery: the WILL-BLEED Risk Score

Severe perioperative bleeding after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with poor outcome. An additive score for prediction of severe bleeding was derived (n=2494) and validated (n=1250) in patients from the E-CABG registry. Severe bleeding was defined as E-CABG bleeding grades 2–3 (transfusion of >4 units of red blood cells or reoperation for bleeding). The overall incidence of severe bleeding was 6.4 %. Preoperative anaemia (3 points), female gender (2 points), eGFR <45 ml/min/1.73 m2 (3 points), potent antiplatelet drugs discontinued less than five days (2 points), critical preoperative state (5 points), acute coronary syndrome (2 points), use of low-molecular-weight heparin/fondaparinux/unfractionated heparin (1 point) were independent predictors of severe bleeding. The WILL-BLEED score was associated with increasing rates of severe bleeding in both the derivation and validation cohorts (scores 0–3: 2.9 % vs 3.4 %; scores 4–6: 6.8 % vs 7.5 %; scores>6: 24.6 % vs 24.2 %, both p<0.0001). The WILL-BLEED score had a better discriminatory ability (AUC 0.725) for prediction of severe bleeding compared to the ACTION (AUC 0.671), CRUSADE (AUC 0.642), Papworth (AUC 0.605), TRUST (AUC 0.660) and TRACK (AUC 0.640) bleeding scores. The net reclassification index and integrated discrimination improvement using the WILL-BLEED score as opposed to the other bleeding scores were significant (p<0.0001). The decision curve analysis demonstrated a net benefit with the WILL-BLEED score compared to the other bleeding scores. In conclusion, the WILL-BLEED risk score is a simple risk stratification method which allows the identification of patients at high risk of severe bleeding after CABG.

Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02319083 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02319083)

The impact of minor blood transfusion on the outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting

PURPOSE

To investigate the impact of minor perioperative bleeding requiring transfusion of 1-2 red blood cell (RBC) units on the outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODS

Sixteen cardiac surgical centers contributed to the prospective European CABG registry (E-CABG). 1014 patients receiving 1-2 RBC units during or after isolated CABG were compared to 2264 patients not receiving RBCs.

RESULTS

In 827 propensity score matched pairs, transfusion of 1-2 RBC units did not affect the risk of in-hospital/30-day death (p=0.523) or stroke (p=0.804). However, RBC transfusion was associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury (p=0.008), sternal wound infection (p=0.001), postoperative use of antibiotics (p=0.001), prolonged use of inotropes (p<0.0001), use of intra-aortic balloon pump (p=0.012), length of intensive care unit stay (p<0.0001) and length of in-hospital stay (p<0.0001). Matched paired analysis excluding pre- and postoperative critical hemodynamic conditions showed that RBC transfusion was associated with an increased risk of major complications except in-hospital/30-day death.

CONCLUSION

Minor perioperative bleeding and subsequent transfusion of 1-2 RBC units did not affect the risk of early death, but increased the risk of other major adverse events. Minimizing perioperative bleeding and prevention of even low-volume RBC transfusion may improve the outcome after CABG.