Early deaths among severely injured children are mainly due to exsanguination and severe traumatic brain injury, some of which may be preventable with timely emergency interventions. However, data on potentially reversible causes of death and the role of advanced prehospital procedures in paediatric trauma are scarce. This study aims to assess post-mortem findings to identify cases where advanced emergency interventions could have been applicable in children. This retrospective, single-centre study analysed forensic files of deceased children and adolescents (age < 18 years) regarding the potential benefit of advanced emergency procedures (e.g. prehospital transfusion, thoracotomy and resuscitative endovascular ballon occlusion of the aorta [REBOA]). Three independent reviewers systematically assessed each case to determine whether a potentially reversible cause of death was present and if advanced emergency interventions might have been applicable. A total of 243 paediatric cases were included. The majority of deaths occurred prehospitally (91.6

Mit der steigenden Zahl Erwachsener mit angeborenen Herzfehlern (EMAH) in Deutschland nimmt auch die Zahl schwangerer EMAH-Patientinnen zu, was anästhesiologische und geburtshilfliche Teams zunehmend vor komplexe Herausforderungen stellt. Diese Studie untersucht anästhesiologische Managementstrategien und postoperative Versorgungsanforderungen bei EMAH-Patientinnen, die in einem tertiären Versorgungszentrum behandelt wurden. Diese retrospektive monozentrische Studie umfasste EMAH-Patientinnen, die zwischen 2004 und 2023 eine Anästhesie für eine Entbindung, einen Kaiserschnitt oder eine geburtshilfliche Operation erhielten. Es erfolgte ein 1:2-Matching auf ausgewählte klinische Basisvariablen mit geburtshilflichen Patientinnen ohne angeborenen Herzfehler zur deskriptiven Einordnung. Insgesamt wurden 391 Fälle in die Studie eingeschlossen, davon 131 EMAH-Fälle und 260 Fälle der Vergleichsgruppe (VG) (mWHO I: 44,2

Introduction The perioperative management of patients undergoing major surgical interventions is a dynamic field, continually striving for advancements in quality, reduction of complications, and cost-effectiveness. The implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways has demonstrated remarkable success in various surgical disciplines, particularly in colorectal procedures. This study investigates whether the implementation of an ERAS protocol for radical cystectomy for bladder cancer at our institution results in a reduced complication rate compared to traditional standards.DRKS00035673 (retrospective) on 13th December 2024. Methods This prospective observational case-control pilot study was conducted at the University Hospital Giessen, Germany. Following ethics committee approval, 30 patients were enrolled: 15 patients received perioperative management based on prevailing standard operating procedures, and the subsequent 15 patients were managed according to the newly developed ERAS protocol. The multidisciplinary team included urologists, anaesthesiologists, nursing staff, ICU staff, pharmacists, physiotherapists, dietitians, and administrative staff. Key components of the ERAS protocol included optimized pain management, early nutrition, thrombosis prophylaxis, intraoperative goal directed therapy and early mobilization. The primary outcome was the complication rate until the 30th postoperative day, while secondary outcomes included ICU and hospital mortality, length of stay, and quality of life assessed by the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire. Results Thirty patients were included in the final analysis. Patients in the control group underwent radical cystectomy between September 2018 and December 2019, and those in the ERAS group between July 2020 and March 2021. There were no significant differences in basic characteristics between the groups. The primary outcome showed numeric but no statistically significant difference in complication rates (86.7% in the control group vs. 60% in the ERAS group, p=0.21). However, the cumulative POMS score was significantly higher in the control group (7.87 vs. 2.87, p<0.01), and the Clavien-Dindo score was significantly lower in the ERAS group (p=0.02). Quality of life was significantly improved in the ERAS group on the 7th and 30th postoperative day. Conclusion Our pilot study suggests feasibility of ERAS implementation in radical cystectomy. The primary endpoint (overall complication rate) did not differ significantly between groups; however, ERAS was associated with lower complication severity and improved early postoperative quality of life, which should be interpreted as exploratory given the small, non-randomised sequential design. Larger multicentre prospective implementation studies are warranted to confirm these findings and to evaluate the influence of protocol adherence and individual ERAS elements. Trial registration DRKS00035673 (retrospective) on 13th December 2024

INTRODUCTION:The number of pregnant women with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is increasing, posing growing challenges for obstetric anaesthesia. This study analysed anaesthetic strategies and postoperative care in ACHD patients treated at a tertiary care centre. METHODS:This retrospective single-centre study included ACHD patients who received anaesthesia for delivery, caesarean section or obstetric surgery between 2004 and 2023. A comparison group of obstetric patients without congenital heart disease was selected based on baseline characteristics. RESULTS:A total of 391 cases were included (131 ACHD, 260 comparison group). Most patients were classified as mWHO I (44.2%) or II (23.8%), with 20.5% mWHO II-III and 11.5% mWHO III and IV. Spinal and epidural anaesthesia were used more frequently in lower mWHO classes (p = 0.017). All mWHO IV patients required general anaesthesia provided by ACHD-experienced anaesthetists. ACHD patients more frequently required postoperative ICU or IMCU care (6.6% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.02; 13.9% vs. 3.7%, p < 0.001). Anaesthesiologic complication rates were low in both groups. CONCLUSION:Obstetric anaesthesia was feasible with low complication rates, even in severe ACHD, when management was individualised and interdisciplinary. All anaesthetic procedures proved to be feasible when adapted to the risk profile.

Abstract Background By exceeding planetary environmental boundaries, multiple global crises have become imminent in the 21st century. The healthcare system is a contributor to the climate crisis, accounting for approximately 5% of greenhouse gas emissions in Western countries. In anaesthetic clinics, desflurane, a highly potent greenhouse gas and volatile anaesthetic with no compelling indications, accounts for up to two thirds of total emissions. Its use can be drastically reduced using simple measures. In the present study, we investigated whether a relevant and timely reduction in use could be achieved by dismounting desflurane vaporisers and providing information to the team without restricting its use. Methods The study was conducted in a German university hospital with approximately 1250 beds, over a 12-month period between 2021 and 2022, with a comparison to the corresponding periods of the previous years up to 2017. The interventions were, first, the removal of desflurane vaporisers, and second, staff education on the climate impact of volatile anaesthetics. The primary outcome variable was the reduction of hypnotic-related emissions in CO2 equivalents per anaesthetic procedure. Results Prospective data collection and interventions were conducted from 28 March 2021 to 27 March 2022. The amount of CO2 equivalent emissions per procedure in the form of volatile anaesthetics was reduced by 86% compared with the year before the interventions (p < 0.001). Interestingly, there was already a 52.1% reduction in the year before the procedure (p < 0.001). There were no significant changes in the use of sevoflurane or propofol. Hypnotic-related costs decreased by €14,549, whereas extubation time did not change significantly. Conclusions Removal of desflurane vaporisers and staff training can quickly and significantly reduce the emissions of an anaesthesia department in a large German teaching hospital. This may also reduce the costs. Trial registration The trial was registered with the German Clinical Trials Register, identifier DRKS00024973 on 12/04/2021.

STUDY OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to investigate whether goal-directed treatment using artificial intelligence, compared to standard care, can reduce the frequency, duration, and severity of intraoperative hypotension in patients undergoing single lung ventilation, with a potential reduction of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). DESIGN:single center, single-blinded randomized controlled trial. SETTING:University hospital operating room. PATIENTS:150 patients undergoing lung surgery with single lung ventilation were included. INTERVENTIONS:Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: the Intervention group, where a goal-directed therapy based on the Hypotension Prediction Index (HPI) was implemented; the Control group, without a specific hemodynamic protocol. MEASUREMENTS:The primary outcome measures include the frequency, duration of intraoperative hypotension, furthermore the Area under MAP 65 and the time-weighted average (TWA) of MAP of 65. Other outcome parameters are the incidence of AKI and myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS). MAIN RESULTS:The number of hypotensive episodes was lower in the intervention group compared to the control group (0 [0-1] vs. 1 [0-2]; p = 0.01), the duration of hypotension was shorter in the intervention group (0 min [0-3.17] vs. 2.33 min [0-7.42]; p = 0.01). The area under the MAP of 65 (0 mmHg * min [0-12] vs. 10.67 mmHg * min [0-44.16]; p < 0.01) and the TWA of MAP of 65 (0 mmHg [0-0.08] vs. 0.07 mmHg [0-0.25]; p < 0.01) were lower in the intervention group. The incidence of postoperative AKI showed no differences between the groups (6.7 % vs.4.2 %; p = 0.72). There was a trend to lower incidence of MINS in the intervention group (17.1 % vs. 31.8 %; p = 0.07). A tendency towards reduced postoperative infection was seen in the intervention group (16.0 % vs. 26.8 %; p = 0.16). CONCLUSIONS:The implementation of a treatment algorithm based on HPI allowed us to decrease the duration and severity of hypotension in patients undergoing lung surgery. It did not result in a significant reduction in the incidence of AKI, however we observed a tendency towards lower incidence of MINS in the intervention group, along with a slight reduction in postoperative infections.

Intraoperative hypotension (IOH) during non-cardiac surgery is associated with increased risk of postoperative complications, including acute kidney injury, myocardial injury, stroke, and mortality. Artificial intelligence-based predictive hemodynamic monitoring using the Hypotension Prediction Index (HPI), combined with goal-directed therapy (GDT), has been proposed to reduce IOH. However, its effectiveness in major maxillofacial and otolaryngologic surgery remains unclear. The purpose of the study was to assess whether HPI-guided management or classical GDT reduces IOH compared to standard care in patients undergoing major maxillofacial and otolaryngologic surgery. In this randomized controlled pilot trial at a university hospital, 75 patients were allocated to one of three groups: control (n = 25), HPI-guided GDT (n = 25), or classical GDT without HPI (n = 25). In the control group, the advanced hemodynamic monitoring was blinded to the anesthesiologist. IOH was defined as mean arterial pressure (MAP) < 65 mmHg for > 1 min. Primary endpoints were the number and total duration of IOH episodes. Secondary endpoints included the time-weighted average MAP < 65 mmHg (TWA65) and postoperative complications. Seventy-four patients were analyzed. The HPI group showed significantly fewer IOH episodes (median 3.0 vs. 7.0; p = 0.02) and shorter IOH duration (7.0 min vs. 46.0 min; p < 0.01) compared to control. No significant difference was observed between the classical GDT and control groups. Secondary outcomes were comparable across all groups. HPI-guided hemodynamic management significantly reduces the frequency and duration of IOH in major head and neck surgery. Larger studies are needed to evaluate effects on clinical outcomes. The trial was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04151264) on 14th October 2019.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) displays a common complication after cardiac surgery and must be diagnosed as early as possible. Soluble delta-like protein 1 (sDLL1) was originally evaluated as a sepsis biomarker but might also indicate other adverse outcomes. This study aims to investigate sDLL1 levels, examining its potential relationship with AKI and postoperative delirium (POD) after cardiac surgery and its predictive value. This secondary analysis of a prospective observational trial included elective cardiac surgery patients. ELISA was used for the quantification of sDLL1. Statistical analysis involved repeated measures ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation to assess associations between sDLL1 levels, renal, and inflammatory parameters. Receiver operating curves were used for prediction analysis. Ninety patients were included in the study. Compared to patients without AKI, those with AKI (6.1

Intraoperative hypotension (IOH) is a common complication in non-cardiac surgeries, with significant impacts on postoperative outcomes such as acute kidney injury (AKI), myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS), and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (delirium). Traditional non-invasive blood pressure monitoring often results in blind gaps through the discontinuous measurement, potentially missing critical hypotensive events. This study investigates the efficacy of a non-invasive, continuous AI-supported technology using the Hypotension Prediction Index (HPI) system, designed to predict and mitigate IOH, in reducing the incidence and severity of IOH and related complications in major orthopedic and trauma surgeries. This monocentric, randomized, prospective interventional trial will be conducted at the University Hospital Giessen. The study will include patients aged 45 years and older undergoing major orthopedic or trauma surgeries. Participants will be randomized into two groups: an intervention group receiving hemodynamic management using the ClearSight system in combination with a HPI-based treatment algorithm and a control group receiving standard care. The patients from the standard group also receive continuous cardiac output monitoring; however, this will be blinded to the anesthesiologist, to ensure the comparability of the measured hemodynamic parameters. The primary endpoint is the incidence, duration and severity of IOH, which is defined as MAP < 65 mmHg for at least one minute and which is calculated as the area under MAP < 65 mmHg and the time-weighted average (TWA) of MAP < 65 mmHg. Secondary endpoints include the occurrence of postoperative AKI (measured by KDIGO criteria), MINS (measured by high-sensitivity troponin I assays), and postoperative delirium. The study aims to recruit 150 patients, accounting for potential dropouts, to provide sufficient power to detect differences in the primary and secondary endpoints. This study aims to demonstrate improved intraoperative hemodynamic stability, with a reduction of hypotension and a reduced incidence of postoperative complications, potentially setting a new standard for non-invasive continuous monitoring in orthopedic and trauma patients. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06291714. Registered on 4 March 2024.

Background: Minimized extracorporeal circulation (miECC) was developed to mitigate the adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), yet its impact on soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is unclear. SuPAR has been linked to adverse outcomes, including acute kidney injury (AKI). This study investigated perioperative suPAR kinetics in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with miECC or conventional CPB (cCPB) and explored its association with AKI, postoperative delirium (POD), and infections. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of an observational cohort of 79 cardiac surgical patients. It evaluates perioperative suPAR levels and their association with the type of CPB used (miECC vs. cCPB) and postoperative adverse outcomes, including POD, AKI, and infections. Statistical analyses included repeated measures ANOVA, Wilcoxon tests, logistic regression, and ROC curve analysis to assess the predictive value of suPAR for these outcomes. Results: During surgery, suPAR significantly increased to higher levels with the use of cCPB compared to miECC (p = 0.027; odds ratio of 0.69 [0.57–0.84], p < 0.001). The use of miECC was an independent influencing factor on suPAR (−0.41 ± 0.1; p < 0.001). Regardless of the type of CPB, suPAR levels differed significantly between patients with and without kidney damage (n = 25; no AKI: 1.6 [1.1–2.0], AKI: 1.7 [1.3–2.4], p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that AKI was an independent influencing factor on suPAR (−0.49 ± 0.1; p < 0.001). SuPAR demonstrated only low predictive value for AKI and could not predict POD. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that miECC is associated with lower intraoperative suPAR levels, suggesting a reduced inflammatory response compared to cCPB. While suPAR levels were significantly higher in patients with AKI, their predictive value for AKI remains limited. Furthermore, suPAR did not predict POD but was elevated in patients with pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION:The prehospital care of injured children is challenging. Immobilization and pharmacological pain management are in the foreground; however, the expectations of pediatric surgeons and trauma surgeons regarding emergency medical services and emergency physicians can vary. This study aims to identify similarities and differences. METHODS:In this study 186 members of the Pediatric Traumatology Section of the German Society for Trauma Surgery were surveyed on the necessity of 9 emergency medical interventions using 10 routine case studies. RESULTS:A total of 26 pediatric surgeons and 31 trauma surgeons provided their assessments. There were significant differences in assessment regarding the use of pharmacological pain management, the need for neurological assessment and reduction maneuvers with analgesia. There was high agreement regarding immobilization of the injured body region, the establishment of an intravenous approach and sterile closure of open fractures. DISCUSSION:Pediatric traumatologists with trauma surgery and pediatric surgery training have different priorities in their requirements for the prehospital care of injured children. Joint interdisciplinary recommendations for action should be formulated to provide widely accepted guidelines for emergency medical personnel, who often do not specialize in pediatric traumatology.

Background: Intraoperative hypotension is associated with acute kidney injury (AKI). Clinicians thus frequently use vasopressors, such as norepinephrine, to maintain blood pressure. However, vasopressors themselves might promote AKI. We sought to determine whether both intraoperative hypotension and cumulative intraoperative norepinephrine dose are independently associated with postoperative AKI in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of 38 338 adult male and female patients who had noncardiac surgery. The primary outcome was AKI within the first 7 postoperative days. We performed adjusted multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine whether intraoperative hypotension (quantified as area under a mean arterial pressure [MAP] of 65 mm Hg) and cumulative intraoperative norepinephrine dose were independently associated with AKI. Results: The median (25th percentile, 75th percentile) area under a MAP of 65 mm Hg was 0.09 (0.02, 0.22) mm Hg & lowast;day in patients with AKI and 0.05 (0.01, 0.14) mm Hg & lowast;day in patients without AKI (P<0.001). The cumulative intraoperative norepinephrine dose was 1.92 (0.00, 13.09) mu g kg(-1) in patients with AKI and 0.00 (0.00, 0.00) mu g kg(-1) in patients without AKI (P<0.001). Both the area under a MAP of 65 mm Hg (odds ratio 1.55 [95% confidence interval 1.17-2.02] per mm Hg & lowast;day; P=0.002) and the cumulative intraoperative norepinephrine dose (odds ratio 1.02 [95% confidence interval 1.01-1.02] per mu g kg(-1); P<0.001) were independently associated with AKI. Conclusions: Both intraoperative hypotension and cumulative intraoperative norepinephrine dose were independently associated with postoperative AKI in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. Pending results of trials testing whether these relationships are causal, it seems prudent to avoid both profound hypotension and high norepinephrine doses in adults undergoing noncardiac surgery.

BackgroundNucleated red blood cells (nRBC) are precursor cells of the erythropoiesis that are absent from the peripheral blood under physiological conditions. Their presence is associated with adverse outcomes in critically ill patients. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of nRBC on mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).Material and methodsThis retrospective, observational cohort study analyzed data on 206 ICU patients diagnosed with COVID-19 ARDS between March 2020 and March 2022. The primary endpoint was ICU mortality, and secondary endpoints included ICU and hospital stay lengths, ventilation hours, and the time courses of disease severity scores and clinical and laboratory parameters.ResultsAmong the included patients, 68.9% tested positive for nRBC at least once during their ICU stay. A maximum nRBC of 105 µl-1 had the highest accuracy in predicting ICU mortality (area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic [AUCROC] 0.780, p < 0.001, sensitivity 69.0%, specificity 75.5%). Mortality was significantly higher among patients with nRBC >105 µl-1 than ≤105 µl-1 (86.5% vs. 51.3%, p = 0.008). Compared to patients negative for nRBC in their peripheral blood, those positive for nRBC required longer mechanical ventilation (127 [44 - 289] h vs. 517 [255 - 950] h, p < 0.001), ICU stays (12 [8 – 19] vs. 27 [13 – 51] d, p < 0.001), and hospital stays (19 [12 - 29] d vs. 31 [16 - 58] d, p < 0.001). Peak Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Simplified Acute Physiology Score, PaO2/FiO2, interleukin-6, and procalcitonin values were reached before the peak nRBC level. However, the predictive performance of the SOFA (AUCROC 0.842, p < 0.001) was considerably improved when a maximum SOFA score >8 and nRBC >105 µl-1 were combined.DiscussionnRBC predict ICU mortality and indicate disease severity among patients with COVID-19 ARDS, and they should be considered a clinical alarm signal for a worse outcome. nRBC are a late predictor of ICU mortality compared to other established clinical scoring systems and laboratory parameters but improve the prediction accuracy when combined with the SOFA score.

Objectives: Data regarding the occurrence of complications specifically during pediatric anesthesia for endoscopic procedures is limited. By evaluating such data, factors could be identified to assure proper staffing and preparation to minimize adverse events and improve patient safety during flexible endoscopy. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included children undergoing anesthesia for gastroscopy, colonoscopy, bronchoscopy, or combined endoscopic procedures over 10-year period. The primary study aim was to evaluate the incidence of complications and identify risk factors for adverse events. Results: Overall, 2064 endoscopic procedures including 1356 gastroscopies (65.7%), 93 colonoscopies (4.5%), 235 bronchoscopies (11.4%), and 380 combined procedures (18.4%) were performed. Of the 1613 patients, 151 (7.3%) patients exhibited an adverse event, with respiratory complications being the most common (65 [3.1%]). Combination of gastrointestinal endoscopies did not lead to an increased adverse event rate (gastroscopy: 5.5%, colonoscopy: 3.2%). Diagnostic endoscopy as compared to interventional had a lower rate. If bronchoscopy was performed, the rate was similar to that of bronchoscopy alone (19.5% vs. 20.4%). Age < 5.8 years or body weight less than 20 kg, bronchoscopy, American Society of Anesthesiologists status >= 2 or pre-existing anesthesia-relevant diseases, and urgency of the procedure were independent risk factors for adverse events. For each risk factor, the risk for events increased 2.1-fold [1.8-2.4]. Conclusions: This study identifies multiple factors that increase the rate of adverse events associated anesthesia-based endoscopy. Combined gastrointestinal procedures did not increase the risk for adverse events while combination of bronchoscopy to gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a similar risk as bronchoscopy alone.

IntroductionPostoperative delirium (POD) after cardiac surgery significantly affects the perioperative morbidity and mortality. Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is an enzyme primarily produced in the liver, which plays a crucial role in the hydrolysis of acetylcholine outside of neuronal synapses, referred to as extraneuronal hydrolysis. The integration of BChE activity into the cardiac delirium (CARDEL) index might increase its predictive power for identifying POD after cardiac surgery. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to assess the applicability of the CARDEL index and determine whether integrating the BChE activity enables optimization of the predictive model.MethodsThis secondary analysis of a prospective observational study included patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery. BChE activity is expressed in units per liter (U/L), while the BChE drop refers to the percentage decrease in BChE activity from pre- to postoperative levels. POD risk factors were identified using multivariate regression analysis. The predictive power of the CARDEL index and an optimized model including BChE was calculated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.ResultsOf 93 included patients, 20 (21.5%) developed POD. Elevated preoperative HbA1c [OR 2.5 (1.2–4.8), p = 0.01], a decrease in BChE activity [%, OR 1.1 (1.0–1.2), p = 0.04], age [1 (0.94–1.1), p = 0.55], and a postoperative hemoglobin change [OR 0.86 (0.78–0.96), p < 0.001] were identified as independent risk factors for POD. While the CARDEL index showed a moderate prediction of POD [AUCROC of 0.74 (0.60–0.87)], the optimization including BChE resulted in a significant prognostic improvement: AUCROC of 0.84 (0.72–0.94, p < 0.001).ConclusionDespite the small size of this derivation cohort, this study identified elevated HbA1c as the strongest risk factor for the development of POD, followed by a decrease in BChE activity, postoperative anemia, and age, respectively. By including these parameters to the CARDEL index, its predictive power for the identification of POD significantly improved in this derivation cohort. Moving forward, integrating these findings into clinical practice could enhance early risk stratification and targeted intervention for patients at high risk of POD. Therefore, further research should evaluate these results in a larger, external cohort.

BackgroundThe unique ability of the respiratory tract to protect the integrity of the airways by removing potentially harmful substances is defined as mucociliary clearance. This complex physiological mechanism protects the lower airways by ridding them of pollutants and pathogens. This study aimed to evaluate the potential influence of clinically relevant vasopressors on mucociliary clearance.Material and methodsThe particle transport velocity (PTV) of isolated murine tracheae was measured as a surrogate for mucociliary clearance under the influence of dopamine, norepinephrine, and vasopressin. Inhibitory substances were applied to elucidate relevant signal transduction cascades and the value and origin of calcium ions. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) were performed to identify the expression of vasopressin receptor subtypes.ResultsDopamine, norepinephrine, and vasopressin significantly increased the PTV in a dose-dependent manner with half maximal effective concentrations of 0.58 µM, 1.21 µM, and 0.10 µM, respectively. Each substance increased the PTV via separate receptor pathways. While dopamine acted on D1-like receptors to increase the PTV, norepinephrine acted on β-adrenergic receptors, and vasopressin acted on V1a receptors. RT-PCR revealed the expression of V1a in the murine whole trachea and tracheal epithelium. PTV increased when protein kinase A was inhibited and norepinephrine or vasopressin were applied, but not when dopamine was applied. Phospholipase C inhibition decreased the PTV when vasopressin was applied. In general, maximum PTV was significantly reduced when extracellular calcium entry was inhibited. When intracellular calcium stores were depleted, no increase in PTV was observed after administering all three substances. Inositol trisphosphate receptor activation was found to be pivotal in the increase in murine PTV after applying dopamine and vasopressin.DiscussionDopamine, norepinephrine, and vasopressin accelerate the murine PTV via substance-specific receptor pathways. Further investigations should assess the value and interaction of these substances on mucociliary clearance in clinical practice.

Coagulatory alterations are common after pediatric cardiac surgery and can be addressed with point-of-care (POC) coagulation analysis. The aim of the present study is to evaluate a preventive POC-controlled coagulation algorithm in pediatric cardiac surgery.This single-center, retrospective data analysis included patients younger than 18 years who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and received a coagulation therapy according to a predefined POC-controlled coagulation algorithm. Patients were divided into two groups (<10 and >10 kg body weight) because of different CPB priming strategies.In total, 173 surgeries with the use of the POC-guided hemostatic therapy were analyzed. In 71% of cases, target parameters were achieved and only in one case primary sternal closure was not possible. Children with a body weight ≤10 kg underwent surgical re-evaluation in 13.2% (15/113), and respectively 6.7% (4/60) in patients >10 kg. Hemorrhage in children ≤10 kg was associated with cyanotic heart defects, deeper intraoperative hypothermia, longer duration of CPB, more complex procedures (RACHS-1 score), and with more intraoperative platelets, and respectively red blood cell concentrate transfusions (all p-values < 0.05). In children ≤10 kg, fibrinogen levels were significantly lower over the 12-hour postoperative period (without revision: 3.1 [2.9-3.3] vs. with revision 2.8 [2.3-3.4]). Hemorrhage in children >10 kg was associated with a longer duration of CPB (p = 0.042), lower preoperative platelets (p = 0.026), and over the 12-hour postoperative period lower platelets (p = 0.002) and fibrinogen (p = 0.05).The use of a preventive, algorithm-based coagulation therapy with factor concentrates after CPB followed by POC created intraoperative clinical stable coagulation status with a subsequent executable thorax closure, although the presented algorithm in its current form is not superior in the reduction of the re-exploration rate compared to equivalent collectives. Reduced fibrinogen concentrations 12 hours after surgery may be associated with an increased incidence of surgical revisions.

Cardiac surgery is regularly associated with postoperative delirium (POD), affected by neuro-inflammation and changes in cholinergic activity. Therefore, this prospective observational study aimed to evaluate whether pre- and perioperative changes in blood acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity were associated with POD development in patients undergoing isolated elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. It included 93 patients. Pre- and postoperative blood AChE and BChE activities were measured with photometric rapid-point-of-care-testing. The Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist and the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit were used to screen patients for POD. POD developed in 20 patients (21.5%), who were older (p = 0.003), had higher EuroSCOREs (p ≤ 0.001), and had longer intensive care unit stays (p < 0.001). On postoperative day one, BChE activity decreased from preoperative values more in patients with (31.9%) than without (23.7%) POD (group difference p = 0.002). Applying a cutoff of ≥32.0% for BChE activity changes, receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated a moderate prediction capability for POD (area under the curve = 0.72, p = 0.002). The risk of developing POD was 4.31 times higher with a BChE activity change of ≥32.0% (p = 0.010). Monitoring the pre- to postoperative reduction in BChE activity might be a clinically practicable biomarker for detecting patients at risk of developing POD after CABG surgery.