Background Despite controversies, epinephrine remains a mainstay of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Recent animal studies have suggested that epinephrine may decrease cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral oxygenation, possibly potentiating neurological injury during CPR. We investigated the cerebrovascular effects of intravenous epinephrine in a swine model of pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest. The primary objectives of this study were to determine if (1) epinephrine doses have a significant acute effect on CBF and cerebral tissue oxygenation during CPR and (2) if the effect of each subsequent dose of epinephrine differs significantly from that of the first. Methods One-month-old piglets (n = 20) underwent asphyxia for 7 min, ventricular fibrillation, and CPR for 10–20 min. Epinephrine (20 mcg/kg) was administered at 2, 6, 10, 14, and 18 min of CPR. Invasive (laser Doppler, brain tissue oxygen tension [PbtO2]) and noninvasive (diffuse correlation spectroscopy and diffuse optical spectroscopy) measurements of CBF and cerebral tissue oxygenation were simultaneously recorded. Effects of subsequent epinephrine doses were compared to the first. Results With the first epinephrine dose during CPR, CBF and cerebral tissue oxygenation increased by > 10%, as measured by each of the invasive and noninvasive measures (p < 0.001). The effects of epinephrine on CBF and cerebral tissue oxygenation decreased with subsequent doses. By the fifth dose of epinephrine, there were no demonstrable increases in CBF of cerebral tissue oxygenation. Invasive and noninvasive CBF measurements were highly correlated during asphyxia (slope effect 1.3, p < 0.001) and CPR (slope effect 0.20, p < 0.001). Conclusions This model suggests that epinephrine increases CBF and cerebral tissue oxygenation, but that effects wane following the third dose. Noninvasive measurements of neurological health parameters hold promise for developing and directing resuscitation strategies.

ObjectiveThe treatment of active infective endocarditis (IE) presents a clinical dilemma with uncertain outcomes. This study sets out to determine the early and intermediate outcomes of patients treated surgically for active IE at an academic medical center.MethodsA retrospective chart review was conducted to identify patients who underwent surgical intervention for IE at our institution from July 1st, 2011 to June 30th, 2018. In-patient records were examined to determine etiology of disease, surgical intervention type, postoperative complications, length of stay (LOS), 30-day in-hospital mortality, and 1-year survival.ResultsTwenty-five patients underwent surgical intervention for active IE. The average age of the patients was 47 ± 14 years old and most of the patients were male (N = 15). The majority of the patients had the mitral valve replaced (N = 10), with the remaining patients having tricuspid (N = 8) and aortic (N = 7) valve replacements. The etiology varied and included intravenous drug use (IVDU), and presence of transvenous catheters. The 30-day in-hospital mortality was 4% with 1 patient death and the 1-year survival was 80%. The average LOS was 27 days ±15 and the longest LOS was 65 days.ConclusionsSurgical management of IE can be difficult and challenging however mortality can be minimized with acceptable morbidity. The most common complication was CVA. The average LOS is longer than traditional adult cardiac surgery procedures and the recurrence rate of valvular infection is not minimal especially if the underlying etiology is IVDU.

Objectives The optimal timing of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with ST elevated acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) is unclear. The purpose of the study is to evaluate and compare the outcomes in STEMI patients who underwent CABG within the various time intervals within the first 7 days of either emergent or urgent hospital admission. Methods Patients aged 30 years old and older diagnosed with STEMI who underwent CABG within first 7 days after non-elective hospital admission were selected from the National Inpatient Sample 2010–2014 using the appropriate ICD-9-CM diagnosis and procedure codes. These patients were divided into 3 cohorts based on timing of surgery: within 24 h (group A), 2nd-3rd day (group B), and 4th–7th day (group C). The rates of postoperative complications, mortality, and postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS) were compared using the Chi-square test, multivariable logistic regression analysis, and Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results A total of 5963 patients were identified: group A = 28.5%, group B = 36.1%, group C = 35.4%. Mean age overall was 63.1 ± 11.1 years; 76.9% were males and 72.9% were whites. Compared to groups B and C, patients in group A were more likely to develop cardiac complications (OR [odds ratio] =1.33, 95%CI [confidence interval] 1.12–1.59 and OR = 1.39, 95%CI 1.17–1.67, respectively) and respiratory complications (OR = 1.31, 95%CI 1.13–1.51 and OR = 1.53, 95%CI 1.32–1.78, respectively). They were also more likely to have renal complications (OR = 1.31, 95%CI 1.11–1.54) and bleeding (OR = 1.20, 95%CI 1.05–1.37) than patients in group B and had a similar tendency compared to group C. We did not find significant differences in the above complications between groups B and C. Postoperative stroke and sternal wound infection rates were similar between all three groups. In-hospital mortality was also higher in group A (8.2%) compared to group B (3.5%) and group C (2.9%, P < 0.0001 for both); differences between groups B and C were not significant. This was confirmed in the multivariable logistic regression analysis with controlling for age, gender, race, the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, and complications (group A vs B: OR = 1.85, 95%CI 1.52–2.25; group A vs C: OR = 2.21; 95%CI 1.82–2.68). Patients in group A had a significantly longer postoperative LOS (median 7 days with IQR [interquartile range] 5–10 days) compared to those in group B (median 6 days, IQR 5–8 days) and group C (median 6 days, IQR 4–8 days; P < 0.0001 for both). Conclusions The results of this study show that despite the urgency and severity of STEMI, patients who undergo CABG within the first 24 h after non-elective hospital admission have increased hospital morbidity and mortality. These findings suggest that a delay in surgery beyond the first 24 h may be beneficial to patient outcomes. Furthermore, there is a significant cost effectiveness when the patients delay surgery because the hospital length of stay is reduced as well as the subsequent hospital costs.

PurposeCardiothoracic surgeons are frequently called upon to perform surgical pericardial drainage procedures (pericardial window) for pericardial effusions. These procedures have therapeutic value, but the diagnostic value of such procedures is debated. We set out to determine the sensitivity of pericardial drainage to detect the disease when cytology, microbiology, and pathology are evaluated.MethodsA retrospective chart review of patients who underwent pericardial windows from 1 July 2011 to 1 January 2018 at a single academic institution was conducted. All patients who had undergone a recent trauma or cardiac procedure were excluded. Cytology, microbiology, and pathology were examined. The charts were then carefully reviewed to determine if a clinical diagnosis was reached. Sensitivity was then calculated for all diseases and for those that should have been able to be detected.ResultsOne hundred sixty‐two patients who had undergone a pericardial drainage procedure were identified; 49 patients were excluded for recent cardiac procedure or trauma. Of the 113 patients who met our inclusion criteria, 56 patients (49.6%) were female with a mean age of 59.7 ± 15.1 years. A diagnosis based on the pathology, microbiology, or cytology was obtained for 27 patients. The most common pathologies detected were adenocarcinoma (11), bacteremia (9), and small cell lung cancer (3); 56 patients had underlying pathologies that would have been possible to detect with either pathology, microbiology, or cytology. The most common detectable diagnoses were adenocarcinoma (20), bacteremia (12), and lymphoma (7). The most common undetectable diagnoses were idiopathic (17), cardiorenal fluid overload (17), and viral (11). The sensitivity of a pericardial drainage procedure for detecting disease was 0.24 for all cases, and 0.48 when restricted to cases where a detectable disease was present.ConclusionCytology, microbiology, and pathology for pericardial drainage procedures were unable to detect a diagnosis for 76% of all cases and greater than 50% of cases with the theoretically detectable disease. Pericardial drainage procedures have a clear therapeutic value, but they have limited diagnostic utility.