Background Transfusion of blood components prior to invasive procedures in cirrhosis patients is high and associated with adverse events. Objectives We compared three transfusion strategies prior to central venous catheterization in cirrhosis patients. Patients/Methods Single center randomized trial that included critically ill cirrhosis patients with indication for central venous line in a tertiary private hospital in Brazil. Interventions: Restrictive protocol, thromboelastometry‐guided protocol, or usual care (based on coagulogram). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients transfused with any blood component (ie, fresh frozen plasma, platelets, or cryoprecipitate). The secondary endpoints included incidence of bleeding and transfusion‐related adverse events. Results A total of 57 patients (19 per group; 64.9% male; mean age, 53.4 ± 11.3 years) were enrolled. Prior to catheterization, 3/19 (15.8%) in the restrictive arm, 13/19 (68.4%) in the thromboelastometry‐guided arm, and 14/19 (73.7%) in the coagulogram‐guided arm received blood transfusion (odds ratio [OR], 0.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01‐0.45; P = .002 for restrictive versus coagulogram‐guided arm; OR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.01‐0.56; P = .006 for restrictive versus thromboelastometry‐guided arm; and OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.14‐4.15; P = .931 for thromboelastometry‐guided versus coagulogram‐guided arm). The restrictive protocol was cost saving. No difference in bleeding, length of stay, mortality, and transfusion‐related adverse events was found. Conclusions The use of a restrictive strategy is associated with a reduction in transfusion prior to central venous catheterization and costs in critically ill cirrhosis patients. No effect on bleeding was found among the groups.

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BackgroundAtelectasis is a major cause of hypoxemia after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and is commonly ascribed to general anesthesia, high inspiratory oxygen concentration and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of heart-induced pulmonary compression after CABG with CPB.MethodsSeventeen patients without pre-operative cardiac failure who were scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft underwent pre- and postoperative thoracic computed tomography. The cardiac mass, the pressure exerted on the lungs by the right and left heart and the fraction of collapsed lower lobe segments below and outside of the heart limits were evaluated on a computed tomography section 1 cm above the diaphragmatic cupola.ResultsIn the postoperative period, cardiac mass increased by 32% (117±31 g versus 155±35 g, p<0.001), leading to an increase in the pressure that was exerted on the lungs by the right (2.2±0.6 g.cm−2 versus 3.2±1.2 g.cm−2, p<0.05) and left heart (2.4±0.7 g.cm−2 versus 4.2±1.8 g.cm−2, p<0.001). The proportion of collapsed lung segments beneath the heart markedly increased [from 6.7% to 32.9% on the right side (p<0.001) and from 6.2% to 29% on the left side (p<0.001)], whereas the proportion of collapsed lung segments outside of the heart limits slightly increased [from 0.7% to 10.8% on the right side (p<0.001) and from 1.5% to 12.6% on the left side (p<0.001)].ConclusionThe pressure that is exerted by the heart on the lungs increased postoperatively and contributed to the collapse of subjacent pulmonary segments.

Damage control resuscitation is a treatment strategy in which the recovery of physiological variables is initially prioritized over anatomical variables and can be required in severe trauma patients.