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Objectives of the Study:To identify the factors causing high lactate levels in patients undergoing cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and to assess the association between high blood lactate levels and postoperative morbidity and mortality.Methods:A retrospective observational study including 370 patients who underwent cardiac surgeries under cardiopulmonary bypass. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on serum lactate levels; those with serum lactate levels greater than or equal to 4 mmol/L considered as hyperlactatemia and those with serum lactate levels less than 4 mmol/L. Blood lactate samples were collected intraoperatively and postoperatively in the ICU. Preoperative and intraoperative risk factors for hyperlactatemia were identified using the highest intraoperative value of lactate. The postoperative morbidity and mortality associated with hyperlactatemia was studied using the overall (intraoperative and postoperative values) peak lactate levels. Preoperative clinical data, perioperative events and postoperative morbidity and mortality were recorded.Results:Intraoperative peak blood lactate levels of 4.0 mmol/L or more were present in 158 patients (42.7%). Females had higher peak intra operative lactate levels (P = 0.011). There was significant correlation between CPB time (Pearson correlation coefficient r = 0.024; P = 0.003) and aortic cross clamp time (r = 0.02, P = 0.007) with peak intraoperative blood lactate levels. Patients with hyperlactatemia had significantly higher rate of postoperative morbidity like atrial fibrillation (19.9% vs. 5.3%; P = 0.004), prolonged requirement of inotropes (34% vs. 11.8%; P = 0.001), longer stay in the ICU (P = 0.013) and hospital (P = 0.001).Conclusions:Hyperlactatemia had significant association with post-operative morbidity. Detection of hyperlactatemia in the perioperative period should be considered as an indicator of inadequate tissue oxygen delivery and must be aggressively corrected.

Introduction: Fast tracking plays a crucial role in reducing perioperative morbidity and financial burden by facilitating early extubation and discharge from hospital. Paravertebral block (PVB) is becoming more popular in paediatric surgeries as an alternative to epidural and caudal analgesia. There is scarcity of data regarding the efficacy and safety of PVB in paediatric cardiac surgery. Methods: We performed a review of records of paediatric cardiac patients who underwent cardiac surgery under general anaesthesia with single shot PVB and compared the analgesia and postoperative outcomes with matched historical controls who underwent cardiac surgery with same anaesthesia protocol without PVB. Results: The data from 200 children were analysed. 100 children who received paravertebral block were compared with a matched historical controls. The median time to extubation was shorter in the PVB group (0 hr, IQR 0-3 hrs) compared to the control group (16 hrs, IQR 4-20 hrs) ( P value 0.017*). Intraoperative and postoperative fentanyl requirement was much lower in the PVB group (3.49 (0.91)) compared to the control group (9.86 (1.37)) P value <0.01*. Time to first rescue dose of analgesic was longer (7 hrs vs 5 hrs, P 0.01*), while time to extubation and duration of ICU stay were significantly less in PVB group . Mean postoperative pain scores were significantly lower in the PVB group at the time of ICU admission (0.85 vs 3.12, P 0.001*) till 4 hours (2.11 vs 3.32, P 0.001*). Conclusion: PVB provides an effective and safe anaesthetic approach which can form an important component of “fast-track” care in paediatric cardiac surgery.

Elevated BNP is the strongest, independent predictor of serious adverse cardiovascular outcomes in this population and requires closer clinical follow-up.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common genetic disease of the heart and remains an important etiology of sudden cardiac death in adolescents and young adults. Autosomal dominant inheritance of a mutation in one of the numerous genes encoding for proteins in the myocardial sarcomere leads to an abnormal myocyte growth pattern with hypertrophy. Perioperative management of patients with HCM for any type of surgical procedure carries an increased risk of morbidity and mortality related to the propensity for arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia. During the perioperative period, myocardial function may be impacted by alterations in preload, afterload, and myocardial contractility related to the surgical procedure, anesthetic agents, and changes in intravascular volume. We present two pediatric patients with a known diagnosis of HCM who presented for non-cardiac, minimally invasive surgical (MIS) procedures. The perioperative implications of HCM are reviewed with particular emphasis placed on the potential cardiovascular alterations induced by the MIS procedure with increases in intra-thoracic or intra-abdominal pressure.

MICRA, miniaturized leadless single chamber pacemaker, is inserted directly into the right ventricular myocardium via transcatheter approach. We present a case of a 66-year-old patient with a Micra pacemaker scheduled for kidney-pancreas transplant. The patient is pacemaker dependent. The preoperative cardiology consult did not comment on the need of reprogramming. One hour prior to the surgery, the anesthesia team was unable to locate the pacemaker on the chest wall. The Medtronic hotline was called, and the caregivers learned that the particular pacemaker is buried within the ventricular wall and is not responsive to an external magnet. Thus, the case was delayed and a cardiac electrophysiology team was contacted to reprogram the pacemaker to VOO (fixed ventricular pacing) mode. We suggest that the pacemaker can pose perioperative challenges due to its novelty, paucity of report, and guidelines.

Oral activated charcoal (OAC), a potent adsorbent with no systemic absorption, has been used for centuries to treat poisoning. Recent studies have suggested its potential efficacy in protecting the colonic microbiota against detrimental effects of antibiotics. In a dose-finding safety and feasibility clinical trial, 12 healthy volunteers not receiving antibiotics drank 4 different preparations made of 2 possible OAC doses (12 or 25 grams) mixed in 2 possible solutions (water or apple juice), 3 days a week for 2 weeks. Pre- and post-OAC stool samples underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing and exact amplicon sequence variants were used to characterize the colonic microbiota. The preferred preparation was 12 grams of OAC in apple juice, with excellent safety and tolerability. OAC did not influence the gut microbiota in our healthy volunteers. These findings provide the critical preliminary data for future trials of OAC in patients receiving antibiotics.

Intravascular ventricular assist system (iVAS) is an investigative device in clinical trials for the management of advanced heart failure. It works on the principle of counterpulsation, similar to the classic intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP). We present a case of a 66-year-old man with iVAS in situ who required emergency laparotomy for a strangulated umbilical hernia. Patients with mechanical circulatory devices (MCD) are presenting more frequently for emergency and even elective noncardiac operations. Managing such patients poses significant challenges to the perioperative team due to its novelty and paucity of management recommendations.