Transplantation proceedings
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Case Reports
Activated recombinant protein C in septic shock early after liver transplantation: a case report.
Severe infectious diseases after liver transplant are associated with high risk of multiorgan failure and mortality. Septic shock is difficult to manage in this setting since it is often unresponsive to conventional aggressive therapy. ⋯ Herein we have reported on a patient who was given drotrecogin alfa 15 days following liver transplant for acute septic shock originating from a nosocomially acquired pneumonia. Recombinant activated drotrecogin alfa, associated with conventional aggressive treatment, was efficacious to revert the life-threatening "slippery slope" of vasoplegia and uncontrolled diffuse inflammation.
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The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and clinical outcome among patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) admitted to our surgical intensive care unit (ICU). Patients with an ICU stay longer than 4 days who had undergone surgery within 48 hours of admission were included in the study. Patients were subdivided into a liver transplant group (OLT) and no-liver transplant group (noLT). ⋯ Both in the OLT and noLT groups, the VAP patients showed higher (P< .05) SAPS II scores on admission, length of ICU stay, and mortality rates than the non-VAP patients, without any difference between the 2 groups. VAP is a frequent complication in ICU surgical patients, particularly those with high severity scores on admission. In an ICU surgical population, liver transplantation per se does not seem to increase the patients' risk either for VAP acquisition or for bad outcomes.
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Superimposed acute right ventricular dysfunction in the setting of preexisting pulmonary hypertension is a nearly fatal complication after heart transplantation. The optimal treatment modality remains a matter of debate. Recently, sildenafil citrate, a nonselective pulmonary vasodilator, has gained popularity in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in transplant candidates. ⋯ Management of acute right ventricular dysfunction in heart transplant recipients with pulmonary hypertension using sildenafil proved safe and effective.
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Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has proven to be a safe and effective technique in the treatment of respiratory failure complicating various medical and surgical diseases. In recent years, a growing interest has emerged in its adoption for ventilatory assistance in immunocompromised patients, such as those undergoing bone marrow, liver, lung, cardiac, and kidney transplantation. Weaning from the ventilator after liver transplantation can take longer because of unsatisfactory gas exchange during various attempts of T-piece trials. ⋯ Clinical experience has shown that properly delivered NIV mostly benefits moderately dyspneic recipients in acute respiratory failure, while it appears less promising and efficient in patients ventilated for extended periods of time. It has proven safe and efficient mainly as (1) a tool to promote an early ventilatory discontinuation and extubation; (2) a prophylactic strategy for preventing postoperative pulmonary complications; and (3) a simple method to start with in cases of acute hypoxic and/or hypercapnic respiratory failure. The improvements in arterial hypoxemia, the decreased ventilatory demand provided with an inspiratory support, as well as the scarcity of hemodynamic repercussions are among the major benefits of this method.