Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Apr 1993
Postoperative analgesia and sedation following pediatric cardiac surgery using a constant infusion of ketamine.
Constant rate infusions of ketamine supplemented with intermittent doses of midazolam were given postoperatively to 10 children in order to provide analgesia and sedation during mechanical ventilation after cardiac surgery as well as during weaning from the ventilator and during spontaneous breathing. The aims of the study were to determine the pharmacokinetics of ketamine and evaluate the suitability of ketamine as an analgesic and sedative in postoperative pediatric cardiac patients. The children were between one week and 30 months old. ⋯ Norketamine did not reach a steady state, but at the end of the infusion, the mean plasma concentration was higher than that of ketamine. The elimination half-life of norketamine was estimated to be 6.0 +/- 1.8 hours. Both ketamine infusion regimens were supplemented with midazolam and provided similarly acceptable analgesia and sedation during mechanical ventilation and during and after weaning from the ventilator.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Apr 1993
ReviewThe relationship between "normal" transesophageal color-flow Doppler-defined tricuspid regurgitation and thermodilution right ventricular ejection fraction measurements.
Twenty coronary artery revascularization patients, aged 58 +/- 15 years, were studied intraoperatively to define the impact of Doppler-defined tricuspid regurgitation on measurement of thermodilution right ventricular ejection fraction (50 msec response pulmonary artery catheter). Right ventricular function was also estimated using a measurement technique independent of flow patterns across the tricuspid valve (transesophageal two-dimensional echocardiographic 5.0 MHz phased-array transducer). Measurements included transverse plane long- and short-axis planimetered area ratio, respectively, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion ratio (ratio = end-diastolic minus end-systolic value divided by end-diastolic value). ⋯ Profiles were unassociated with right atrial pressure waveform abnormalities. There was no significant relationship between thermodilution ejection fraction variance values and tricuspid regurgitation jet area or regurgitation index, respectively. In each measurement period, thermodilution-echocardiographic gradients were also unrelated to the tricuspid regurgitation estimates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Apr 1993
Comparative StudyPercutaneous pericardiocentesis versus subxiphoid pericardiotomy in cardiac tamponade due to postoperative pericardial effusion.
In a retrospective study, 42 patients with acute cardiac tamponade due to pericardial effusion were evaluated following cardiac surgery, and the pericardial fluid was drained by one of two alternative methods: two-dimensional echocardiographic-guided pericardiocentesis (2D-echo) or subxiphoid surgical pericardiotomy. During the first period (from 1982 to 1986), one of the two methods was chosen by the treating physicians, whereas in the second period (from 1986 to 1991), 2D-echo-guided pericardiocentesis was the treatment of choice. Percutaneous pericardiocentesis was performed using local anesthesia in 29 patients. ⋯ Sixteen patients who underwent surgical pericardiotomy had complete evacuation of pericardial fluid without major complications (two of them suffered atrial arrhythmias during the procedure). The average amount of fluid drained, as well as the localization of the effusions, were the same for both groups. 2D-echo-guided pericardiocentesis was found to be a useful, safe, and simple technique. It can be used as an alternative treatment to subxiphoid pericardiotomy for cardiac tamponade due to postoperative pericardial effusions.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Apr 1993
Low risk of gastroesophageal injury associated with transesophageal echocardiography during cardiac surgery.
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has increasingly been used in cardiology and cardiac surgery with few reported complications. This study was undertaken to determine whether TEE is associated with an increased incidence of gastroesophageal (GE) bleeding or postoperative GE symptoms of anorexia, dysphagia, or sore throat. Forty-one patients who underwent TEE during cardiac surgery and 40 control patients who underwent cardiac surgery without TEE were prospectively followed. ⋯ Additionally, the incidence of postoperative GE symptoms was comparable in the three groups. These findings are discussed in the context of reported complications associated with UGI endoscopy. Based on this analysis, recommendations for the safe performance of TEE have been provided.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Apr 1993
The effect of a cardiac surgical recovery area on the timing of extubation.
The anesthetic and postoperative management of cardiac surgical patients was modified to achieve an early return to spontaneous ventilation. A total of 278 patients were studied to determine the effect of this change. Patients in group I (n = 198) were managed in a cardiac surgical recovery area according to the new policy. ⋯ The median duration of postoperative ventilation was reduced from 5 hours in group II to 1 hour in group I, and the time to extubation was reduced from 7 hours to 2 hours, respectively. There were no major postoperative complications resulting from this change. The factors that influence the duration of postoperative ventilation are discussed.