Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Anastomotic complications occur in 7% to 18% of lung transplant recipients, among which airway dehiscence (AD) is particularly catastrophic. Using multi-institutional registry data, this study compared preoperative recipient/donor risk factors and outcomes in patients with and without AD and analyzed the effect of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on the incidence of AD. METHODS:Data on adult lung transplants from 2007 to 2017 were provided by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Patients receiving isolated lobar transplantation and patients with unknown AD status were excluded. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent risk factors for AD. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests describe mortality and graft survival. RESULTS:Of 18 122 lung transplants, 275 (1.5%) experienced AD. While the incidence of ECMO steadily increased from 0.7% to 5.9% over the study period, the incidence of AD remained relatively constant. Multivariable analysis revealed recipient male gender and prolonged ( > 48 hours) posttransplant mechanical ventilation as independent predictive factors for AD, while advanced donor age and single left lung transplant were protective factors. Recipient chronic steroid use, recipient diabetes, donor diabetes, and donor smoking history were not predictive of AD. Mortality and graft failure were significantly worse in the AD group. CONCLUSIONS:Despite increased ECMO utilization, the incidence of AD has remained stable. Multiple independent risk factors for AD were identified and poor postoperative outcomes confirmed. However, many known impediments to wound healing such as recipient chronic steroid use, recipient and donor diabetes, and donor smoking were not identified as risk factors for AD, reinforcing the critical role of technical performance.

Background:There is a paucity of data evaluating optimal dosing strategies of commonly utilized opioids and sedatives for patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support where pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variables of these administered agents are altered. Objective: To assess the daily dosing requirement of sedatives and analgesics for patients on venovenous (VV) and venoarterial (VA) ECMO after the initial ECMO cannulation period. Methods: We performed a retrospective, observational study of adult patients receiving sedation and analgesia while receiving ECMO support for at least 24 hours. Patients cannulated at an outside hospital more than 24 hours before transfer, those with a history of intravenous drug use or acute alcohol withdrawal, or those who died within 48 hours of ECMO initiation were excluded. Results: We evaluated 26 patients on ECMO, including 13 on VV and 13 on VA ECMO. The median dose of fentanyl was 140 µg/h, with the VV group requiring a higher dose compared with the VA group (167 vs 106 µg/h, P < 0.001). The median doses of dexmedetomidine and propofol were 0.7 µg/kg/h and 26 µg/kg/min, respectively, with no significant differences between groups (P = 0.38 and P = 0.24, respectively). The median daily doses of fentanyl, dexmedetomidine, and propofol did not significantly increase throughout the time on ECMO support. Conclusions and Relevance: We found that the overall opioid daily dosing requirements were lower than previously reported in the literature. Additionally, light sedation strategies with a target RASS of -1 to 0 are feasible in this patient population.

Intro: The optimal strategy for weaning of respiratory support during lung recovery of patients requiring VV ECMO for acute respiratory failure is unknown. We hypothesized that earlier liberation from the ventilator in these patients may correlate with improved outcomes.
Method(s): We retrospectively reviewed all VV ECMO patients at our center from November 2015 to May 2019. Patients who were on VV ECMO as bridge to transplant or for isolated intraoperative indications were excluded. The final study population included 18 patients; 6 were liberated from mechanical ventilation prior to ECMO decannulation and 12 were decannulated from ECMO, but remained mechanically ventilated. Demographics and outcomes were compared between the two groups.
Result(s): Patients liberated from the ventilator prior to ECMO were treated for asthma, pneumonia and vasculitis (33% each) versus predominantly pneumonia (58%), had a lower rate of pre-existing lung disease (17% vs 33%), and lower APACHE II scores (median of 21 vs 24). These patients had longer duration of ECMO (220 vs 205 hours), less ventilator days (5 vs 20.5 days), higher average Richmond Agitation Scores (-1 vs -3), fewer days until they were able to get out of bed (4.5 vs 15 days), shorter ICU stays (16 vs 29 days), and were more likely to survive to hospital discharge (100% vs 67%).
Conclusion(s): Early ventilator liberation of patients on VV ECMO was associated with improved outcomes. Our study is limited by small sample size, retrospective design, and potential for confounding due to baseline differences between groups

Introduction: Our institution's Adult ECMO Program started in 2015 and continues to see exponential growth with an average of 89% annual increase in volume. When demand for ECMO exceeds available resources, the multiple teams, resources and processes involved in the care of these patients are challenged to provide excellent outcomes. Our program made specific changes to accommodate increased volume while maintaining quality. Our growth directly impacted staff exposure and expertise, locations of ECMO care, emergent bedside cannulations, and utilization of equipment and supplies.
Result(s): Our team coordinated comprehensive training courses to increase the number of ECMO-credentialed physicians and advanced practice providers. We then focused on improving bedside cannulations. We provided cannulation didactic and simulation training for a cohort of critical care nurses, created a single ECMO Perfusion activation number, and increased available primed circuits. We also rebuilt our cannulation carts, using an exchange process for immediate replenishment of supplies. All carts were streamlined to one lay out and were expanded across the hospital in five different locations. We increased our equipment inventory from 9 to 15 consoles and introduced a more cost-effective ECMO system. Last, we implemented ECMO safety rounds, a biweekly bedside audit of existing safety measures that also allowed for real-time staff education.
Conclusion(s): Our patient outcomes continue to meet the national ELSO benchmarks for survival rates. As our growth continues, all areas require ongoing assessment and evaluation to maintain best practices. With proper planning and resources, quality patient outcomes can be maintained

INTRO: Our Adult ECMO Program cannulates most of our patients in the operating room (OR). However, in the past year, our bedside cannulation volume increased from 13 to 27 across six inpatient units. Because we expect cannulations outside of the OR to increase, the Adult Langone Emergency Response Team (ALERT) nurses were identified as the ideal providers to assist in bedside cannulations.
METHOD(S): Our ECMO Team developed a cannulation program to meet the educational needs of the 20 ALERT nurses. The ECMO Directors and Coordinator held a two hour didactic course, reviewing cannulation procedures, ECMO configurations and nursing roles in a bedside cannulation. We distributed pre & post self-assessments to evaluate the nurses' confidence levels. The ECMO Team then invited ALERT nurses to observe planned cannulations, providing an ideal setting for learning and reflection of the cannulation process. ALERT nurses identified areas for improvement that could aid in emergent initiation of ECMO outside of the OR. The program concluded with a one hour simulation session that provided an opportunity for both teams to clarify expectations of future cannulations.
RESULT(S): Using the Wilcoxon Signed-rank test, we found a statistically significant improvement in pre & post self-assessment scores (p-value <0.001). Direct feedback from ALERT nurses included further clarification for ECMO team activation process, terminology of surgical supplies and additional resources needed to support a bedside cannulation. The program allowed for both teams to strengthen their collaboration that will ultimately result in improved workflow, communication and patient outcomes

Objective: Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a genetic disorder characterized by bleeding diathesis and pulmonary fbrosis (PF). While lung transplantation for PF in HPS has been described, patients are carefully selected and history of severe bleeding is often considered a contraindication. We present a bilateral orthotopic lung transplantation (BOLT) in a patient with HPS, delta-platelet storage pool disorder (DSPD), and history of excessive bleeding.
Method(s): A 48-year-old Puerto Rican woman with oxygen-dependent PF and severe pulmonary hypertension (pHTN) secondary to HPS was evaluated for BOLT. She was denied by all other institutions due to perceived excessive bleeding risk, manifested as chronic bruising and history of heavy menses. She previously received blood transfusions following lung biopsy and during dilation and curettage. Platelet function studies demonstrated absence of dense granules consistent with DSPD. Hematology recommended a protocol including pre-incision platelet and DDAVP administration, repletion of clotting factors while weaning cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and adjunct factor VII for diffuse coagulopathy. BOLT was performed 3 days after listing. CPB was utilized due to pHTN and bleeding risk. Factor VII was transfused intraoperatively, and no postoperative bleeding occurred. Pharmacologic deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis was held.
Result(s): The patient was discharged on postoperative day 6. Pulmonary function tests showed forced vital capacity (FVC) 2.5 L, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) 2 L, and FEV1/FVC 0.8, and the patient remains well 6 months post-transplantation.
Conclusion(s): Lung transplantation remains the only viable option for HPS patients with P F. While increased bleeding may be encountered, a multidisciplinary protocoled approach can mitigate the bleeding risk. History of excessive bleeding should not be an independent contraindication for lung transplantation in HPS

Objective: Cardiac angiosarcomas often present as multicentric right atrial masses that sometimes manifest as atrial rupture. We present a modifed Cabrol patch repair in a patient with right atrial rupture on imaging who was diagnosed intraoperatively with permeating angiosarcoma.
Method(s): A previously healthy 60-year-old man presented with dyspnea and was found to have subsegmental pulmonary emboli and a pericardial effusion with negative cytology. Three months later, his symptoms recurred and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated right atrial destruction and thrombus compressing the right ventricle. Given the lack of diagnosis and potential progression to tamponade, he was taken to the operating room for right atrial repair. Before opening the pericardium, femoral cardiopulmonary bypass was initiated. The right atrium, atrioventricular groove, and anterior right ventricular wall were occupied by bleeding, friable tissue (Figure CC-1a). Frozen section revealed a spindle-cell neoplasm. Given the impossibility of performing an oncologic resection, the right atrium was contained with a modifed Cabrol patch, mimicking the function previously provided by the pericardium. Additional patches covered the surface of the actively bleeding tumor (Figure CC-1b).
Result(s): The patient recovered well and was discharged home 1 week later. Final pathology diagnosed angiosarcoma. He is 7 months postdischarge and completed 14 rounds of paclitaxel-based chemotherapy with moderate radiological improvement.
Conclusion(s): As oncologic resection was impossible, a modifed Cabrol patch repair to mimic the function previously provided by pericardium and to control tumor-associated bleeding was the best decision. While this patient may not have received hemodynamic beneft, we provided a defnitive diagnosis allowing for targeted chemotherapy treatment

Purpose: In October 2018, a new US adult heart allocation scheme was enacted in which the etiology of cardiomyopathy can play a significant role in the prioritization of patients listed for transplantation. Given this, we embarked on a review of the diagnoses of patients who underwent therapy for advanced heart failure at our center.
Method(s): We retrospectively reviewed the etiology of cardiomyopathy of patients receiving either durable ventricular assist device (VAD) or orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York, NY between January 2011 and October 2018. We evaluated for discrepancies between the primary HF diagnosis at time of operation with the ultimate diagnosis, combining both clinical follow-up data and cardiac pathology.
Result(s): During the study period, a total of 110 patients were treated with advanced therapies, of which the majority (74.5%) were male. 40.9% were African American, 35.4% Caucasian, 4.5% Asian, and 23.6% Hispanic. 86.3% underwent VAD and 22.0% underwent OHT. The average age of those undergoing OHT and VAD were 58 and 61 respectively. The most common reported etiology of HF was dilated cardiomyopathy (57.3%), followed by ischemic (36.3%), familial DCM (1.8%), amyloidosis (1.8%), restrictive cardiomyopathy (1.8%), and sarcoidosis (0.9%). On final review of the diagnoses in these patients, 14 (12.7%) had a final diagnosis that was inconsistent with the prior reported one. 5 were clerical errors, but 9 were significant deviations from the prior diagnosis. The most common diagnoses that were misidentified prior to VAD or OHT were cardiac sarcoidosis (2), cardiac amyloidosis (2), and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (2). Among those 9 patients, 7 patients received VAD with 5 eventually requiring OHT (median days to OHT = 248); 2 patients directly received OHT. All of those are alive except one patient who was lost to follow-up (transferred care to another center). Patients in whom the diagnosis was misidentified prior to VAD or OHT had smaller LV dimensions on transthoracic echocardiography on average than other LVAD or OHT patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Conclusion(s): In this single-center review, we found that the majority of HF patients undergoing VAD and OHT had a correct diagnosis for their heart failure prior to treatment, although notably 8.1% had a missed diagnosis at time of intervention (VAD or OHT). Appropriately identifying the subtype of cardiomyopathy remains challenging especially in advanced HF patients but can significantly impact waiting list time in the current organ allocation scheme. A normal or minimally increased LV dimension on echocardiogram in a patient with advanced non-ischemic cardiomyopathy may warrant further workup for another diagnosis.
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OBJECTIVE:Advances in transcatheter aortic valve replacement have led to the consideration of tissue aortic valve replacement in younger patients. Part of this enthusiasm is the presumption that younger patients would have more flexibility in future treatment options, such as a primary surgical aortic valve replacement followed later by transcatheter aortic valve replacement(s) (valve-in-valve), vice versa, or other permutations. We created a microsimulation model using published longevity of tissue valves to predict the outcomes of patients after primary tissue surgical aortic valve replacement. METHODS:The model calculated survival by incorporating annual mortality (Social Security Administration) and mortality from re-replacements (Society of Thoracic Surgeons) in patients with surgical aortic valve replacement. Freedom from reoperation for structural valve degeneration incorporated best published data to determine the annual risk of re-replacement for structural valve degeneration based on implant duration and stratified by patient age. A constant rate of re-replacement for nonstructural valve degeneration indications was also incorporated. Each simulation was performed for 50,000 individuals. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated to represent survival. All simulations were run within the MATLAB environment (The MathWorks, Inc, Natick, Mass). RESULTS:Earlier decades of life at primary surgical aortic valve replacement were associated with higher incidences of re-replacements and especially multiple re-replacements. For those patients receiving a primary tissue surgical aortic valve replacement at age 50 years, 57.2% will require a second valve, 18.0% will require a third valve, and 1.6% will require a fourth valve with average operative mortalities of 2.9%, 4.8%, and 7.3%, respectively. A 50-year-old patient at primary surgical aortic valve replacement has a 13.1% chance of re-replacement before turning 60 years of age. CONCLUSIONS:Microsimulation incorporates changing hazards to estimate the risk of aortic valve re-replacement in patients undergoing tissue surgical aortic valve replacement and may be a starting point for patient education and healthcare economic planning.