Surviving the Struggle of COVID-19: Practical Recommendations for Pediatric/Adult Cardiology and Cardiac Surgical Programs in Resource-Limited Settings: a Review.

Introduction: The primary aim of this systematic review is to provide perioperative strategies to help restore or preserve cardiovascular services under threat from financial and personnel constraints imposed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods: The Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials/CCTR, and Google Scholar were systematically searched using the search terms "(cardiac OR cardiology OR cardiothoracic OR surgery) AND (COVID-19 or coronavirus OR SARS-CoV-2 OR 2019-nCoV OR 2019 novel coronavirus OR pandemic)". Additionally, the webpages of relevant medical societies, including the World Federation Society of Anesthesiologists, the Cardiothoracic Surgery Network, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, were screened for relevant information.

Preoperative platelet dysfunction predicts blood product transfusion in children undergoing cardiac surgery.

Objectives: Excessive bleeding can be a problem during or after cardiac surgery. While cardiopulmonary bypass-associated platelet dysfunction is an important inducer of coagulopathy, preoperative platelet dysfunction can also contribute to this bleeding. We investigated the relationship between preoperative platelet dysfunction and transfusion of blood products given to children undergoing cardiac surgery.

Congenital cardiac lesions involving systolic flow abnormalities are associated with platelet dysfunction in children.

Background: Shear stress-induced platelet dysfunction (PD) is prevalent among adults with aortic stenosis. Our aim was to determine whether abnormal platelet function was associated with specific congenital cardiac lesions in children.

Methods: The charts of 407 children who had undergone cardiopulmonary bypass and had preoperative platelet function analysis were evaluated.

Fatal carboplatin-induced immune hemolytic anemia in a child with a brain tumor.

Drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHA) is an uncommon side effect of pharmacologic intervention. A rare mediator of DIIHA, carboplatin is an agent used to treat many pediatric cancers. We describe here, the first case of fatal carboplatin induced DIIHA in a pediatric patient and a brief review of the literature.

Argatroban therapy in pediatric patients requiring nonheparin anticoagulation: an open-label, safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetic study.

Background: An increasing number of pediatric patients suffer from thrombotic events necessitating anticoagulation therapy including heparins. Some such patients develop heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and thus require alternative anticoagulation. As such, studies evaluating the safety, efficacy, and dosing of alternative anticoagulants are required.