Publications by authors named "Mertes P"

Background: Biliary contamination significantly correlates with major comorbidities during pancreatic head resection. Recently, a piperacillin-tazobactam prophylaxis demonstrated a lower rate of infectious complications (IC) and postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) in this population. However, bacterial contamination is rare in patients without a preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) and probably could not benefit from this antibiotic.

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Purpose: Whether skin disinfection of the surgical site using chlorhexidine-alcohol is superior to povidone-iodine-alcohol in reducing reoperation and surgical site infection rates after major cardiac surgery remains unclear.

Methods: CLEAN 2 was a multicenter, open-label, randomized, two-arm, assessor-blind, superiority trial conducted in eight French hospitals. We randomly assigned adult patients undergoing major heart or aortic surgery via sternotomy, with or without saphenous vein or radial artery harvesting, to have all surgical sites disinfected with either 2% chlorhexidine-alcohol or 5% povidone-iodine-alcohol.

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Background: Stress due to surgical trauma decreases postoperative lymphocyte counts (LCs), potentially favouring the occurrence of postoperative infections (PIs).

Objectives: We aimed to determine whether postoperative lymphopaenia following thoracic or gastrointestinal cancer surgery is an independent risk factor for PIs and to identify modifiable factors related to anaesthesia and surgical procedures that might affect its occurrence.

Study Design: The EVALYMPH study was a prospective, multicentre cohort study with a 30-day patient follow-up.

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Anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction caused by the massive release of active mediators, can lead to anaphylactic shock (AS), the most severe and potentially life-threatening form of anaphylactic reaction. Nevertheless, understanding of its pathophysiology to support new therapies still needs to be improved. We performed a systematic review, assessing the role and the complex cellular interplay of mitochondria and oxidative stress during anaphylaxis, mast cell metabolism and degranulation.

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Background: Reporting and analysis of adverse events (AE) is associated with improved health system learning, quality outcomes, and patient safety. Manual text analysis is time-consuming, costly, and prone to human errors. We aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of novel machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) approaches for early predictions of adverse events and provide input to direct quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Anaphylactic shock (AS) is a severe allergic reaction that can be life-threatening, and while epinephrine is typically used to manage it, additional treatments like NButGT may enhance recovery by affecting heart function.
  • - In an experiment with ovalbumin-sensitized rats, various treatment groups were established, including those receiving NButGT before or after AS onset, and combinations of NButGT with epinephrine to evaluate effects on heart function and other physiological parameters.
  • - Results showed that NButGT pre-treatment increased O-GlcNAcylation in the heart and improved cardiac output and mitochondrial function, while also reducing blood lactate levels when used alongside epinephrine, suggesting it could be a beneficial
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Article Synopsis
  • A study conducted in France updated the epidemiology of perioperative anaphylaxis, a rare but serious allergic reaction occurring during surgeries, highlighting its changing nature influenced by clinical practices and environment.* -
  • Out of 765 cases analyzed, a significant portion (56%) were severe reactions, mainly caused by neuromuscular blocking agents (60%), with antibiotics like cefazolin also being a notable trigger.* -
  • The study emphasizes the need for ongoing surveillance of perioperative anaphylaxis, particularly due to the increasing frequency of reactions to antibiotics and the unknown reasons behind cefazolin sensitization.*
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Background: Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) affects up to 30% of patients, increasing morbidity and healthcare costs. This condition results from complex factors like ischemia-reperfusion injury and renal hemodynamic changes, often exacerbated by surgical procedures. Norepinephrine, commonly used in cardiac surgeries, may heighten the risk of CS-AKI.

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  • The study aimed to evaluate the safety of an early chest tube removal (CTR) protocol on the first postoperative day (POD1) within an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program, comparing it with traditional care in terms of risks like pneumothorax and hospital mortality.* -
  • The research included 3,153 patients, and after matching groups, it was found that the rate of early CTR increased significantly in the ERAS group, yet the overall incidence of complications remained similar between both groups.* -
  • Results demonstrated that the ERAS group had better outcomes, including a lower risk of bronchopneumonia and shorter ICU and hospital stays, indicating that early CTR can be safely integrated into ERAS
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Background: Patient blood management (PBM) is an evidence-based approach recommended to improve patient outcomes. Change in practices is often challenging. We report here data from French surgical departments before and after a standardized implementation of a PBM program.

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Perioperative anaphylaxis (PA) is a severe condition that can be fatal, but data on PA mortality are scarce. The aim of this article is to review the epidemiology, elicitors and risk factors for PA mortality and identify knowledge gaps and areas for improvement regarding the management of severe PA. PA affects about 100 cases per million procedures.

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Opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA) is general anaesthesia based on the use of several non-opioid molecules that aim to have an analgesic effect, decrease the sympathetic response, decrease hormonal stress, and decrease the inflammatory response during surgery. Although this approach to anaesthesia is regularly used in clinical practice, it remains a novel approach. The literature on this anaesthesia modality finds a number of positive effects on cardiac, respiratory, and cognitive function but no randomised study evaluated these effects during cardiac surgery where there is a high incidence of postoperative complications.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to evaluate the impact of a systematic enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program on patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) regarding mortality, complications, and hospital stay length.
  • Researchers analyzed data from 1,101 patients, comparing 362 who received standard care with 362 who participated in the ERAS program, finding no significant difference in 3-year mortality but notable improvements in various postoperative outcomes for the ERAS group.
  • Key findings included a significant reduction in mechanical ventilation duration, ICU stays, hospital length of stay, and certain complications, while demonstrating that the ERAS program resulted in similar long-term mortality rates compared to standard care.
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Purpose Of Review: Perioperative anaphylaxis (POA) is rare but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Patients are referred to the allergist to identify the mechanism of the reaction, the causative agent and make recommendations regarding subsequent anaesthesia. Despite a well conducted allergological evaluation, the causative agent is not found in 30-60% of these reactions, leaving patients without a well established diagnosis.

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Objectives: Evidence regarding the benefits of an enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery (ERACS) programme is lacking. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of a systematic standardized ERACS programme for patients undergoing isolated elective surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for aortic stenosis in terms of hospital mortality and morbidity, patient blood management and length of stay.

Methods: Patients undergoing isolated elective SAVR for aortic stenosis between 2015 and 2020 were identified from our database (n = 941).

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Background: Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is used as an anticoagulant during the atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedure to prevent the occurrence of thromboembolic events. Guidelines recommend an activated clotting time (ACT) greater than 300 s (s) based on studies of patients treated with vitamin K antagonist (VKA) for their AF. However, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have supplanted VKAs in AF and are now used as first-line therapy.

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Background: Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are among the leading cause of perioperative anaphylaxis, and most of these reactions are IgE mediated. Allergic sensitisation induced by environmental exposure to other quaternary ammonium-containing compounds, such as pholcodine, has been suggested. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between pholcodine exposure and NMBA-related anaphylaxis.

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Background: Postoperative morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) remain high despite recent advances in both anesthesia and perioperative management. Among modifiable risk factors for postoperative complications, optimal arterial pressure during and after surgery has been under debate for years. Recent data suggest that optimizing arterial pressure to the baseline of the patient may improve outcomes.

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Background: The present study was designed to describe the prevalence of norepinephrine use, the factors associated with its use, and the incidence of postoperative complications according to norepinephrine use, in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Method: We performed a prospective, multicenter, observational study in 4 University-affiliated medico-surgical cardiovascular units. We analyzed all patients treated with cardiac surgery after excluding pre-ECMO surgery, LVAD implantation, heart transplantation and intra-operative hemorrhage.

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Background: Assessment of anemia and iron deficiency before surgery is pivotal for patient blood management (PBM), but few data on current practices are available in the French context. The objective of this study was to describe anemia and iron deficiency management and blood transfusion use in surgical departments in France.

Methods: This was a national multicenter cross-sectional study in 13 public hospitals and 3 private ones (all with an interest for PBM).

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Article Synopsis
  • * The majority of the patients had severe COVID-19, with 90% showing abnormal ASL perfusion, particularly hypoperfusion in the temporal poles and frontal lobes, even if traditional MRI scans appeared normal.
  • * The findings highlight that over 80% of these patients exhibited significant brain perfusion deficits, suggesting that neurological complications in COVID-19 can occur independently of visible lesions on standard MRI scans.
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Perioperative hypersensitivity (POH) is an uncommon, potentially life-threatening event. Identification of POH can be difficult given the lack of familiarity, physiological effects of anesthesia, draping of the patient during surgery, and potential nonimmunological factors contributing to signs and symptoms. Given the unique nature and large number of medications administered in the perioperative setting, evaluation of POH can be challenging.

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Severe COVID-19 has been associated with a high rate of thrombotic events but also of bleeding events, particularly when the level of prophylactic anticoagulation was increased. Data on the contribution of platelets to these thrombotic events are discordant between reports, while the involvement of platelets in bleeding events has never been investigated. The objective of the present study was to assess platelet function during the first week of ICU hospitalization in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

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The mechanism of anaphylactic shock (AS) remains incompletely understood. The potassium channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), the inhibitors of cystathionine γ-lyase (ICSE), dl-propargylglycine (DPG) or β-cyanoalanine (BCA), and the nitric oxide (NO) synthase produce vasoconstriction and could be an alternative for the treatment of AS. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the ability of L-NAME, ICSE alone or in combination with 4-AP to restore blood pressure (BP) and improve survival in ovalbumin (OVA) rats AS.

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