Interrelationship of preoperative anemia, intraoperative anemia, and red blood cell transfusion as potentially modifiable risk factors for acute kidney injury in cardiac surgery: a historical multicentre cohort study.

Purpose: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a potentially serious complication of cardiac surgery. Anemia and red blood cell (RBC) transfusion have individually been identified as potentially modifiable risk factors, but their interrelationship with AKI has not been clearly defined. The purpose of this study was to explore the interrelationship of preoperative anemia, intraoperative anemia, and RBC transfusion on the day of surgery with AKI in cardiac surgery.

Off-label use of recombinant activated factor VII in surgical and non-surgical patients at 16 Canadian hospitals from 2007 to 2010 (Canadian Registry Report).

Purpose: Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) is a pro-hemostatic drug that is approved for treatment of bleeding in hemophilia patients, but it is frequently used off-label in non-hemophiliacs. The purpose of this study was to determine if the off-label use of rFVIIa is expanding and whether this poses a net harm to patients.

Methods: For this historical cohort study, data were collected on all non-hemophilia patients who received rFVIIa from 2007 to 2010 at 16 Canadian centres, and the pattern of use was examined.

Effect of thoracic epidural analgesia on clinical outcomes following transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Objective: To determine the impact of perioperative thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) on acute and late outcomes following transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TA-TAVI).

Patients And Intervention: A total of 135 consecutive patients who underwent TA-TAVI were included. All patients received catheter-based pain control, either via TEA (TEA group, n=74) or intercostal local analgesia with a catheter placed at the surgical incision site (non-TEA group, n=61), depending on the preference of the anaesthesiologist responsible for the case.

Predictive factors, efficacy, and safety of balloon post-dilation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation with a balloon-expandable valve.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the predictive factors, effects, and safety of balloon post-dilation (BPD) for the treatment of significant paravalvular aortic regurgitation (AR) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Background: Very few data exist on BPD after TAVI with a balloon-expandable valve.

Methods: A total of 211 patients who underwent TAVI with a balloon-expandable valve were included.