Open Abdominal Management for Damage Control in Liver Transplantation: A Single-center Experience.

Background: Patients undergoing liver transplantation are in a state of coagulopathy before surgery because of liver failure. Intraoperative hemorrhage, massive transfusions, and post-reperfusion syndrome further contribute to coagulopathy, acidosis, and hypothermia. In such situations, temporary cessation of surgery with open abdominal management and resuscitation in the intensive care unit (ICU), which is commonly used as a damage control strategy in trauma care, may be effective.

Cardioprotective Effects of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter Subtype Inhibition on Ischemic and Pharmacological Preconditioning.

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) 2 inhibitors partially inhibit SGLT1 expression; however, whether a clinical dose of SGLT2 inhibitor abrogates ischemic preconditioning (IPC) is unknown, and the pharmacological cardioprotective effect under SGLT1 inhibition has not been examined. In this study, we investigated whether a clinical dose of tofogliflozin abrogates IPC and whether pharmacological preconditioning with olprinone has cardioprotective effects under SGLT1 inhibition.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups (seven rats per group) and subjected to the following treatments before inducing ischemia/reperfusion (I/R; 30 minutes of coronary artery occlusion followed by 120 minutes of reperfusion): saline infusion control treatment (Con); ischemic preconditioning (IPC); IPC after phlorizin infusion (IPC+Phl); IPC after low-dose tofogliflozin infusion (IPC+L-Tof); IPC after high-dose tofogliflozin infusion (IPC+H-Tof); olprinone infusion (Olp); and Olp infusion after phlorizin infusion (Olp+Phl).

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for group B streptococcal toxic shock syndrome: A case report and literature review.

Rationale: Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) rapidly leads to refractory shock and multiple organ failure. The mortality rate among patients with STSS is 40%; however, most deaths occur within a few days of onset. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) may help avoid acute death in adult patients with STSS.

Modifications of peripheral perfusion in patients with vasopressor-dependent septic shock treated with polymyxin B-direct hemoperfusion.

Abnormal peripheral perfusion (PP) worsens the prognosis of patients with septic shock. Polymyxin B-direct hemoperfusion (PMX-DHP) increases blood pressure and reduces vasopressor doses. However, the modification of PP following administration of PMX-DHP in patients with vasopressor-dependent septic shock have not yet been elucidated.

Association between enterocyte injury and fluid balance in patients with septic shock: a post hoc exploratory analysis of a prospective observational study.

Background: The required fluid volume differs among patients with septic shock. Enterocyte injury caused by shock may increase the need for fluid by triggering a systematic inflammatory response or an ischemia-reperfusion injury in the presence of intestinal ischemia/necrosis. This study aimed to evaluate the association between enterocyte injury and positive fluid balance in patients with septic shock.

Removal of a catheter mount and heat-and-moisture exchanger improves hypercapnia in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: A retrospective observational study.

To avoid ventilator-associated lung injury in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) treatment, respiratory management should be performed at a low tidal volume of 6 to 8 mL/kg and plateau pressure of ≤30 cmH2O. However, such lung-protective ventilation often results in hypercapnia, which is a risk factor for poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the removal of a catheter mount (CM) and using heated humidifiers (HH) instead of a heat-and-moisture exchanger (HME) for reducing the mechanical dead space created by the CM and HME, which may improve hypercapnia in patients with ARDS.

Anaphylactic shock in a patient with severe aortic stenosis treated with adrenaline and landiolol for circulatory management: A case report.

Rationale: We present the first case of a patient with severe aortic stenosis who developed anaphylactic shock and was successfully treated with adrenaline and landiolol, a highly selective β1-receptor blocker, to prevent disruption of the myocardial oxygen supply-demand balance caused by tachycardia.

Patient Concerns: An 86-year-old woman was scheduled for simultaneous anterior-posterior fixation for a burst fracture of the 12th thoracic vertebra; 200 mg sugammadex, a neuromuscular blocking agent antagonist, was administered postoperatively, and she was extubated without complications. However, 6 min after extubation, her blood pressure decreased abruptly to 55/29 mm Hg, and her heart rate increased to 78 bpm.

Absent right superior vena cava with persistent left superior vena cava in a patient with COVID-19.

Vascular injury associated with cannulation during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) induction is a rare but life-threatening complication. The presence of abnormal vascular anatomy increases the risk of vascular injury and should be recognized before cannulation. We report the case of a patient with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) who was expected to undergo ECMO.

Impact of plasma 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, a serotonin metabolite, on clinical outcome in septic shock, and its effect on vascular permeability.

Septic shock is characterized by dysregulated vascular permeability. We hypothesized that the vascular permeability of endothelial cells (ECs) would be regulated by serotonin via serotonin-Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) signaling. We aimed to determine the impact of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) on septic shock as a novel biomarker.

Allergen-Related Coronary Vasospasm "Kounis Syndrome" Requiring Administration of Epinephrine and a Coronary Vasodilator.

Kounis syndrome is an anaphylactic reaction leading to acute coronary syndrome. The acute treatment of anaphylaxis is epinephrine; however, epinephrine may cause coronary vasoconstriction, reduce coronary blood flow, increase myocardial oxygen demand, and worsen myocardial ischemia. On the other hand, coronary vasodilation, a treatment for acute coronary syndrome, can aggravate hypotension in patients with anaphylaxis.

Association between endotoxemia and enterocyte injury and clinical course in patients with gram-positive septic shock: A posthoc analysis of a prospective observational study.

Endotoxemia often occurs in patients with gram-positive infections. The possible mechanism is thought to be bacterial translocation after enterocyte hypoperfusion injury. However, the association between endotoxemia and enterocyte injury among patients with gram-positive septic shock has never been assessed.

Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein level as a predictor of 28-day mortality and bowel ischemia in patients with septic shock: A preliminary study.

Purpose: We sought to evaluate the levels of intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP), a biomarker of enterocyte injury, as a predictor of 28-day mortality and bowel ischemia in septic shock patients.

Material And Methods: In this preliminary prospective observational study, 57 adult septic shock patients under mechanical ventilation were enrolled. Serum I-FABP levels and prognostic biomarkers were recorded upon intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

The effects of intravenous anesthetics on QT interval during anesthetic induction with sevoflurane.

Purpose: Sevoflurane is known to prolong the QT interval. This study aimed to determine the effect of the interaction between intravenous anesthetics and sevoflurane on the QT interval.

Methods: The study included 48 patients who underwent lumbar spine surgery.

High-dose fasudil preserves postconditioning against myocardial infarction under hyperglycemia in rats: role of mitochondrial KATP channels.

Background: The current study was carried out to determine whether fasudil hydrochloride (fasudil), a Rho-kinase inhibitor, has myocardial postconditioning (PostC) activity under hyperglycemia as well as normoglycemia, and if so, whether the effects could be mediated by mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium (m-KATP) channels.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. After opening the chest, all rats underwent 30-min coronary artery occlusion followed by 2-h reperfusion.

Hyperglycemia raises the threshold of levosimendan- but not milrinone-induced postconditioning in rat hearts.

Background: The authors examined whether milrinone and levosimendan could exert cardiac postconditioning effects in rats under normoglycemia and hyperglycemia, and whether the effects could be mediated by mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP).

Methods: Wistar rats underwent 30-min coronary artery occlusion followed by 2-h reperfusion. The rats received milrinone or levosimendan just before reperfusion under normoglycemic or hyperglycemic conditions with or without atractyloside, an mPTP opener.

Comparison between propofol and dexmedetomidine in postoperative sedation after extensive cervical spine surgery.

Purpose: Patients undergoing extensive cervical spine surgery (ECSS) occasionally require emergency reintubation due to postoperative airway complications. To avoid it, an endotracheal tube is retained in patients maintained under sedation overnight. This study was conducted to determine whether dexmedetomidine would be superior in sedative effects to propofol for postoperative sedation after ECSS.

[Relationship between magnesium concentration in cerebrospinal fluid and delayed cerebral ischemia in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage].

Background: The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between magnesium concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Methods: We studied 39 consecutive patients undergoing surgery after SAH. A spinal drainage catheter was inserted into the lower lumbar vertebrae before surgery.

QTc interval and neurological outcomes in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: Prolonged heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval is frequently observed in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). This study was conducted to determine the relationship between QTc interval and neurological outcome during the acute posthemorrhagic period after aneurysmal SAH.

Methods: We studied 71 patients undergoing surgery who were admitted within 24 h after the onset of aneurysmal SAH.

Admission microalbuminuria and neurologic outcomes in intensive care unit patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

This study was performed to determine the prevalence and the prognostic significance of microalbuminuria in patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). From May 2004 to April 2006, we studied 59 consecutive ICH patients verified using computed tomography and admitted to our ICU within a day after stroke. General clinical, neurologic data, and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) were recorded at admission to ICU.