Document Detail


Thoracic epidurals in heart valve surgery: neurologic risk evaluation.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  12486653     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of neurologic complications resulting from epidural hematoma in a series of patients who had surgery for repair or replacement of heart valves under combined general and thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA). DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: General reference hospital associated with a university. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (n = 305) who had surgery for replacement or repair of heart valves. INTERVENTIONS: An epidural catheter was inserted at T1-3 as soon as the patient was in the operating room, and local anesthetic was administered as a bolus, then as a continuous infusion throughout the operation and postoperatively. A protocol for postoperative neurologic evaluation was used to rule out clinical signs of spinal lesions. A set of safety guidelines was routinely followed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Preoperatively a battery of coagulation tests was systematically carried out: activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet count, and prothrombin time. Oral anticoagulants (warfarin) were stopped >60 hours before surgery, and antiplatelet drugs (aspirin) were stopped 7 days before. No patient required parenteral opiates postoperatively. Of the patients, 65% were extubated in the operating room. There were no neurologic complications resulting from epidural hematoma. CONCLUSION: TEA can provide effective postoperative analgesia and assist in early tracheal extubation in cardiac valve surgery. In this series, there were no neurologic deficits detected. When certain safety measures are taken, routine TEA is feasible and helpful in cardiac valve surgery.
Authors:
Miguel Cantó; Angeles Casas; Maria J Sánchez; Ana Lorenzo; Luisa Bataller
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia     Volume:  16     ISSN:  1053-0770     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth.     Publication Date:  2002 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2002-12-17     Completed Date:  2003-04-02     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9110208     Medline TA:  J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  723-6     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Affiliation:
Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital General de Alicante, Alicante, Spain. m.canto@telefonica.net
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anesthesia, Epidural / adverse effects*
Anesthesia, General
Female
Heart Valves / surgery*
Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / etiology*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Spinal Cord Injuries / etiology
Spinal Puncture / adverse effects

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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