Background The induction of general anesthesia may cause hemodynamic instability. Remifentanil is often administered to suppress the hemodynamic response. We aimed to evaluate the effect of remifentanil infusion on the hemodynamic response to induction of anesthesia in hypertensive and normotensive patients. Methods Patients were divided into two groups: Group H (n = 102) were hypertensive patients and Group C (n = 107) were normotensive patients. During induction, all patients received 1 µg/kg of remifentanil as a loading dose over 2 minutes, followed by a continuous infusion at 0.05 µg/kg/minute. We analyzed the systolic, diastolic, and mean pressures and heart rate pre-induction, pre-intubation, immediately post-intubation, and at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 minutes after intubation. Results The systolic, diastolic, and mean pressures before induction were significantly higher in group H compared with group C, but there was no significant difference between the two groups immediately after intubation. Blood pressures immediately after intubation were similar to the pre-induction blood pressure. There was no significant difference in heart rate between the two groups at any time point. Conclusions Remifentanil infusion effectively attenuates the hemodynamic response to induction of general anesthesia in hypertensive and normotensive patients.

Background: Nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy (NSRP) had to be performed because approximately 94% of patients are diagnosed with localized prostate cancer (PCa). Although NSRP is generally done to improve functional outcomes, erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most prevailing complications after radical prostatectomy (RP). Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5-Is) are the most well-known treatment agent for postoperative ED. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of PDE5-Is in patients with ED after NSRP. Methods:In this systematic literature review, randomized controlled trials on the efficacy and safety of PDE5-Is in patients who underwent NSRP were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register using the OVID platform. This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and Cochrane Review Methods.The quality of the evidence of the outcome data was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.Results: A total of 14 trials involving 2,822 patients were included. Significant improvements in the International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function (IIEF) domain score [mean difference (MD) =4.93; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.14-5.71; P<0.00001] and erectile function recovery events [odds ratio (OR) =2.06; 95% CI: 1.45-2.94; P<0.0001] were observed after PDE5-I treatment. A higher positive response to Sexual Encounter Profile (SEP) question 2 (OR =2.27; 95% CI: 1.80-2.86; P<0.00001) and question 3 (OR =2.78; 95% CI: 1.97-3.91; P<0.00001) was also found after PDE5-I treatment. However, the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was higher after PDE5-I treatment than after placebo treatment (OR =2.91; 95% CI: 1.84-4.61). Furthermore, the incidence of headache (OR =3.38; 95% CI: 2.40-4.75) and flushing (OR =9.44; 95% CI: 4.30-20.70) was also significantly higher after PDE5-I treatment (P<0.00001). In terms of the quality of the evidence of the outcome data, inconsistency problems were detected in all outcomes and imprecision problems in most outcomes.Discussion: PDE5-I treatment was more effective to placebo treatment in patients with ED after NSRP.No clinically serious complications were found in spite of the incidence of TEAEs being higher after PDE5-I treatment.

Rationale:Liver transplantation is an increasingly common treatment for patients with liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver transplantation in patients with heart disease can pose a significant challenge to the transplant teams.Patient concerns:A 46-year-old woman was diagnosed with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma 3 years ago and had received 3 times transarterial chemoembolization.Diagnoses:The patient was diagnosed as end-stage liver disease due to hepatocellular carcinoma and was scheduled to undergo living-donor liver transplantation. The preoperative echocardiogram revealed mass in the right atrium and the inferior vena cava.Interventions:The patient underwent mass removal under cardiopulmonary bypass followed by liver transplantation.Outcomes:A month later, she was discharged without any complications.Lessons:There have only been a few reported cases of anesthetic liver transplantation after a cardiopulmonary bypass. The successful experience described in this case report suggests that some patients may be eligible to undergo a liver transplantation after a cardiopulmonary bypass.

Erythropoietin and iron have individually shown beneficial effects on early-phase liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy (PHx); however, there are limited data on the combined effect on late-phase liver regeneration after PHx. Here we examined combined effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO, 3,000 IU/kg) and iron isomaltoside (IIM, 40 mg/kg) on late-phase liver regeneration following PHx and investigated the possible underlying mechanism. Rats administrated with rhEPO showed significantly higher liver mass restoration, interleukin-6 (IL-6, a hepatocyte mitogen) levels, and Ki-67-positive hepatocytes on day 7 after PHx than saline-treated controls. These beneficial effects were further enhanced on days 7 and 14 by co-treatment with IIM. This combination also significantly improved liver function indices, such as increased albumin production and decreased bilirubin levels, but did not alter serum levels of toxic parameters, such as aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase. This study demonstrates that the combination of rhEPO and IIM synergistically improves late-phase liver regeneration and function after PHx, probably by promoting IL-6-mediated hepatocyte proliferation without adverse effects. Thus, this combination treatment can be a potential therapeutic strategy for patients undergoing resection for hepatic malignancies.

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