Clinical Research Directory

Influence of Lung Volume Optimization Maneuver on Cardiac Output and Lung Compliance in Ventilated Children With Congenital Heart Disease Undergoing Surgical Repair

The aim of this randomized interventional multi-center clinical trial is to determine whether a standardized lung volume optimization maneuver (LVOM), including PEEP titration, improves outcomes in children undergoing biventricular repair for congenital heart disease (CHD) with cardiopulmonary bypass. The primary hypothesis is that optimizing end-expiratory lung volume through a standardized PEEP titration maneuver improves cardiac performance and lung function. Secondary objectives are to evaluate whether this strategy reduces duration of mechanical ventilation, improves hemodynamics and ventilation-perfusion matching, and decreases the need for vasopressor support.

Planned Operating-Room Extubation After Cardiac Surgery

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether removing the breathing tube in the operating room after cardiac surgery helps adults recover faster than removing the breathing tube later in the intensive care unit (ICU), without increasing the risk of complications. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does planned operating-room extubation increase the amount of time patients are alive and free from breathing-machine support and significant blood-pressure or heart-support medications during the first 72 hours after surgery? * Is planned operating-room extubation as safe as standard early ICU extubation with respect to important complications such as death, stroke, reoperation for bleeding, breathing failure requiring additional support or reintubation, and unplanned ICU readmission? Researchers will compare planned operating-room extubation with standard enhanced-recovery care in which patients remain intubated when leaving the operating room and are extubated in the ICU, with a target of within 6 hours after surgery when clinically appropriate. Participants will: * Provide informed consent before surgery * Be randomly assigned to one of the two extubation strategies * Receive otherwise standard cardiac surgical, anesthesia, and ICU care * Have routine clinical information collected during the first 72 hours after surgery and through hospital discharge * Complete a short questionnaire about their recovery on postoperative day 2 * Have their health status followed to 30 days after surgery If a participant assigned to operating-room extubation develops a clinical concern that makes immediate extubation unsafe, the treating team may keep the breathing tube in place and transfer the participant to the ICU while continuing standard care.

Influence of Personalized Lung Volume Optimization Maneuver on Lung Function and Cardiac Performance in Children

The goal of this randomized interventional clinical trial is to learn if a standardized lung volume optimization maneuver (LVOM) is beneficial in 1. study) children undergoing biventricular repair of their congenital heart disease (CHD) with cardiopulmonary bypass and 2. study) in children with severe respiratory failure at risk for or need for ECMO. The main questions it aims to answer are: Main hypotheses of CHD study: Does a standardized PEEP-Titration maneuver, to optimize end-expiratory lung volume improve: * cardiac performance * lung function Does it make a difference in: * length of ventilation * ventilation/perfusion mismatch of the lung * need for vasopressor support? Main hypotheses of ECMO study: Does a LVOM in children/infants with severe respiratory failure /ARDS * improve lung compliance and gas exchange * facilitate lung protective ventilation according to PALICC-2 guidelines * improve lung aeration and V/Q-matching assessed with EIT Does it make a difference in * need for ECMO * duration of ECMO runs * hemodynamics stability

Bedside Assessment of Right Ventricular Output Lying in Prone Or Supine

Right ventricular failure (RVF) is a common complication to cardiac surgery, which is associated to mortality, kidney failure, stroke, prolonged mechanical ventilation and ICU stay. The right ventricle is particularly vulnerable to an increased afterload. By increasing pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), atelectasis might mitigate a negative effect on the right ventricle. Recruitment maneuvers have been shown to resolve atelectasis and improve hemodynamics by increasing cardiac output and lowering PVR. However these maneuvers transiently raise airway pressures, which in turn increases right ventricular afterload, a situation often poorly tolerated by patients with RVF. Prone position is used in patients with respiratory failure and has been shown to decrease mortality in patients with ARDS. Prone position decreases atelectasis and moves ventilation dorsally. In ARDS it also seems to mediate beneficial hemodynamic effects such as an increase in cardiac output and a decrease in PVR. The investigators hypothesis is that prone position early after cardiac surgery will increase cardiac output by recruitment of atelectasis and thereby decrease PVR.

Efficacy of Ultrasound Guided PIFB Versus Lidocaine Infusion on Postoperative Pain After Sternotomy

Chronic pain is a common complication after cardiothoracic surgery. The prevalence of post-sternoyomy pain syndrome (PSPS) ranges from 33% to 91%. Exact pathogenetic mechanisms for developing chronic pain after sternotomy are unknown. Apart from intraoperative nerve damage and subsequent postoperative neuropathic pain, operation techniques, age, sex, pre-existing pain, genetic and psychosocial factors, severe postoperative pain, and analgesic management are suspected to have an impact on the development of PSPS .

Early Rehabilitation in Patients Following Major Cardiac Surgery: Changes in Functional Capacity and Energy Efficiency in Walking and ADLs.

The main objective of this clinical trial is to evaluate exercise capacity before and after an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation program in patients following major cardiac surgery. Secondary objectives assess baseline levels and changes post-rehabilitation in: * Motor performance and energy efficiency during activities of daily living (ADLs). * Energy efficiency during walking (constant-load treadmill test). * Muscle strength and physical performance via the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and Five-Times Sit-to-Stand Test (5STS). * Quality of life via the EuroQol questionnaire. Study Design: this 18-month, multi-center study involves several Maugeri Centres in Italy and a total of 60 patients. Participants undergo two assessment sessions (baseline and post-rehabilitation). The prescribed rehabilitation program remains strictly within routine clinical practice and will not be altered. Measurement Device (COSMED K5): selected tests require wearing the CE-marked COSMED K5 portable metabolic analyzer. The system comprises a face mask and a lightweight backpack housing the gas analyzer. By measuring breath-by-breath gas exchange (VO2 and VCO2) alongside heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, the device precisely quantifies physiological responses to exercise. This data will help optimize recovery tracking and inform future personalized rehabilitation protocols. Evaluations and Tests conducted at baseline and completion of the rehabilitation program: * Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT): Standard 6-minute walk along a 30-meter course, as required by Italian Ministry of Health guidelines. * Constant-Load Treadmill Test: 6 minutes of walking at constant speed and incline using the K5 metabolic analyzer. * Oxygen Kinetics Test (Cycle Ergometer): Performed in eligible patients based on initial 6MWT performance. Consists of alternating 6-minute workloads (15 W and 35 W sequence: 15-35-15-35-15-35 W) while wearing the K5 analyzer. * GLITTRE ADL-Test: Simulates physical demands of daily living (walking, stairs, carrying weights) while using the K5 analyzer. * Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB): Standard battery evaluating static balance, 4-meter gait speed, and 5-times sit-to-stand performance. * EuroQol Questionnaire: Brief self-reported quality-of-life assessment. Safety \& Risk Profile: this low-intervention study poses no additional risk beyond routine cardiac rehabilitation procedures (such as transfers, postural changes, and breathing exercises).

Autologous Cold-stored Apheresis Platelets

The Auto-PLTS Study is a single-centre trial performed at Toronto General Hospital (TGH) that uses a randomized, patient preference design. The recent introduction of cold-stored platelets with a shelf-life of 14 days into clinical practice has made it possible to offer autologous apheresis platelet predonation to patients undergoing elective cardiac (and other high-blood-loss) surgeries while allowing sufficient time to recover platelet count before surgery. The Auto-PLTS Study is designed to assess whether replacing allogeneic platelets with autologous platelets will improve patient outcomes and benefit the healthcare system by reducing the burden on allogeneic platelet supply. The study is also designed to determine whether patients are willing to donate autologous platelets 7-10 days prior to surgery.

Impact of Intraoperative Hemodynamic Instability on Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery

Intraoperative hemodynamic instability (IOHI) is a common occurrence during cardiac surgery and is associated with organ hypoperfusion. However, the specific impact of IOHI on composite adverse outcomes remains unclear. This prospective cohort study aims to evaluate the association between intraoperative hemodynamic instability (defined as MAP \< 65 mmHg or vasopressor requirement) and major postoperative complications (Delirium, Acute Kidney Injury, Stroke, or Mortality) in adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Exercise Prehabilitation in Congenital Heart Disease

Around 8-12 in every 1000 babies are born with an abnormal heart, known as a congenital heart defect (CHD). Thanks to major advances in medical and surgical care, most babies born with CHD now live into adulthood. As people with CHD get older, many need repeated heart operations. It is known from other areas of medicine that "prehabilitation" - a short, structured exercise programme completed before surgery - can improve fitness and help patients cope better with major operations. However, this approach has never been tested in adults with CHD. The investigators are running a randomised controlled trial to find out whether a prehabilitation programme can improve physical fitness before heart surgery in adults with CHD. Participants will be randomly assigned to usual care or a prehabilitation group. Those in the prehabilitation group will follow a tailored, supervised exercise plan for several weeks before surgery. All patients undergoing cardiac surgery routinely complete a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) as part of their standard pre-operative assessment. CPET is a well-established test that shows how the heart and lungs respond to increasing levels of exercise. During the test, participants exercise on a bike while their breathing, heart rate, and overall physiological response are continuously monitored. The results of each participant's routine CPET will be used to guide the individualised exercise programme in the intervention group. Exercise levels prescribed in the study will not exceed the intensity already safely achieved during the routine CPET, ensuring that activity remains within clinically assessed limits. Participants in the trial will complete an additional second CPET following the trial period. The key question is whether a tailored exercise programme can improve fitness in adults with CHD before heart surgery, and whether this approach is feasible, acceptable and practical to deliver, including successful recruitment and measurable physiological improvements.

Kidney Oxygen Saturation and Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin (NGAL) for Detecting Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) After Cardiac Surgery

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is an important complication following cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Early identification of patients at risk of AKI may facilitate timely clinical management. This prospective observational study investigated the association of perioperative renal regional oxygen saturation (rSO₂), measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels with postoperative AKI. A total of 85 adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with CPB were enrolled. Bilateral renal rSO₂ was measured during four predefined perioperative phases. NGAL levels were evaluated preoperatively and at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively. The primary objective was to assess the discriminatory performance of renal rSO₂ and NGAL, individually and in combination, for identifying postoperative AKI. AKI was defined and staged according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria during the first seven postoperative days. Secondary objectives included determining the incidence and severity of AKI and investigating associated patient-related and perioperative factors.

Randomized Evaluation of Operating Room Extubation After Cardiac Surgery

We are studying whether waking patients up and removing the breathing tube (also known as "extubation") in the operating room after cardiac surgery improves postoperative recovery without causing harm.

Oral Methadone in Cardiac Surgery

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of administration of oral methadone preoperatively and intravenous methadone upon induction of general anesthesia on postoperative pain for patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery.

Nicotinamide Mononucleotide in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

The investigators will perform a phase 2a, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery to investigate the effects of oral nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) administration on myocardial NAD+ concentrations and on postoperative markers of myocardial and kidney injury.

Epicardial Fat Immunity extRa Cellular vesicleS HearT

The FIRST study is a monocentric observational pilot study investigating the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in cardiovascular complications associated with obesity. EVs isolated from epicardial and subcutaneous adipose tissues obtained during cardiac surgery in adults and children will be analyzed for their molecular composition and biological activity. The study will evaluate their effects on inflammation and adipocyte beiging pathways in hMADS cells and monocyte-derived macrophages, and explore associations between EV characteristics and coronary perivascular inflammation assessed by CT imaging. Findings may improve understanding of the immunometabolic mechanisms linking EAT to cardiovascular disease.

ERAS Compliance and Hospital Stay After Open Heart Surgery

This prospective observational study will evaluate the association between compliance with an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol and length of hospital stay in 120 adults undergoing elective open heart surgery. Secondary outcomes will include nutritional status, postoperative complications, intensive care unit stay, 30-day readmission, and mortality.

Precision Analgesia for Cardiac Surgery

The proposed research is an important extension of an ongoing perioperative personalized analgesia and intravenous opioid pharmacogenetic research. This research focuses on two of the most commonly used oral opioid analgesics, oxycodone, and methadone in elderly adults undergoing cardiac surgery.

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Preventing Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass, leading to longer hospital stays and worse outcomes. Effective preventive therapies are lacking. This randomized controlled trial investigates whether transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS)-a non-invasive ear stimulation technique-can reduce AKI after cardiac surgery. A total of 152 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass will be randomly assigned to receive either taVNS or sham stimulation. The intervention begins before surgery and continues daily through postoperative day 5. The primary outcome is the incidence of AKI within 7 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes include AKI severity, need for dialysis, kidney function recovery, complications, and inflammatory biomarkers. This study is approved by the institutional ethics committee. All participants will provide written informed consent.

Observational Study of Platelet Dysfunction Assessed by Thromboelastography in Cardiovascular Surgery (DISPLATEG)

Perioperative bleeding requiring blood transfusion is common during cardiovascular surgery, especially in procedures requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) plays a fundamental role in platelet function. Several studies have shown that some patients not receiving antiplatelet therapy undergoing cardiovascular surgery have decreased platelet ADP receptor activity; the prevalence of this condition can be as high as 36%. Furthermore, extracorporeal circulation itself has been shown to cause a reduction in platelet function. Platelet dysfunction due to reduced platelet receptor activity after cardiac surgery is potentially a common cause of bleeding, perioperative blood transfusion, and surgical reexploration in patients not receiving antiplatelet agents. However, these studies are conducted with few patients and present some contradictory results, so the evidence is still scarce. The study hypothesis is that preoperative platelet dysfunction for ADP measured by TEG® Platelet Mapping™ is associated with a higher incidence of moderate-severe bleeding after CPB in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery.

Urine Output Response to Fluid and Diuretic Therapy in Cardiac ICU Patients Monitored With FIZE kUO®

This prospective observational study evaluates the real-time urine output response to fluid therapy and diuretics in cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU) patients monitored with the FIZE kUO® device. The study aims to assess how continuous urine output monitoring can inform fluid management and improve patient outcomes post-cardiac surgery.

Prophylactic Effect of Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir and Ursodeoxycholic Acid on Reducing Complications After Cardiac Surgery

Prophylactic effect of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and ursodeoxycholic acid on reducing complications after cardiac surgery during covid-19 pandemics (the pep trial) is a multicenter, randomized controlled trial. The aim of the pep trial is to investigate whether prophylactic use of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and ursodeoxycholic could reduce complications after cardiac surgery.

Ultrasound-Guided Serratus Posterior Superior Intercostal Plane Block for Cardiac Surgery

This prospective, randomized, controlled study aims to evaluate the effects of ultrasound-guided bilateral single-shot serratus posterior superior intercostal plane (SPSIP) block on postoperative recovery and pain management in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. A total of 50 adult patients will be randomized into two groups: an SPSIP block group and a control group. The investigators will assess postoperative pain, opioid consumption, and quality of recovery during the postoperative period.

The Effects of Dexmedetomidine on Postoperative Cognitive Function in Open Heart Surgery

To assess the impact of Dexmedetomidine on postoperative cognitive function and serum Neuron Specific Enolase levels as an indicator of neuronal injury in patients undergoing open heart surgery

Cardiopulmonary Bypass Induced Red Blood Cell Lysis

Studying the dynamics of red blood cell lysis, pfH, protective proteins and organ injury, limits will be set for safe levels of pfH following the use of CPB. These results will be compared to existing laboratory-based methods for determining red blood cell damage to predict CPB assist device safety. Further, results from the studies described in this proposal will help develop therapeutic strategies to benefit patients by early detection of pfH and clearance protein levels that occur during CPB.

Nociception Monitoring During Cardiac Surgery

Cardiac surgery is frequently a source of acute or chronic pain. According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), nociception is defined as "the neural mechanisms of encoding and processing harmful stimuli," while pain is defined as "an undesirable sensory and emotional experience associated with real tissue damage". When patients are under general anesthesia (GA) during surgery, a lack of intraoperative analgesia can expose them to high levels of pain sensitization associated with surgical nociceptive stimuli. The response to the surgical nociceptive stress (via activation of the autonomic nervous system) can lead to alterations in hemodynamic or metabolic status, coagulation or the immune system. In addition, it is now well established that acute intra- and post-operative pain is directly related to the onset of chronic pain, particularly in the post-sternotomy period. On the contrary, excessive administration of opioid analgesics causes moderate to severe side effects (nausea, vomiting, bradypnea, delayed awakening, prolongation of recovery time, hyperalgesia syndrome, postoperative tolerance to opioids leading to misuse or occurrence of DCPO), which will result in postoperative morbidity for the patient independent of the surgery. Indeed, in cardiac surgery, there is a dose-dependent relationship between the intraoperative use of opioid analgesics such as remifentanil and the occurrence of postoperative hyperalgesia. The interest in intraoperative monitoring of nociception has therefore clearly increased in order to improve patient care from the point of view of intra- and postoperative pain management: administering a sufficient and personalized dose of analgesics, neither too high nor too low. Strategies to prevent perioperative pain must therefore be developed to avoid sensitizing the patient to pain and thus limiting the onset of CD, or conversely, to avoid the onset of side effects from excessive analgesic treatment. These strategies include intra-operative pain monitoring. Numerous medical devices are available on the market to measure the level of nociception in patients undergoing GA. The vast majority of these monitors analyse clinical parameters that assess the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Of all the monitors available, there is currently only one multiparametric monitor, the PMD200® which provides the Nociception Level Index or NOL Index (Medasense, Ramat Gan, Israel). In fact, the latter incorporates 5 parameters in its assessment of nociception: heart rate, RR segment variability, pulse wave amplitude, skin conductance level and skin temperature with the number of variations of these last two parameters. New devices for monitoring nociception used in the administration of intraoperative intravenous opioid agents could help to adjust the analgesia/nociception balance. In non-cardiac surgery, the NOL index has shown better sensitivity and specificity than variations in heart rate and blood pressure in detecting and helping to manage a surgical nociceptive stimulus during GA. This monitor has also enabled a dramatic reduction in the doses of intraoperative opioids administered. In this study we hypothesized that monitoring of nociception using the NOL index is feasible during coronary artery surgery despite extracorporeal circulation.