Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Assessment of right ventricular (RV) function is recommended as part of a comprehensive echocardiography exam, including before and after cardiac surgery. Nevertheless, the prognostic implications of various measures of RV function in patients undergoing cardiac surgery are not well characterized. Our goal was to conduct a focused systematic review to assess the association of quantitative parameters of RV function with postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. ⋯ PROSPERO ( CRD42023387383 ); first submitted 23 December 2022.
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We sought to conduct a quality improvement initiative to compare the wash quality and speed of autologous red blood cell (RBC) processing of four autotransfusion devices during cardiac surgery. ⋯ Wash quality and processing speed differed between autotransfusion devices and processing sets. These findings may have clinical implications when large volumes of shed blood are processed and reinfused.
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When difficulty with laryngoscopy is encountered, confirmation of endotracheal access can be confirmed using the tactile feedback (i.e., tracheal clicks) of a tracheal tube introducer (bougie). There is anecdotal evidence that a bougie placed in the esophagus may have a unique, tactile "boggy" resistance. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the sensitivity and specificity of clicks and boggy resistance for infrequent airway providers in cadaveric airways. ⋯ Following a brief training session, prehospital providers who intubate infrequently seemed to show a relatively high degree of accuracy using tracheal clicks and esophageal boggy resistance to confirm bougie placement in cadaveric airways.