Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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As the field of interventional pulmonology continues to expand and develop at a rapid pace, anesthesiologists are increasingly called upon to provide well tolerated anesthetic care during these procedures. These patients may not be candidates for surgical treatment and often have multiple comorbidities. It is important for anesthesiologists to familiarize themselves with these procedures and their associated risks and complications. ⋯ The review summarizes the procedures now commonly performed by interventional pulmonologists and interventional radiologists. It discusses the anesthetic considerations for and common complications of these procedures to prepare anesthesiologists to safely care for these patients. Investigational techniques are also described.
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The applications for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for lung support are constantly evolving. This review highlights fundamental concepts in extracorporeal lung support and describes directions for future research. ⋯ Extracorporeal lung support is a safe and an easily implemented intervention for refractory respiratory failure. Recent advances have extended its use beyond acute illnesses and the developments for chronic support will facilitate the development of durable devices and possible artificial lung development.
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Despite marked improvements in perioperative outcomes, esophagectomy continues to be a high-risk operation associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Progress has been achieved through evidence-based changes in preoperative optimization, intraoperative ventilation strategies, fluid therapy, and analgesia, as well as expedited postoperative recovery pathways. This review will summarize the recent literature on the anesthetic management of patients undergoing esophageal resection. ⋯ The morbidity and mortality after esophagectomy remains high despite significant improvements over the last decades. Enhanced recovery pathways appear promising in achieving further marginal gains but at present are lacking large scale, prospective, multicenter evidence.