Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Nov 2022
ReviewParasternal Intercostal Nerve Blocks in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: Evidence Update and Technical Considerations.
In the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery era, parasternal intercostal nerve block has been proposed to improve pain control and reduce opioid use in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. However current literature has reported conflicting evidence about the effect of this multimodal pain management, as procedural variations might pose a significant bias on outcomes evaluation. In this setting, the infiltration of the parasternal plane into 2 intercostal spaces, second and fifth, with a local anesthetic spread under or above the costal plane with ultrasound guidance, seem to be standardized in theory, but significant differences might be observed in clinical practice. ⋯ A trend toward reduced intensive care unit stay or duration of mechanical ventilation should be confirmed by adequately powered randomized trials or registry studies. Differences in operative technique might impact outcomes and, therefore, standardization of the procedure plays a pivotal role before reporting specific outcomes. Parasternal plane blocks might significantly improve outcomes of cardiac surgery with full median sternotomy, and should be introduced comprehensively in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocols.
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In 2021, the United States performed 9,236 liver transplantations, an increase of 3.7% from 2020. As the specialty of transplant anesthesiologist continues to grow, so does the body of evidence-based research to improve patient care. New technology in organ preservation offers the possibility of preserving marginal organs for transplant or improving the graft for transplantation. ⋯ As an increasing number of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are listed for transplant, managing their multiple comorbidities can be challenging. Finally, the rebalanced hemostasis of end-stage liver disease can cause both bleeding and thrombus. Often, bleeding risks predominate as a concern, but anesthesiologists should be aware of risks of intracardiac thrombus and review therapeutic options for prevention and treatment.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Nov 2022
National Delphi Survey on Anesthesiology Resident Training in Perioperative Ultrasound.
To establish agreement among nationwide experts through a Delphi process on the key components of perioperative ultrasound and the recommended minimum number of examinations that should be performed by a resident upon graduation. ⋯ The recommendations outlined in this survey can be used to establish standardized training for perioperative ultrasound by anesthesiology residency programs.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Nov 2022
Analgesic Effects of a Novel Combination of Regional Anesthesia After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
The objective of this study was to determine whether the use of regional anesthesia in children undergoing congenital heart surgery was associated with differences in outcomes when compared to surgeon-delivered local anesthetic wound infiltration. ⋯ Bilateral PIFBs and a unilateral RSB on the side ipsilateral to the chest tube is a novel analgesic technique for sternotomy in pediatric patients. In this retrospective study, these interventions were associated with decreases in postoperative opioid use, pain scores, and hospital length of stay without prolonging time under GA.