Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
-
J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · May 2023
Observational StudyThe Impact of COVID-19 on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Cardiac Procedural Care.
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate whether the COVID-19 pandemic altered the racial and ethnic composition of patients receiving cardiac procedural care. ⋯ Racial and ethnic disparities in access to cardiac procedural care were present throughout all study time periods at the authors' institution. Their findings reinforce the continuing need for initiatives to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare. Further studies are needed to fully elucidate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare access and delivery.
-
J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · May 2023
Observational StudySpinal Cord Infarction With Prolonged Femoral Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.
There have been sporadic reports of ischemic spinal cord injury (SCI) during venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) support. The authors observed a troubling pattern of this catastrophic complication and evaluated the potential mechanisms of SCI related to ECMO. ⋯ An SCI is a serious complication of extended peripheral VA-ECMO support. Its etiology remains uncertain, but the authors' preliminary data suggested that spinal cord edema from hyperperfusion or venous congestion could contribute.
-
J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · May 2023
Review Meta AnalysisEffects of Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Thoracic Muscle Plane Block on Postoperative Pain and Side Effects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
The effects of the transversus thoracic muscle plane (TTP) block on postoperative pain have become increasingly controversial. This meta-analysis compared the effects of the TTP block versus no block on postoperative analgesia and side effects to determine whether this new technique is a reliable alternative for pain management. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chongqing VIP information, and Wanfang Data were searched for clinical studies investigating the analgesic effect of the TTP block compared to controls. ⋯ Furthermore, the trial sequence analysis confirmed the result of less 24-hour postoperative analgesic consumption in the TTP block group. As a novel technique, the TTP block exhibited a superior postoperative analgesic effect during the early postoperative period. Nevertheless, additional well-designed RCTs are needed.