Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2024
Randomized Controlled TrialThe Impact of Preoperative Combined Pectoserratus and/or Interpectoral Plane (Pectoralis Type II) Blocks on Opioid Consumption, Pain, and Overall Benefit of Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, and Triple-blinded Trial.
Acute postoperative pain remains a major obstacle in minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS). Evidence of the analgesic benefit of chest wall blocks is limited. This study was designed to assess the influence of combined pectoserratus plane block plus interpectoral plane block (PSPB + IPPB) on postoperative pain and the overall benefit of analgesia compared with placebo. ⋯ Preoperative PSPB + IPPB reduced 24-hour postextubation opioid consumption, pain at extubation, and OBAS. Given its low risk and expedient placement, it could be a helpful addition to MICS protocols. Future studies should evaluate these findings in multicenter settings and further elucidate the optimal timing of block placement.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2024
ReviewHemocompatibility-related Adverse Events in Patients With Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support: The Scoring Haemostasis Events and Assessment for Risk (SHEAR) Score.
Evaluation of treatment outcomes in patients supported by temporary mechanical circulatory support (tMCS) currently relies mainly on mortality, which may not sufficiently address other patient benefits or harms. Bleeding and thrombosis are major contributors to mortality. Still, current bleeding scores are not designed for critically ill patients undergoing tMCS, only consider selected populations, and do not account for the high heterogeneity among bleeding and thrombotic adverse events. ⋯ The new system termed the Scoring Haemostasis Events and Assessment for Risk (SHEAR) score, is divided into a baseline characterization stage and four escalating scoring stages encompassing all aspects of clinical relevance. This report summarizes the literature on hemocompatibility-related adverse events associated with tMCS, including bleeding, stroke, vascular access complications, hemolysis, thrombosis, and device failure. The SHEAR score provides a simple and rapid bedside scoring system aiming to provide a univocal tool to increase physician awareness of hemocompatibility complications at baseline and beyond, improve clinical research, and enable the capture of device-related complications that will inform relevant outcomes beyond mortality.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2024
ReviewModernization of Cardiac Advanced Life Support: Role and Value of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist Intensivist in Post-Cardiac Surgery Arrest Resuscitation.
Cardiac arrest in the postoperative cardiac surgery patient requires a unique set of management skills that deviates from traditional cardiopulmonary resuscitation and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS). Cardiac Advanced Life Support (CALS) was first proposed in 2005 to address these intricacies. The hallmark of CALS is early chest reopening and internal cardiac massage within 5 minutes of the cardiac arrest in patients unresponsive to basic life support. ⋯ As such, we have proposed a modified CALS approach to (1) adapt to a newer generation of cardiac surgery patients and (2) incorporate advanced resuscitative techniques. These include rescue-focused cardiac ultrasound to aid in the early identification of underlying pathology and guide resuscitation and early institution of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation instead of chest reopening. While these therapies are not immediately available in all cardiac surgery centers, we hope this creates a framework to revise guidelines to include these recommendations to improve outcomes and how cardiac anesthesiologist intensivists' evolving role can aid resuscitation.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2024
ReviewThe Year in Cardiothoracic Critical Care: Highlighted Publications From 2023.
There were several noteworthy articles published in 2023 affecting the practice of critical care anesthesiology, summarized in this year's "The Year in Cardiothoracic Critical Care: Highlighted Publications From 2023." While many articles published in 2023 were notable and modified practices, the authors have highlighted a broad selection of papers. The selection of papers reviewed for 2023 includes studies demonstrating the noninferiority of organ donation after circulatory death, the immune response to blood administration in lung transplantation recipients, the lack of need for prescribing antiplatelet therapy in Heartmate 3 patients, outcomes following extracorporeal CPR, and evidence contradicting tight glycemic control in the intensive care unit. It is anticipated that all these topics will have further research in 2024 and beyond.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2024
ReviewThe Year in Graduate Medical Education: Selected Highlights from 2023.
This special article is the third in an annual series of the Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia that highlights significant literature from the world of graduate medical education published over the past year. Major themes addressed in this review include the potential uses and pitfalls of artificial intelligence in graduate medical education, trainee well-being and the rise of unionized house staff, the effect of gender and race/ethnicity on residency application and attrition rates, and the adoption of novel technologies in medical simulation and education. The authors thank the editorial board for again allowing us to draw attention to some of the more interesting work published in the field of graduate medical education during 2023. We hope that the readers find these highlights thought-provoking and informative as we all strive to successfully educate the next generation of anesthesiologists.