Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Aug 2022
ReviewThrombosis and coagulopathy in COVID-19 patients rceiving ECMO: A narrative review of current literature.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an established part of the treatment algorithm for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related acute respiratory distress syndrome. An intense inflammatory response may cause an imbalance in the coagulation cascade making both thrombosis and bleeding common and notable features of the clinical management of these patients. Large observational and retrospective studies provide a better understanding of the pathophysiology and management of bleeding and thrombosis in COVID-19 patients requiring ECMO. ⋯ The incidence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia is higher than the general patient cohort with acute respiratory distress syndrome or other indications for ECMO. The use of laboratory parameters to predict bleeding or thrombosis has a limited role. In this review, the authors discuss the complex pathophysiology of bleeding and thrombosis observed in patients with COVID-19 during ECMO support, and their effects on outcomes.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Aug 2022
ReviewThe Lymphatic System in the Fontan Patient-Pathophysiology, Imaging, and Interventions: What the Anesthesiologist Should Know.
The Fontan surgery was developed as a palliative intervention for congenital heart disease (CHD) patients with single-ventricle physiology who are not candidates for a biventricular repair. Improvements in the surgery and medical management of these patients have increased survival, yet this population remains at risk for complications and end-organ dysfunction due to Fontan failure. Lymphatic vessels maintain a fluid balance within the extracellular space, participate in fat reabsorption from the small intestine, and play an important role in the body's immune response. ⋯ These complications include arrhythmias, cardiac dysfunction, ascites, liver fibrosis/cirrhosis, renal dysfunction, pulmonary failure, and lymphatic complications such as edema, pleural effusions, PB, and PLE. Complications ultimately contribute to increased risk for hospitalization, death, and need for heart transplantation.3,4 For this reason, there has been increasing interest in the role of abnormal lymphatic circulation in the genesis of Fontan failure. The authors characterize the lymphatic pathophysiology associated with Fontan physiology and review the imaging and interventional strategies used to treat these patients.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Aug 2022
Case ReportsUninterrupted Continuation of VV-ECMO Without Anticoagulation for 44 Days in COVID-19 ARDS: A Precarious Quandary.
Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) has become a mainstay treatment modality for a select patient population who do not respond to conventional medical therapy suffering from severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19. This therapy necessitates the utilization of anticoagulation, whether unfractionated heparin or bivalirudin, to prevent thrombotic complications. ⋯ Herein, the authors report a case of a successful outcome in a COVID-19 ARDS patient who suffered an acute hemorrhagic complication leading to pre-emptive termination of systemic anticoagulation. The authors believe this to be one of the first such cases in the literature.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Aug 2022
Reliability of Bioreactance and Pulse-Power Analysis in Measuring Cardiac Index in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass.
Less-invasive and continuous cardiac output monitors recently have been developed to monitor patient hemodynamics. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy, precision, and trending ability of noninvasive bioreactance-based Starling SV and miniinvasive pulse-power device LiDCOrapid to bolus thermodilution technique with a pulmonary artery catheter (TDCO) when measuring cardiac index in the setting of cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). ⋯ The reliability of bioreactance-based Starling SV and pulse-power analyzer LiDCOrapid was not interchangeable with TDCO, thus limiting their usefulness in cardiac surgery with CPB.