A&A practice
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Patients who are Jehovah's Witnesses are known to the medical community for frequently declining blood products, even at times of life-threatening anemia. Alternatives to red blood cell transfusion are being developed, including hemoglobin (Hb)-based oxygen carriers. We present the case of a 77-year-old male Jehovah's Witness who underwent a cystoprostatectomy and radical nephrectomy with a postoperative Hb nadir of 4.5 g/dL. He received an Hb-based oxygen carrier, PEGylated carboxyhemoglobin bovine (Sanguinate), with gradual improvement in anemia symptoms and eventual discharge to a short-term rehabilitation facility.
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Case Reports
Right-to-Left Shunt During Transseptal Mitral Valve-in-Valve Replacement: A Case Report.
The following case report details an 88-year-old woman with severe mitral stenosis and moderate mitral regurgitation who presented with worsening dyspnea on exertion. The patient had undergone 4-vessel coronary artery bypass graft and mitral valve replacement 14 years before and was deemed high risk for redo sternotomy. ⋯ Successful atrial septal defect closure resolved the hypoxia and hypotension. The patient had a brief and uncomplicated postoperative course.
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We report a novel technique for the management of subglottic stenosis in a neonate. The initial endotracheal intubation did not provide adequate mechanical ventilation due to a significant air leak. ⋯ We successfully inserted an endotracheal tube deep enough to maintain adequate mechanical ventilation. This technique is a viable rescue strategy in this clinical scenario.
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Case Reports
Navigating Goals of Care While Confronting an Urgent, Difficult Intubation: A Case Report.
Urgent airway management is challenging because time constraints limit thorough evaluation and planning before endotracheal intubation. In this report, we describe a case in which an airway history review revealed extraordinarily complex airway anatomy that led to a decision not to attempt intubation in a man with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. ⋯ We discuss the importance of a multidisciplinary approach that includes the patient, their family, and consultants when high-risk intubation is contemplated. The ethical role of the anesthesiologist is also discussed.