Anesthesia and analgesia
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Despite substantial advances in anesthesia safety within the past decades, perioperative mortality remains a prevalent problem and can be considered among the top causes of death worldwide. Acute organ failure is a major risk factor of morbidity and mortality in surgical patients and develops primarily as a consequence of a dysregulated inflammatory response and insufficient tissue perfusion. Neurological dysfunction, myocardial ischemia, acute kidney injury, respiratory failure, intestinal dysfunction, and hepatic impairment are among the most serious complications impacting patient outcome and recovery. ⋯ Therefore, understanding the underlying mechanisms of organ dysfunction is essential to identify novel treatment strategies to improve perioperative care and outcomes for surgical patients. This review focuses on recent knowledge of pathophysiological and molecular pathways leading to perioperative organ injury. Additionally, we highlight potential therapeutic targets relevant to the network of events that occur in clinical settings with organ failure.