Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Jun 2018
Does a Mobile ECLS Program Reduce Mortality for Patients Transported for ECLS Therapy for Severe Acute Respiratory Failure?
To understand if mobile extracorporeal membrane oxygenation reduces patient mortality during and after transport of patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for acute respiratory distress syndrome. ⋯ These findings suggest that patients with severe acute respiratory failure who require transport to a referral center for extracorporeal life support may benefit from the availability of a mobile extracorporeal life support team.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Jun 2018
Observational StudyAssociation of red blood cell transfusion and short- and longer-term mortality after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion has been linked to increased morbidity and mortality. However, strict RBC transfusion recommendations recently have been questioned. The aim of this study was to investigate the short- and long-term mortality outcomes after RBC transfusion in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). ⋯ In the present study, patients undergoing CABG surgery and receiving <6 U of PRBC did not have statistically increased risk for in-hospital mortality and up to 2 years postoperatively. A modestly statistically significant difference was noted at 3 years. However, cumulatively, there was no statistical difference between the transfused and nontransfused groups at 4 years. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings and define the population that will benefit the most from blood transfusion.