Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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Herein, a case describing how point-of-care lung ultrasound was used to identify the source of progressive multiorgan failure when a chest x-ray and other routine tests failed to provide a conclusive answer is presented. The discussion after the case focuses on the following: (1) the relative strengths and weaknesses of chest x-ray versus lung ultrasound in screening for lung disease and (2) suggestions of how lung ultrasound practice can be standardized within the field of anesthesiology.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Nov 2020
Systemic Absorption of Lidocaine from Continuous Erector Spinae Plane Catheters After Congenital Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Study.
To examine postoperative serum lidocaine levels in patients with intermittent lidocaine bolus erector spinae plane block (ESPB) catheters after cardiac surgery with or without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). ⋯ Postoperative serum lidocaine concentrations did not appreciably differ due to CPB. Serum lidocaine concentrations did not reach near- toxic doses despite the presence of additional lidocaine in the cardioplegia. The results suggested that lidocaine for ESPBs after cardiac surgery is below systemic toxic range at the doses described.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Nov 2020
The Year in Cardiothoracic Transplantation Anesthesia: Selected Highlights from 2019.
The highlights in cardiothoracic transplantation focus on the recent research pertaining to heart and lung transplantation, including expansion of the donor pool, the optimization of donors and recipients, the use of mechanical support, the perioperative and long-term outcomes in these patient populations, and the use of transthoracic echocardiography to diagnose rejection.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Nov 2020
The Association of Increased FFP:RBC Transfusion Ratio to Primary Graft Dysfunction in Bleeding Lung Transplantation Patients.
Lung transplantation is associated with a significant risk of needed transfusion. Although algorithm-based transfusion strategies that promote a high fresh frozen plasma:red blood cells (FFP:RBC) ratio have reduced overall blood product requirements in other populations, large-volume transfusions have been linked to primary graft dysfunction (PGD) in lung transplantation, particularly use of platelets and plasma. The authors hypothesized that in lung transplant recipients requiring large-volume transfusions, a higher FFP:RBC ratio would be associated with increased PGD severity at 72 hours. ⋯ In bleeding lung transplantation patients at high risk for PGD, a high FFP:RBC transfusion ratio was associated with worsened 72-hour PGD scores when compared with the low-ratio cohort.