Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2021
ReviewPericardiectomy for Constrictive Pericarditis: Analysis of Outcomes.
Constrictive pericarditis is caused by pericardial inflammation and fibrosis, leading to diastolic heart failure. The diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion because it often can mimic restrictive myocardial disease and cardiac tamponade and can be associated with severe tricuspid regurgitation and chronic liver disease. Patients who remain undiagnosed can experience a 90% mortality rate, and for those who undergo pericardiectomy, the survival rate varies significantly, depending on the underlying etiology and preoperative functional class of the patient. In this article, the authors review the pathophysiology, echocardiographic findings, management, and surgical outcomes of constrictive pericarditis to aid the cardiothoracic anesthesiologist in the perioperative management of this disorder.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2021
ReviewCardiothoracic Anesthesia and Critical Care in the United Kingdom (UK) Part 1: Some Insights Into the History and Development.
This review is intended to highlight some of the historic events that contributed to the development of thoracic and cardiac anesthesia and surgery in Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). The aim of this first of two parts is to concentrate on the development of techniques, facilities, and pharmacology that allowed progress and advancement in patient management that were developed primarily in the UK. ⋯ Dwight Harken, or the demonstration of the Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt by Alfred Blalock. In addition to advances in medical equipment, such as computed tomography, the UK contributed greatly to pharmacologic interventions that were unique at the time in such varied areas as nonflammable volatile anesthetic agents, heart failure treatments, and neuromuscular blocking agents for both cardiac and thoracic surgical practice.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2021
Case ReportsPercutaneous Mechanical Thrombectomy of Atriocaval Floating Thrombus After Impella RP Removal in a Critically Ill Patient.
The rapid institution of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) during cardiogenic shock secondary to severe biventricular failure is strongly recommended. Despite the introduction of less-invasive devices and adequate anticoagulation protocols, the presence of vascular complications in patients treated with MCS has not yet been eliminated. Here, the authors report a 60-year-old patient treated with the Bi-Pella approach for biventricular failure. ⋯ The procedure was completed without intraoperative complications, and both the completion angiography and transesophageal echocardiography showed complete thrombus removal. No procedure-related complications occurred, but the patient died from progressive worsening of left ventricular failure on the 16th postoperative day. In the case of proximal extensive deep vein thrombosis with an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, the use of percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy could be a therapeutic option, even in critically ill patients, due to its minimally invasive nature and low rates of complications.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2021
Case ReportsThe Use of Cangrelor Infusions After Endovascular Aortic Repair With Prophylactic Lumbar Drain Placement.
Perioperative lumbar drains commonly are placed for spinal cord protection in patients undergoing endovascular aortic repair. However, the logistics of postoperative neuraxial drain removal is challenging in the presence of systemic antithrombotic therapy. ⋯ There were no neurologic complications associated with lumbar drain insertion or removal, and median time to lumbar drain removal was 150 minutes after cangrelor infusion discontinuation. While further study is needed to validate its efficacy and safety, this case series highlights the promise of cangrelor infusions for systemic antithrombotic therapy in the cardiovascular/surgical intensive care unit.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2021
Observational StudyPulmonary Vascular Thrombosis in COVID-19 Pneumonia.
During severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, dramatic endothelial cell damage with pulmonary microvascular thrombosis have been was hypothesized to occur. The aim was to assess whether pulmonary vascular thrombosis (PVT) is due to recurrent thromboembolism from peripheral deep vein thrombosis or to local inflammatory endothelial damage, with a superimposed thrombotic late complication. ⋯ The findings identified a specific radiologic pattern of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia with a unique spatial distribution of PVT overlapping areas of ground-glass opacities. These findings supported the hypothesis of a pathogenetic relationship between COVID-19 lung inflammation and PVT and challenged the previous definition of pulmonary embolism associated with COVID-19 pneumonia.