Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2021
Airway Surgery for Laryngotracheal Stenosis During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Institutional Guidelines.
The management of laryngotracheal stenosis is challenging, as patients usually require in-time interventions. The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has added unique challenges to this procedure. The presence of the virus in high concentrations in the aerodigestive tract and the need for an open airway during surgery can increase the risk of aerosolization of the virus and subsequent infection of the surgical, anesthetic, and operating room (OR) personnel. ⋯ Surgical and bronchoscopic management of laryngotracheal stenosis presents a unique challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring careful consideration of patient triage and the development of protocols that minimize risk to patients and healthcare professionals. Close collaboration between thoracic surgeons and anesthesiology teams is essential to safely navigate and handle these threatened airways while mitigating the risk of viral aerosolization.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 2021
Observational StudyProcalcitonin and Early Postoperative Infection After Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery.
Systemic inflammation and bacterial infections are critical occurrences after pediatric cardiac surgery. Elevated white blood cell count and C-reactive protein cannot discriminate between these two conditions in the early postoperative period. The aim of this study was to understand whether procalcitonin (PCT) values within 48 hours of surgery could be a useful marker of postoperative infection. ⋯ In light of this preliminary result, the clinical relevance and predictive accuracy of PCT are promising in patients with increasing values of PCT but need to be confirmed in a larger sample.