Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Nov 2022
ReviewPerioperative Management of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Cardiac Surgery: Practice Recommendations Based on Current Evidence.
An increasing number of patients on systemic oral anticoagulants present for cardiac surgery, and cardiac anesthesiologists should be well-informed on their management in the perioperative period. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), including factor Xa inhibitors and direct thrombin inhibitors, are an attractive alternative to warfarin due to fewer dietary and drug interactions, less frequent monitoring requirements, and an improved patient adherence. Since the approval of DOACs by the Food and Drug Administration in 2010, the number of patients on these medications only has increased. ⋯ The practice recommendations of various monitoring tests and new evolving point-of-care testing are examined herein. The different reversal agents were discussed by the authors for both elective and urgent procedures. The cardiac anesthesiologist needs to be intimately familiar with the management and current best practices of DOACs for safe and appropriate patient care.
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In 2021, the United States performed 9,236 liver transplantations, an increase of 3.7% from 2020. As the specialty of transplant anesthesiologist continues to grow, so does the body of evidence-based research to improve patient care. New technology in organ preservation offers the possibility of preserving marginal organs for transplant or improving the graft for transplantation. ⋯ As an increasing number of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are listed for transplant, managing their multiple comorbidities can be challenging. Finally, the rebalanced hemostasis of end-stage liver disease can cause both bleeding and thrombus. Often, bleeding risks predominate as a concern, but anesthesiologists should be aware of risks of intracardiac thrombus and review therapeutic options for prevention and treatment.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Nov 2022
Review Meta AnalysisCardiovascular and Respiratory Safety of Sedation Strategies Used in Transesophageal Echocardiography: A Systematic Review Incorporating Network Meta-Analysis.
TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY (TEE) is carried out in various clinical settings, with an increasing importance, and sedation usually is required to perform it. Several sedative agents are available, and the authors aimed to compare the cardiovascular and respiratory safety of the strategies used for sedation in TEE through a systematic review with network meta-analysis (NMA). The MEDLINE, CENTRAL, EMBASE, and PsycInfo databases were searched in December 2020 for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing sedation strategies for patients undergoing TEE. ⋯ Based on the NMA, the drugs with a higher likelihood of decreasing both SBP and HR were dexmedetomidine and midazolam. All of the drugs led to a small decrease (only statistically significant for midazolam) in SpO2, with the systematic use of supplemental O2 in some trials. The risks of hypotension, bradycardia, or desaturation were not significantly different among the evaluated drugs.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Nov 2022
Observational StudyBedside Chest Ultrasound in Postoperative Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Patients: Comparison With Bedside Chest Radiography.
The primary objective was to study the degree of agreement between the chest ultrasound (CUS) studies and chest x-ray (CXR) studies in postoperative pediatric cardiac surgical patients regarding the diagnosis of thoracic abnormalities, and also to compare the diagnostic performance of CUS in reference to CXR for the detection of thoracic abnormalities. The secondary objective was to compare the necessity for interventions done on the basis of CUS and CXR findings in the postoperative setting. ⋯ The degree of agreement between CUS and CXR studies was substantial for atelectasis, interstitial edema, and diaphragmatic weakness. The degree of agreement between CUS and CXR studies was almost perfect for pneumothorax and fair for pleural effusion. More CUS studies detected intrathoracic pathologies than CXR studies. The CUS also detected abnormalities earlier than CXR and was found to be useful for the early institution of intervention therapy in patients with interstitial edema and atelectasis. It would be reasonable to conclude that CUS may be considered in some instances as an alternative to CXR.