Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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Liver transplantation continues to provide life-saving treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease. Advances in the field of transplant anesthesia continue to support the care of more complex patients. The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been described in critical care settings and cardiac surgery but may be a valuable option for specific conditions for patients undergoing liver transplantation. ⋯ As the number of life-saving transplant surgeries increases, so does the need for specialty knowledge in the anesthetic considerations of these procedures. The specialty of transplant anesthesia continues to grow and develop to meet the demands of complex patients and the increased number of transplants performed. Liver transplantation can be a resource-demanding procedure, and predicting the need for massive transfusion can aid in planning and preparing for significant blood loss.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Jun 2024
Multicenter Study Observational StudyPulsatile Femoral Vein Doppler Pattern is a Parameter of Venous Congestion in ICU Patients.
The aim of this study was to evaluate if the presence of a pulsatile femoral vein pattern is an indicator of venous congestion in the intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ In the ICU, a pulsatile femoral vein pattern is associated with parameters of venous congestion, independently of the patient's volume status, and ventilatory treatment. These results suggest the femoral vein Doppler pulsatility as a parameter of congestion in ICU patients.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Jun 2024
ReviewDiagnosis and Management of Vasoplegia in Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support: A Narrative Review.
Refractory vasodilatory shock, or vasoplegia, is a pathophysiologic state observed in the intensive care unit and operating room in patients with a variety of primary diagnoses. Definitions of vasoplegia vary by source but are qualitatively defined clinically as a normal or high cardiac index and low systemic vascular resistance causing hypotension despite high-dose vasopressors in the setting of euvolemia. This definition can be difficult to apply to patients undergoing mechanical circulatory support (MCS). ⋯ MCS, particularly extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, adds complexity to the diagnosis and management of vasoplegia due to challenges in determining cardiac output (or total blood flow), lack of clarity on appropriate dosing of noncatecholamine interventions, increased thrombosis risk, the difficulty in determining the endpoints of adequate volume resuscitation, and the unclear effects of rescue agents (methylene blue, hydroxocobalamin, and angiotensin II) on MCS device monitoring and function. Care teams must combine data from invasive and noninvasive sources to diagnose vasoplegia in this population. In this narrative review, the available literature is surveyed to provide guidance on the diagnosis and management of vasoplegia in the temporary MCS population, with a focus on noncatecholamine treatments and special considerations for patients supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, transvalvular heart pumps, and other ventricular assist devices.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Jun 2024
Review Observational StudyInitial Experience of Using First-Person Wearable Video Recording Technology During Central Venous Catheter Placement in the Cardiac Operating Room.
The aim of this study was to use wearable video-recording technology to measure precisely the timing of discrete events during perioperative central venous catheter (CVC) placements. ⋯ In this observational study, the study authors describe their experience using first-person wearable video-recording technology to precisely measure the timing of discrete events during CVC placement by anesthesia residents and anesthesiologists. Future work will leverage the eye-tracking capabilities of the existing hardware to identify areas of inefficiency to develop actionable targets for interventions that could improve trainee performance and patient safety.