Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Feb 2025
ReviewSpinal Cord Injury Following Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Scoping Review.
Spinal cord infarction (SCI) or ischemia is a rare but devastating complication of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO). The natural course and outcomes are poorly studied. ⋯ Spinal infarction/ischemia on VA ECMO typically presents with paraplegia of lower extremities with low potential for even partial recovery. Because no treatment is currently available, the efforts should be focused on prevention. Several strategies have been proposed, but they need further testing under controlled settings.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Feb 2025
Observational StudyAnesthetic and Perioperative Considerations for Convergent Procedure for Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study.
To summarize anesthetic and perioperative considerations in patients undergoing the convergent procedure for atrial fibrillation (AF). ⋯ This retrospective analysis of medical records showed that many patients with recurrent AF presenting for convergent procedure carry a burden of multiple comorbidities (eg, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea), and history of unsuccessful ablations. Multistage multidisciplinary convergent procedure might be lengthy and potentially complicated and requires meticulous preparation (eg, endotracheal intubation, lung isolation, advanced cardiac monitoring, central venous access) to ensure optimal outcomes. Anesthesiologists and perioperative physicians should tailor their approach to this multimorbid population while anticipating perioperative respiratory events, rapid hemodynamic shifts, blood loss, and the possibility of CPB.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Feb 2025
Randomized Controlled TrialThe Potential Role of Albumin in Reducing Cardiac Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) is a common complication with high morbidity and mortality. This study was designed to determine whether adding human albumin to the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) priming solution reduces the incidence of CSA-AKI. ⋯ Adding albumin to the CPB priming solution did not decrease the incidence of CSA-AKI in patients with normal preoperative renal function. These findings suggest that albumin might benefit patients with impaired renal function, warranting further investigation.