KEY POINTS 1. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) challenges the anesthesiologist and surgeon to maintain hemodynamic stability while delicate coronary arterial anastomoses are performed on a beating heart. 2….
KEY POINTS 1. Transport from the operating room (OR) to the intensive care unit (ICU) is a critical period for patient monitoring or vigilance. Emergency drugs and airway equipment should…
KEY POINTS 1. Previous concepts of independent intrinsic and extrinsic plasma coagulation pathways, a cell-free final common pathway, and platelet clotting have given way to an integrated concept of cell-based…
KEY POINTS 1. Both anemia and transfusion carry significant risks. Balancing these risks is the key to appropriate blood transfusion decisions. 2. Despite published guidelines about transfusion, clinical transfusion practice…
KEY POINTS 1. The heart has a fibrous skeleton that provides an insertion site at each valvular ring. This fibrous structure also connects cardiac myocytes so that “stretch” or preload…
KEY POINTS 1. The incidence of ischemia during this period has been reported to be 7% to 56%. 2. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons recommends a cephalosporin as the primary…
KEY POINTS 1. Prior to cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), the anesthesiologist must assure that adequate heparin-induced anticoagulation has been achieved, which is typically diagnosed as an activated clotting time…
KEY POINTS 1. Core temperature (nasopharyngeal or tympanic membrane) should be greater than 36°C before terminating cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). However, the nasopharyngeal temperature should not exceed 37°C, as this will…
KEY POINTS 1. Mechanical circulatory support devices most often are ventricular assist devices, which are indicated for bridging to myocardial recovery or cardiac transplantation or as a permanent assist device…
KEY POINTS 1. Mechanisms of myocardial ischemic injury are multifactorial and include some of the following: Depletion of high-energy phosphates, intracellular acidosis, alterations in intracellular calcium homeostasis, complement activation, generation…
