Intraoperative Hypoxia Independently Associated With the Development of Acute Kidney Injury Following Bilateral Orthotopic Lung Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common postoperative complication in bilateral orthotopic lung transplant (BOLTx) recipients, but the contribution of intraoperative variables is not well defined. The authors hypothesized that intraoperative hypotension as well as hypoxia and vasopressor use would be associated with the development of postoperative AKI after BOLTx in patients without pre-existing renal dysfunction. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing BOLTx at a single center between 2013 and 2017. Intraoperative variables of hemodynamics included duration of mean arterial pressure <55, <60, and <65 mm Hg; duration of oxygen saturation <90%; and vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS). Associations between the occurrence of AKI and intraoperative hypotension, hypoxemia, and VIS were evaluated while controlling for significant confounding variables. RESULTS: AKI occurred in 177 (72%) of 245 patients in postoperative days 1-7. Notable significant differences in univariate analyses included cumulative mechanical support time, maximum VIS, peripheral oxygen saturation <90% for >15 min, total minutes oxygen saturation <90%, and surgery duration in minutes. There was no significant difference in intraoperative hypotension measured as a duration >15 min for mean arterial pressure <55, <60, or <65 mm Hg. Multivariate logistic regression revealed preoperative creatinine (Odds ratio [OR], 7.77; confidence interval [CI], 1.96-30.83; P = 0.004), surgery duration (OR, 1.004; CI, 1.002-1.007; P = 0.002), and oxygen saturation (OR, 2.06; CI, 1.01-4.24; P = 0.049) <90% for >15 min to be independently associated with AKI. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that >15 min of intraoperative hypoxia was independently associated with postoperative AKI after BOLTx.

The Year in Thoracic Anesthesia: Selected Highlights From 2020.

Selected highlights in thoracic anesthesia in 2020 include updates in the preoperative assessment and prehabilitation of patients undergoing thoracic surgery; updates in one-lung ventilation (OLV) pertaining to the devices used for OLV; the use of dexmedetomidine for lung protection during OLV and protective ventilation, recommendations for the care of thoracic surgical patients with coronavirus disease 2019; a review of recent meta-analyses comparing truncal blocks with paravertebral and thoracic epidural blocks; and a review of outcomes after initiating the enhanced recovery after surgery guidelines for lung and esophageal surgery.

The Year in Thoracic Anesthesia: Selected Highlights from 2019.

THIS special article is the 4th in an annual series for the Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. The authors thank the editor-in-chief, Dr. Kaplan; the associate editor-in-chief, Dr. Augoustides; and the editorial board for the opportunity to expand this series, the research highlights of the year that specifically pertain to the specialty of thoracic anesthesia. The major themes selected for 2019 are outlined in this introduction, and each highlight is reviewed in detail in the main body of the article. The literature highlights in this specialty for 2019 include updates in the preoperative assessment and optimization of patients undergoing lung resection and esophagectomy, updates in one lung ventilation (OLV) and protective ventilation during OLV, a review of recent meta-analyses comparing truncal blocks with paravertebral catheters and the introduction of a new truncal block, meta-analyses comparing nonintubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with those performed using endotracheal intubation, a review of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) recent composite score rating for pulmonary resection of lung cancer, and an update of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines for both lung and esophageal surgery.