Anaesthetic-surgical guide in the treatment of ascending aorta and surgery of the ascending aorta and aortic arch. Consensus document of the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery and the Sociedad of Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Pain Therapy.

Aortic pathology is always a challenge for the clinician, and must be diagnosed and treated by a multidisciplinary team due to the technical and technological complexity of the resources used. Ongoing efforts to implement a systematic, protocolized approach involving "Aortic teams" made up of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons, anaesthesiologists and radiologists, among others are now leading to improved outcomes. The aim of this consensus document drawn up by the Aortic working groups of the Spanish Society of Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Pain Therapy (SEDAR) and the Spanish Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (SECTCV) is to disseminate a set of working protocols. The latest consensus document of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) and the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) define the concept of "AORTIC TEAM"(1). The aortic team should be closely involved from diagnosis to treatment and finally follow-up, and should be formed of cardiac and vascular surgeons working together with anaesthesiologists, cardiologists, radiologists and geneticists. Treatment of aortic pathologies should be centralised in large centres, because this is the only way to effectively understand the natural course of the disease, provide the entire range of treatment options under one umbrella and treat potential complications. A streamlined emergent care pathway (24/7 availability), adequate transportation and transfer capabilities, as well as rapid activation of the multidisciplinary team must be available. In light of the complexity and constant evolution of therapeutic options, we present this first version of the Anaesthesiology and surgical guidelines for surgery of the ascending aorta and aortic arch. Some questions will no doubt remain unanswered, and future versions will include new techniques that, though implemented in some centres, are still not widely recommended.

Current Situation and Prognostic Evolution of Combined Heart-lung Transplantation in a European Union Country.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the entire experience in heart-lung transplantation (HLTx) in a country of the European Union with 47 million inhabitants according to the etiologies that motivated the procedure. Methods: A retrospective study on 1,751 consecutive transplants (HLTx: 78) was performed from 1990 to 2020 in two centers. Overall survival, adjusted for clinical profile and etiological subgroups, was compared. 7 subgroups were considered: 1) Cardiomyopathy with pulmonary hypertension (CM + PH). 2) Eisenmenger syndrome. 3) Congenital heart disease (CHD). 4) Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). 5) Cystic fibrosis. 6) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/Emphysema. 7) Diffuse interstitial lung disease (ILD). Results: Early mortality was 44% and that of the rest of the follow-up was 31%. There were differences between HTLx and HTx in survival, also comparing groups with a similar clinical profile with propensity score (p= 0.04). Median survival was low in CM + PH (18 days), ILD (29 days) and CHD (114 days), intermediate in Eisenmenger syndrome (600 days), and longer in IPAH, COPD/Emphysema and cystic fibrosis. Conclusion: HLTx has a high mortality. The etiological analysis is of the utmost interest to make the most of the organs and improve survival.

SEDAR/SECCE ECMO management consensus document.

ECMO is an extracorporeal cardiorespiratory support system whose use has been increased in the last decade. Respiratory failure, postcardiotomy shock, and lung or heart primary graft failure may require the use of cardiorespiratory mechanical assistance. In this scenario perioperative medical and surgical management is crucial. Despite the evolution of technology in the area of extracorporeal support, morbidity and mortality of these patients continues to be high, and therefore the indication as well as the ECMO removal should be established within a multidisciplinary team with expertise in the area. This consensus document aims to unify medical knowledge and provides recommendations based on both the recent bibliography and the main national ECMO implantation centres experience with the goal of improving comprehensive patient care.

Anaesthetic-surgical guide in the treatment of ascending aorta and surgery of the ascending aorta and aortic arch. Consensus document of the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery and the Sociedad of Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Pain Therapy. / Guía anestésico-quirúrgica en el tratamiento de la cirugía de aorta ascendente y del arco aórtico. Documento de consenso de la Sociedad Española de Cirugía Cardiovascular y Endovascular y la Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapeútica del Dolor.

Aortic pathology is always a challenge for the clinician, and must be diagnosed and treated by a multidisciplinary team due to the technical and technological complexity of the resources used. Ongoing efforts to implement a systematic, protocolized approach involving "Aortic teams" made up of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons, anaesthesiologists and radiologists, among others are now leading to improved outcomes. The aim of this consensus document drawn up by the Aortic working groups of the Spanish Society of Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Pain Therapy (SEDAR) and the Spanish Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (SECTCV) is to disseminate a set of working protocols. The latest consensus document of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) and the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) define the concept of "AORTIC TEAM"(1). The aortic team should be closely involved from diagnosis to treatment and finally follow-up, and should be formed of cardiac and vascular surgeons working together with anaesthesiologists, cardiologists, radiologists and geneticists. Treatment of aortic pathologies should be centralised in large centres, because this is the only way to effectively understand the natural course of the disease, provide the entire range of treatment options under one umbrella and treat potential complications. A streamlined emergent care pathway (24/7 availability), adequate transportation and transfer capabilities, as well as rapid activation of the multidisciplinary team must be available. In light of the complexity and constant evolution of therapeutic options, we present this first version of the Anaesthesiology and surgical guidelines for surgery of the ascending aorta and aortic arch. Some questions will no doubt remain unanswered, and future versions will include new techniques that, though implemented in some centres, are still not widely recommended.

Experience of a fungal infection after cardiac surgery. / Infección fúngica tras cirugía cardiaca. Nuestra experiencia.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Patients undergoing cardiac surgery can have post-operative complications, including infections. The aim of this article was to study the incidence, severity and risk factors of invasive candidiasis in these patients, based on the hypothesis that several factors (multiple transfusions and time on extracorporeal circulation) are related to invasive candidiasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included a prospective analysis of 669 patients undergoing scheduled cardiac surgery from April 2016 to December 2017. Control cultures were collected on admittance to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. RESULTS: The incidence of invasive candidiasis was 2.69%, being confirmed in 1.79% of cases. The most frequently isolated Candida species was Candida auris. Mortality rate in the invasive candidiasis group was 11% in the immediate post-operative period and 22% at 30 days. After the univariate study, a statistically significant relationship was found between invasive candidiasis and multiple transfusions (OR 15.86; 95% CI: 5.15-69.4; p<.001). A statistically significant relationship was also found with other known risk factors in hospitalised patients. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple transfusions are associated with an increased risk of invasive candidiasis. Surveillance measures for fungal infection in patients with risk factors undergoing cardiac surgery should be implemented in hospitals with a high incidence of candidiasis.

[Severe pulmonary hypertension: implications for anesthesia in laparoscopic surgery]. / Hipertensión pulmonar severa: implicaciones anestésicas en cirugía laparoscópica.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), defined by a mean pulmonary arterial pressure greater than 25 mm Hg at rest or greater than 30 mm Hg with exercise, poses a challenge to anesthesiologists during perioperative management. The pathogenesis of PAH is multifactorial and includes genetic factors that explain individual susceptibility and external trigger or risk factors. We report the case of a woman with severe pulmonary hypertension who was waiting for a lung transplant when she was scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We discuss the clinical course and monitoring of hemodynamic and respiratory parameters at the different stages of laparoscopic surgery.

[Pulmonary hypertension: pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment and anesthetic considerations]. / Hipertensión arterial pulmonar: fisiopatología, diagnóstico, tratamiento y consideraciones anestésicas.

Pulmonary artery hypertension is a rare entity but one that presents genuine challenges during anesthesia mainly because of the high risk of exacerbation and right heart failure during and after surgery. This review covers currently available treatments, the battery of diagnostic procedures at our disposal, and the basic precepts for the perioperative management of patients with this condition. Adequate hemodynamic control and the early use of selective pulmonary vasodilators are absolutely essential.

[1990-1996: the experience of the La Fe Lung Transplant Group (Valencia)]. / 1990-1996: experiencia del Grupo de Trasplante Pulmonar La Fe (Valencia).

Objective to review the experience of the lung transplantation unit at Hospital La Fe (Valencia). Between February 1990 and March 1996 we performed 40 lung transplants. The following causes were most common: cystic fibrosis (9 cases), emphysema (8), pulmonary fibrosis (8) and bronchiectasis (7). Types of intervention were 27 double lung transplants (25 sequential and 9 blocked), 9 single lung transplants, and 4 heart-lung transplants. We then reviewed the 36 single and double lung transplants. The main exclusion criteria were age over 65 years, malignant disease, kidney or liver disease, severe or non reversible central nervous system disease, and drug addiction. Prior surgery, mechanical ventilation and the presence of Aspergillus were considered lower-order contraindications. Mean patient age was 37.7 years (14-59). Six patients were colonized by Aspergillus before transplantation. Five had undergone earlier surgery and two were mechanically ventilated before the transplant. The most common complication was respiratory infection, which was present in 6 of the 7 patients who died. Other complications in order of frequency were dehiscence and/or bronchial stenosis, corticoid myopathy and postoperative bleeding. The actuarial survival rate of single and double lung transplants was 67.85 after 3 years, and 87.5% in patients with cystic fibrosis. Lung transplantation is a well-established procedure that is gradually being extended to treat more conditions. The main obstacle is the scarcity of donors. The main challenge at present is bronchiolitis obliterans.

[Lung transplantation in cystic fibrosis]. / El trasplante pulmonar en la fibrosis quística.

OBJECTIVE: Since 1990 we have performed 40 lung transplants in the Hospital "La Fe" in Valencia. Nine of them have been performed in cystic fibrosis patients, which is the subject of this paper. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The mean age of the patients was 19.8 years, with the youngest patient being 14 years of age. In regards to patient selection, it is important to mention that one had a previous lobectomy, another one a thoracic deformity due to long term atelectasis and one needed intubation for hemoptysis within the 7 days before the lung transplant. Prophylaxis with imipenem and cyprofloxicin, aerosolized colistin and amphotericin B, prompt weaning and intensive respiratory physiotherapy were important for controlling postoperative infection. RESULTS: With 15.3 months as the mean follow-up (range 36-3), 3 year survival was 87.5%. Pulmonary infection, which was the most frequent complication, had a good response to adequate antibiotic treatment. The main postoperative problem pertained to the bronchial suture with 2 partial dehiscences, 2 stenoses and one bronchopleural fistula by Aspergillus, all of which were resolved with conservative procedures without surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Middle and long term evolution in these patients shows an excellent quality of life with spirometric and ergometric tests within the normal range.