Update in lung transplantation: anesthetic considerations.

The field of lung transplantation (LTx) has expanded rapidly since its inception in the early 1960s with the work of James Hardy and colleagues at the University of Mississippi from the work of local single specialty physicians into an international multidisciplinary specialty. Advancements throughout the next several decades have led to the completion of over 70,000 lung transplants worldwide. The unique challenges presented by patients with end-stage lung disease have both evolved and remained consistent since then, yet these challenges are being answered with major improvements and advancements in perioperative care in the 21st century. The current practice of LTx medicine is fundamentally multidisciplinary, and members of the LTx team includes surgeons, physicians, and allied health staff. The integration of anesthesiologists into the LTx team as well as the multidisciplinary nature of LTx necessitates anesthetic considerations to be closely incorporated into emerging surgical, medical, and systems techniques for patient care. This review discusses a host of emerging strategies across the spectrum of LTx, including efforts to expand the donor pool, utilization of perioperative extracorporeal life support, perioperative echocardiography, and anesthetic techniques to mitigate primary graft dysfunction that have all contributed to improved long term outcomes in LTx patients.

Lidocaine for postoperative pain after cardiac surgery: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Lidocaine is one of the most widely used local anesthetics with well-known pharmacological properties. The purpose of this systematic review is to investigate the effects of lidocaine on postoperative pain scores and recovery after cardiac surgery. METHODS: A comprehensive database search was conducted by a reference librarian for randomized clinical trials (RCT) from January 1, 1980 to September 1, 2019. Eligible study designs included randomized controlled trials of lidocaine for postoperative pain management in adults undergoing cardiac surgery. After removal of duplicates, 947 records were screened for eligibility and 3 RCTs met inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Sources of bias were identified in 2 of 3 RCTs. Lidocaine was administered intravenously, topically, and intrapleurally. Key findings included [1] 2% lidocaine placed topically on chest tube prior to intraoperative insertion was associated with significantly lower pain scores and lower cumulative doses of fentanyl; and [2] 2% lidocaine administered intrapleurally was associated with significantly lower pain scores and significant improvements in pulmonary mechanics. Lidocaine infusions were not associated with significant changes in pain scores or measures of recovery. No significant associations were observed between lidocaine and overall mortality, hospital length of stay or ICU length of stay. No data were reported for postoperative nausea and vomiting or arrhythmias. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the favorable risk profile of topical lidocaine and the need for further advancements in the postoperative care of adults after cardiac surgery, topically administered lidocaine could be considered for incorporation into established postoperative recovery protocols.

Pericardiectomy for Constrictive Pericarditis: Analysis of Outcomes.

Constrictive pericarditis is caused by pericardial inflammation and fibrosis, leading to diastolic heart failure. The diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion because it often can mimic restrictive myocardial disease and cardiac tamponade and can be associated with severe tricuspid regurgitation and chronic liver disease. Patients who remain undiagnosed can experience a 90% mortality rate, and for those who undergo pericardiectomy, the survival rate varies significantly, depending on the underlying etiology and preoperative functional class of the patient. In this article, the authors review the pathophysiology, echocardiographic findings, management, and surgical outcomes of constrictive pericarditis to aid the cardiothoracic anesthesiologist in the perioperative management of this disorder.

Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting and Pain After Robotic-Assisted Mitral Valve Repair.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate and clinical factors associated with postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and severe pain after robotic-assisted mitral valve repair. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Major quaternary academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients undergoing robotic-assisted mitral valve repair from May 5, 2018 through September 13, 2019. INTERVENTIONS: Participant electronic medical records were abstracted for clinical characteristics, PONV within the first 72 postoperative hours, episodes of severe pain (defined as pain score ≥7 using an 11-point numerical pain rating scale), and opioid use within the first 24 postoperative hours. Multivariate analyses were performed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of 124 participants, PONV was noted in 83 (67%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 58%-75%) patients and severe pain in 96 (77%, 95% CI 69%-84%) patients. The median (interquartile range) time to PONV was 6.1 (3.7-14.7) hours. After adjusting for age, sex, and duration of surgery, pre-incisional use of methadone was associated with reduced risk for severe pain (odds ratio 0.40 [95% CI 0.16-0.99]; p = 0.048) and a lower 24-postoperative hour opioid requirement (estimate -29.0 mg intravenous morphine equivalents [95% CI -46.7 to -11.3]; p = 0.006). However, methadone was not associated with a reduction of the cumulative opioid dose (intraoperative and 24-hour postoperative opioid dose; p = 0.248). Both severe pain and PONV were associated with longer hospital stay. CONCLUSION: PONV and severe pain are common after robotic-assisted mitral valve repair. Peri-incisional methadone is associated with a modest decrease in the severe pain rate but without a reduction in opioid dose or hospital stay.