Introduction The patient with cardiovascular disease (CVD) presenting for lung resection surgery has special concern. Identifying significant cardiac risk factors provides information to better quantify the risks of a possible cardiac event in the perioperative period. Cardiac complications in the…
Introduction Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Emphysema is one component of COPD, and it is estimated that 3.1 million adults in the United States are currently diagnosed with emphysema.…
Introduction Clinical use of extracorporeal ventilatory support technologies is increasing exponentially with an expanding range of indications for patients with cardiopulmonary disease. Rapid adoption is occurring despite limited basic and translational research on extracorporeal support and only a handful of…
Introduction Thoracotomy is required to get surgical access to the thoracic cavity through the chest wall to the pleural space and the thoracic organs, such as heart, lung, thymus, and esophagus. The principles and techniques of thoracotomy are differentiated in…
Introduction Anesthesiologists are responsible for the management of the surgical cases not only during the intraoperative stage, but rather through the entire perioperative period. In the multidisciplinary context of perioperative medicine, anesthesiology is an important component in addressing the challenges…
Introduction According to the International Association for the Study of Pain, chronic postthoracotomy pain is defined as “pain that recurs or persists along a thoracotomy incision at least 2 months following the surgical procedure”. The condition may also be referred…
Introduction In 2021, noncardiac thoracic surgery can range from minimally invasive, robot-assisted procedures, such as lung biopsies or resections, to more invasive procedures requiring thoracotomy such as pneumonectomy, esophagectomy, tracheal resection, or lung transplantation. The noxious stimulus associated with thoracic…
Introduction Pediatric patients undergoing thoracic surgery can be particularly challenging because of the differences in anatomy, physiology, and behavior in comparison to adult patients. The anesthesiologists must be cognizant of these to successfully manage these patients. The availability of proper…
Introduction Cardiac arrythmias are the most frequent postoperative complication affecting up to 20% of patients undergoing thoracic surgery. The most common arrhythmia is postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF), which typically presents on postoperative day 1 to 5, peaks on postoperative day…
Introduction Managing fluid administration during lung resection by the anesthesiologist is very similar to a tightrope walker trying to balance the risk of acute lung injury (ALI) and that of acute kidney injury (AKI); there is a narrow margin of…