European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship Curriculum:First Edition

International audiencePediatric cardiac anesthesia is a subspecialty of cardiac and pediatric anesthesiology dedicated to the perioperative care of patients with congenital heart disease. Members of the Congenital and Education Subcommittees of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (EACTAIC) agreed on the necessity to develop an EACTAIC pediatric cardiac anesthesia fellowship curriculum. This manuscript represents a consensus on the composition and the design of the EACTAIC Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship program. This curriculum provides a basis for the training of future pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists by clearly defining the theoretical and practical requirements for fellows and host centers

European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (EACTAIC) Fellowship Curriculum: Second Edition.

International audienceThis document represents the first update of the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anaesthesia Fellowship Curriculum of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. After obtaining feedback from exit interviews with fellows in training, graduate fellows, and program directors, 2 modified online Delphi procedures with questionnaires were conducted. A consensus was reached when two-thirds of responding committee members gave green or yellow ratings on a traffic light system, and >70% indicated strong agreement or agreement on a 5-point Likert scale. The new regulations include the following: (1) more flexibility in the fellows` rotation, as long as the total number of days, rotations, and cases are completed during the training year; (2) recommendation for strict compliance with national working-time guidelines; (3) no extension of fellowship training to compensate for annual and/or sick leave, unless the required minimum number of cases and rotations are not reached; (4) interruption of fellowship training for >12 months is allowed for personal or medical reasons; (5) introduction of a checklist for quantitative assessment of standard clinical skills; (6) recommendations for a uniform structure of exit interviews; (7) possibility of a 1-month training rotation in a postanesthesia care unit instead of an intensive care unit; and (8) provided all other requirements have been met, the allowance of progression from the basic training year to the advanced fellowship training year without first passing the transesophageal echocardiography examination

Inotropes and vasoactive agents: differences between Europe and the United States

Purpose of Review This review focuses on the place of vasoactive agents in the treatment of shock. We will discuss evidence and compare available guidelines and current treatment patterns between Europe and the United States (US). Recent Findings Retrospective data from large registries demonstrated a wide variability between physicians and hospitals in the use of vasoactive agents in the treatment of shock, especially with regard to inotropes. This is due to a paucity of evidence-based data and hence a lack of clear recommendations on how to choose one agent over another. Norepinephrine has replaced dopamine as the first-line vasopressor agent in clinical practice. In patients with acute heart failure, European physicians use more inotropes than their colleagues in the US, whereas cardiac surgical patients receive more inotropes in the US. Summary Overall, practice patterns between Europe and the US do not differ substantially (except for a higher use of dopamine in the US), with dobutamine and norepinephrine being the most commonly used agents.status: publishe

Anthracofibrosis mimicking chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Abstract We present the case of a 78‐year‐old female undergoing pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) because of suspected chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). During surgery firm black masses were encountered in the aortopulmonary window and on the cranial part of the right pulmonary artery (PA). After PA arteriotomy we visualized intraluminal black firm stenosing plaques at the orifices of the three right and of the left lingular and lower lobar branches. Since no dissection plane could be obtained the procedure was discontinued. Subsequent bronchoscopy visualized a submucosal dark black‐blue discoloration in both main bronchi. Pathological analysis revealed anthracofibrosis, which could be explained by biomass smoke exposure in the past. We are the first to provide intravascular pictures and pathologic images of this very rare entity. Moreover, we report stenoses at the orifices of the three right‐sided lobar and of the left‐sided lingular and lower lobe arteries, in contrast to three previous reports that report on single locations caused by extrinsic PA compression from lymphadenopathy. Our case, however, suggests extension of fibrosis with anthracotic pigment into the PA wall. We conclude that in the absence of a clear history of exposure to carbon smoke and with consequently no diagnostic bronchoscopy, anthracofibrosis of the lungs may mimic CTEPH not only by external compression but also by extension into pulmonary vascular structures. PEA‐surgery should not be attempted in these cases

The hemodynamic interplay between pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury and right ventricular function in lung transplantation : a translational porcine model

Abstract: Lung transplantation (LTx) is a challenging procedure. Following the process of ischemia-reperfusion injury, the transplanted pulmonary graft might become severely damaged, resulting in primary graft dysfunction. In addition, during the intraoperative window, the right ventricle (RV) is at risk of acute failure. The interaction of right ventricular function with lung injury is, however, poorly understood. We aimed to address this interaction in a translational porcine model of pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury. Advanced pulmonary and hemodynamic assessment was used, including right ventricular pressure-volume loop analysis. The acute model was based on clamping and unclamping of the left lung hilus, respecting the different hemodynamic phases of a clinical lung transplantation. We found that forcing entire right ventricular cardiac output through a lung suffering from ischemia-reperfusion injury increased afterload (pulmonary vascular resistance from baseline to end experiment P < 0.0001) and induced right ventricular failure (RVF) in 5/9 animals. Notably, we identified different compensation patterns in failing versus nonfailing ventricles (arterial elastance P = 0.0008; stroke volume P < 0.0001). Furthermore, increased vascular pressure and flow produced by the right ventricle resulted in higher pulmonary injury, as measured by ex vivo CT density (correlation: pressure r = 0.8; flow r = 0.85). Finally, RV ischemia as measured by troponin-T was negatively correlated with pulmonary injury (r = -0.76); however, troponin-T values did not determine RVF in all animals. In conclusion, we demonstrate a delicate balance between development of pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury and right ventricular function during lung transplantation. Furthermore, we provide a physiological basis for potential benefit of extracorporeal life support technology

European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship Curriculum: First Edition

Pediatric cardiac anesthesia is a subspecialty of cardiac and pediatric anesthesiology dedicated to the perioperative care of patients with congenital heart disease. Members of the Congenital and Education Subcommittees of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (EACTAIC) agreed on the necessity to develop an EACTAIC pediatric cardiac anesthesia fellowship curriculum. This manuscript represents a consensus on the composition and the design of the EACTAIC Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship program. This curriculum provides a basis for the training of future pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists by clearly defining the theoretical and practical requirements for fellows and host centers