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.

Cardiothoracic Anesthesia and Critical Care in the United Kingdom (UK) Part 1: Some Insights Into the History and Development.

This review is intended to highlight some of the historic events that contributed to the development of thoracic and cardiac anesthesia and surgery in Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). The aim of this first of two parts is to concentrate on the development of techniques, facilities, and pharmacology that allowed progress and advancement in patient management that were developed primarily in the UK. However, progress usually requires input from a wide variety of sources of knowledge, and cardiothoracic practice is no exception.

A Comparison of Volatile Anesthesia and Total Intravenous Anesthesia (TIVA) Effects on Outcome From Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to compare one-year mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with volatile anesthesia or total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). Secondary objectives were to compare in-hospital and 30-day mortality, postoperative levels of creatine kinase (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin, and durations of tracheal intubation, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stays.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

The efficacy and safety of prophylactic corticosteroids for the prevention of adverse outcomes in patients undergoing heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Corticosteroids are often administered prophylactically to attenuate the inflammatory response associated with cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). However, the efficacy and safety profile of corticosteroids remain uncertain. The primary aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the effect of corticosteroids on mortality in adult cardiac surgery using CPB.

European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology (EACTA) Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia Fellowship Curriculum: First Edition.

This special article summarizes the design and certification process of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology (EACTA) Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia (CTVA) Fellowship Program. The CTVA fellowship training includes a two-year curriculum at an EACTA-accredited educational facility. Before fellows are accepted into the program, they must meet a number of requirements, including evidence of a valid license to practice medicine, a specialist degree examination in anesthesiology, and appropriate language skills as required in the host centers.

Perspectives on the Fellowship Training in Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Anesthesia and Critical Care in Europe From Program Directors and Educational Leads Around Europe.

This article reviews fellowship training in adult cardiac, thoracic, and vascular anesthesia and critical care from the perspective of European program initiators and educational leaders in these subspecialties together with current training fellows. Currently, the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology (EACTA) network has 20 certified fellowship positions each year in 10 hosting centers within 7 European countries, with 2 positions outside Europe (São Paulo, Brazil). Since 2009, 42 fellows have completed the fellowship training.

A Comparison of the Arterial Blood Concentration of Isoflurane During Cardiopulmonary Bypass Between 2 Polypropylene Oxygenators.

Objective: The primary objective was to compare arterial blood concentration of isoflurane during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) between 2 polypropylene oxygenators of different designs. Secondary objectives were to compare levels of Bispectral Index Score (BIS) during CPB between the 2 oxygenators and to examine the relationships between oxygenator exhaust and arterial blood concentrations of isoflurane and BIS.

Design: Single, blinded, randomized control trial.

The depth of anaesthesia associated with the administration of isoflurane 2.5% during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background: Administering isoflurane 2.5% into the oxygenator during cardiopulmonary bypass results in no patient movement. However, doing so may result in an excessive depth of anaesthesia particularly, when hypothermia is induced.

Assessing the depth of isoflurane anaesthesia during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Introduction: Bispectral index (BIS) and monitoring of end-tidal concentration may be associated with a reduction in the incidence of awareness during volatile-based general anaesthesia. An analogue of end-tidal concentration during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is measuring exhausted isoflurane concentration from the oxygenator as an estimate to blood and, so, brain concentration. The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between oxygenator exhaust and blood concentrations of isoflurane and the BIS score during CPB when administering isoflurane into the sweep gas supply to the oxygenator.

Coronary Sinus Isoflurane Concentration in Cardiac Surgery.

Objective: Volatile anesthetic agents such as isoflurane may be associated with fewer adverse myocardial events compared with total intravenous anesthesia in cardiac surgery. The authors aimed to determine whether reasonable isoflurane concentrations at tissue level were being achieved to protect the myocardium using this agent. The isoflurane concentration in myocardium has never been measured.

A Comparison of the Efficacy and Adverse Effects of Double-Lumen Endobronchial Tubes and Bronchial Blockers in Thoracic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and adverse effects of using bronchial blockers (BBs) and double-lumen endobronchial tubes (DLTs).

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing BBs and DLTs.

Setting: Hospital units undertaking thoracic surgery

Participants: Patients undergoing thoracic surgery requiring lung isolation.

Volatile anaesthesia during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Since its inception, administering and ensuring anaesthesia during cardiopulmonary bypass has been challenging. Partly because of the difficulty of administering volatile agents during cardiopulmonary bypass, total intravenous anaesthesia has been a popular technique used by cardiac anaesthetists in the last two decades. However, the possibility that volatile agents reduce mortality and the incidence of myocardial infarction by preconditioning the myocardium has stimulated a resurgence of interest in their use for cardiac anaesthesia.

Cognitive outcome after on- and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare cognition following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery with or without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (on- or off-pump).

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials comparing cognitive outcome in patients undergoing CABG surgery on- or off-pump as assessed by continuous measures from a battery of 7 psychometric tests.

Setting: Multi-institutional centers performing CABG surgery.