Safety and efficacy of video DLT (VDLT) for lung isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

One lung ventilation (OLV) with collapse of the ipsilateral lung is a prerequisite for most thoracic surgical procedures. Double-lumen tube (DLT) is still the preferred method to isolate the lungs and fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) is the gold standard for the confirmation of correct placement of the DLT. However, both these procedures are considered as a high-aerosol-generating procedures and are hazardous to the health workers, particularly at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Myocardial protection in cardiac surgery: Del Nido versus blood cardioplegia.

Objectives: del Nido cardioplegia which was traditionally used for myocardial protection in pediatric congenital heart surgery is now being extensively utilized in adult cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of del Nido cardioplegia (DNC) with blood cardioplegia (BC).

Materials And Methods: This is a historical cohort study using secondary data.

Comparative evaluation of hemodynamic responses and ease of intubation with airtraq video laryngoscope versus macintosh laryngoscope in patients with ischemic heart disease.

Introduction: Hemodynamic responses during laryngoscopy can potentially precipitate ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease. There are conflicting reports regarding the hemodynamic stress responses between the conventional Macintosh and video laryngoscopes. There is a paucity of studies regarding the same in cardiac surgical patients.

Lutembacher syndrome: Dilemma of doing a tricuspid annuloplasty.

We discuss the case of a 24-year-old woman with Lutembacher syndrome and severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) who underwent surgical closure of atrial septal defect and mitral valve replacement without tricuspid annuloplasty despite a severe TR and a large tricuspid annulus on preoperative echo. The pathophysiology of Lutembacher syndrome is discussed below. The utility of perioperative echocardiography in assessing the annular diameter, tenting area and coaptation depth and thus providing insights into the functioning of the tricuspid valve will also be emphasized.

Inverted left atrial appendage masquerading as a left atrial mass.

An inverted left atrial appendage after cardiac surgery is a rare finding and can be misinterpreted as a thrombus, mass, or vegetation. We report a case where intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography assisted in making an accurate diagnosis.

Hyperlactatemia in patients undergoing adult cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass: Causative factors and its effect on surgical outcome.

Objectives Of The Study: To identify the factors causing high lactate levels in patients undergoing cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and to assess the association between high blood lactate levels and postoperative morbidity and mortality.

Methods: A retrospective observational study including 370 patients who underwent cardiac surgeries under cardiopulmonary bypass. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on serum lactate levels; those with serum lactate levels greater than or equal to 4 mmol/L considered as hyperlactatemia and those with serum lactate levels less than 4 mmol/L.

Incidence and outcome of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome in the surgical intensive care unit.

Introduction: To determine the incidence and mortality of acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in a cohort of patients with risk factors admitted to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU).

Materials And Methods: A prospective observational inception cohort study with no intervention was conducted over 12 months. All patients with at least one known risk factor for ALI/ARDS admitted to the SICU were included in the study.