Preliminary Evidence for the Sequentially Mediated Effect of Racism-Related Stress on Pain Sensitivity Through Sleep Disturbance and Corticolimbic Opioid Receptor Function.

Sleep disturbance predicts worse pain outcomes. Because sleep disturbance inequitably impacts Black adults - with racism as the upstream cause - understanding how racism-related stress impacts pain through sleep might help minimize racialized pain inequities. This preliminary study examined sequential mediation of the effect of racism-related stress on experimental pain through sleep disturbance and corticolimbic μOR function in pain-free non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and White (NHW) adults.

Selected Transesophageal Echocardiographic Parameters of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function Predict Length of Stay Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft-A Prospective Observational Study.

(1) Importance: Abnormal left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, with or without a diagnosis of heart failure, is a common finding that can be easily diagnosed by intra-operative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The association of diastolic function with duration of hospital stay after coronary artery bypass (CAB) is unknown. (2) Objective: To determine if selected TEE parameters of diastolic dysfunction are associated with length of hospital stay after coronary artery bypass surgery (CAB).

Nutrition for Hospital Workers During a Crisis: Effect of a Plant-Based Dietary Intervention on Cardiometabolic Outcomes and Quality of Life in Healthcare Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The study tested the effects of a vegan diet on cardiometabolic outcomes and quality of life among healthcare employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overweight hospital employees were enrolled and randomly assigned (in a 1:1 ratio) to an intervention group, which was asked to follow a low-fat vegan diet, or a control group, asked to make no diet changes. However, due to COVID-19 disruptions, all participants remained on their usual diets from March to June (12 weeks), creating a de facto control period, and all (n = 12) started the vegan diet with online classes in June, which continued for 12 weeks.

Racial disparities in sleep-related cardiac function in young, healthy adults: implications for cardiovascular-related health.

Study Objectives: Considerable evidence shows that individuals from marginalized racial/ethnic groups in the United States experience greater rates of sleep disturbance and cardiovascular complications. Because sleep is a modifiable factor that is critically involved in cardiovascular health, improved understanding of the association between sleep and cardiovascular health during early adulthood can prevent cardiovascular disparities. This study examined racial/ethnic differences in cardiovascular function during sleep using heart rate and heart-rate-variability analyses.

An Innovative Perioperative Pain Program for Chronic Opioid Users: An Academic Medical Center's Response to the Opioid Crisis.

Increased utilization of prescription opioids for pain management has led to a nationwide public health crisis with alarming rates of addiction and opioid-related deaths. In the surgical setting, opioid prescriptions have been implicated as a contributing factor to the opioid epidemic. The authors developed an innovative model to address aspects of pain management and opioid utilization during preoperative evaluation, acute surgical hospitalization, and postoperative follow-up for chronic opioid users.

Intra-Aortic Missile After Gunshot Wound to Chest: An Interesting Case of Traumatic Cardiac Injury.

Missile embolus to the heart, although uncommon, is one of the most challenging scenarios in trauma. We describe a 36-year-old man who presented with a gunshot wound to the left chest and a chest x-ray revealing a foreign body in the mediastinum. A median sternotomy was performed and an injury to the left ventricle was identified.

Are Anesthesia Providers Ready for Hypnosis? Anesthesia Providers' Attitudes Toward Hypnotherapy.

This study sought to measure current attitudes toward hypnosis among anesthesia providers using an in-person survey distributed at a single grand rounds at a single academic teaching hospital. One hundred twenty-six anesthesia providers (anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists) were included in this study. A 10-question Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved questionnaire was developed.

Utilization of AngioVac and snare for eradication of a mobile right atrial thrombus.

Although there are multiple etiologies of a right atrial thrombus, the presence of a central venous catheter increases the risk for its development. Once diagnosed, an assessment of patient-specific factors will aid in dictating the appropriate management strategy. In cases of chronic disease or adherent thrombotic masses, thrombolytic therapy might not result in complete resolution of the clot burden and could lead to a devastating embolic event.

Cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy monitoring and neurologic outcomes in adult cardiac surgery patients: a systematic review.

Background: Near-infrared spectroscopy is used during cardiac surgery to monitor the adequacy of cerebral perfusion. In this systematic review, we evaluated available data for adult patients to determine (1) whether decrements in cerebral oximetry during cardiac surgery are associated with stroke, postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), or delirium; and (2) whether interventions aimed at correcting cerebral oximetry decrements improve neurologic outcomes.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases from inception until January 31, 2012, without restriction on languages.

Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography and ventricular assist device insertion.

A decade after cardiac surgery was established, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was developed and used to evaluate perioperative cardiac performance. It has become an invaluable tool to provide real-time information in the cardiac operating room. TEE provides practical and useful information prior to insertion as well as after placement of the device.

Update on ventricular assist devices.

Purpose Of Review: Over the past two decades, medicine has seen a robust increase in the use of ventricular assist devices. The purpose of this review is to update the information concerning these devices, their advantages and disadvantages as well as their complications. This is essential, as the demand for these devices is increasing due to the increasing number of patients with end-stage heart failure and limited number of donor hearts available for transplantation.