Utility of ultrasound in thoracic anesthesia.

The use of ultrasound (US) in the perioperative clinical management should be goal-directed, rapid, and reproducible. Thoracic US enables detailed examinations of vital structures, such as the airway, lung, pleural space, diaphragm, and heart. This chapter focuses on the value of US as a bedside tool to assess anatomy, guide procedures, and monitor vital organ function in patients undergoing thoracic surgery.

Introduction of a Vendor-Independent Application for Clinical Generation of Pressure-Volume Loops from Routine Hemodynamic Data: A Methodological Exploration.

Objectives: In the dynamic perioperative setting, changing fluid states complicate determination of ventricular function. This study evaluated the feasibility of clinical ventricular pressure-volume loop (PVL) construction using routine monitoring (echocardiography and invasive pressure monitoring). An application was developed and tested with biventricular simulated data and right ventricular (RV) clinical data.

Pressure-Volume Loops for Reviewing Right Ventricular Physiology and Failure in the Context of Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

Right ventricular (RV) function is complex as a number of determinants beyond preload, inotropy and afterload play a fundamental role. In particular, arterial elastance (E), ventriculo-arterial coupling (VAC), and (systolic) ventricular interdependence play a vital role for the right ventricle. Understanding and actively visualizing these interactions in the failing RV as well as in the altered hemodynamic and morphological situation of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation may aid clinicians in their understanding of RV dysfunction and failure.