DIFFICULT DECISIONS IN CARDIOTHORACIC CRITICAL CARE SURGERY. AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH

1. Introduction
2. Quality and Value in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit
3. OR to ICU Patient Handoff: A Matter of Communication
4. Palliative Care in the Intensive Care Unit: A Universal Need
5. Ethics: When to Turn Off the VAD
6. Communication Surrounding Prognostication in the ICU: More Than Mere Talk?
7. Defibrillation/Pacing First for Witnessed Cardiac Arrest in Post-cardiac Surgery Patients
8. Emergency Resternotomy in Post-operative Cardiac Surgery Patients Who Suffer Cardiac Arrest
9. Epinephrine and Vasopressin Use Following Cardiac Arrest After Cardiac Surgery
10. Cardiac Arrest in the Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Patient: Is Conservatism an Aggressive Approach?
11. Intravascular Devices in the ICU
12. Role of Ultrasound Guidance for Central Venous Access, Chest Tube Insertion, and Interventional Management of Cholecystitis in ICU Patients
13. Focused Cardiac Ultrasound in the CT ICU: Helpful or Just Another Toy?
14. Inotropes and Vasopressors in the CT ICU: Getting the Mixture Right
15. Prevention of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Adult Cardiac Surgery
16. Atrial Fibrillation: Aggressive Treatment in the Postoperative Cardiothoracic Surgery Patient
17. What is the Role of the ABCDEF Bundle in Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation?
18. ECMO as a Bridge to Lung Transplantation
19. When on ECMO: Awaken, Extubate and Mobilize
20. Percutaneous Assist Devices as Salvage from Cardiogenic Shock
21. The LVAD Patient with Dark Urine and Elevated LDH: Diagnosis and Treatment of Pump Thrombosis
22. Liver Dysfunction in a Patient with Ventricular Assist Device
23. Vasoplegia in the Postoperative Period After Cardiac Transplantation
24. Severe Hypertension After Cardiac Transplantation
25. Post-Transplant Right Ventricular Failure
26. Lung Infiltrates in Post-Operative Lung Transplant Patients: Pneumonia, Rejection or Edema?
27. Clearance of Pulmonary Secretions After Lung Transplantation
28. Perioperative Nutrition Support in Cardiothoracic Surgery
29. Glycemic Control Does Matter in the Cardiac Surgery Patient
30. The Bleeding Post-op CT Patient: Coagulation Tests Versus Thromboelastography
31. Bleeding in Cardiac Surgery: Should Massive Transfusion Be in a 1:1:1 Ratio?
32. If the Platelets Are Low, Is It HIT?
33. Newest Antithrombotic Agents: Uses, Challenges, and Reversal Strategies for Surgical Procedures
34. Complex Cardiac Surgery Without Blood Transfusions: Lessons Learned from Managing Jehovah Witness Patients
35. Cardiac Surgery Acute Kidney Injury: Controversy in Renal Support
36. Role of Biomarkers in Predicting AKI in the CT ICU
37. Cardiorenal Syndrome in Heart Failure Patients: ICU Management
38. Management of Patients with Difficult Vascular Access Issues
39. Free Air in the Postoperative CT Patient: Observe or Operate?

Critical care medicine is responsible for many of the most important advances in outcomes after cardiothoracic surgery in the past two decades. The expertise developed in this subspecialty accounts for the resiliency that characterizes gold standard results evident in institutions recognized for excellence. This volume is intended to share ideas and algorithms that will improve outcomes in cardiothoracic critical care units.
This book is part of the Difficult Decisions in Surgery series that covers surgical specialties. The volumes are multi-authored, containing brief chapters, each of which are devoted to one or two specific questions or decisions within that specialty that are difficult or controversial. The volumes are intended as a current and timely reference source for practicing surgeons, surgeons in training, and educators that describe the recommended ideal approach, rather than customary care, in selected clinical situations.

Features
• Covers all major topics in subject area
• Only book in the subject area to take follow an evidence-based approach
• Contains a global perspective within many international authors