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Declaration of patient consent The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent forms. Unstable alpha thalassemia hemoglobin chains may precipitate after prolonged exposure to relatively low temperatures which can be prevented by a short duration of bypass under normothermia or mild hypothermia (32-35 degrees).[[6]] Thalassemic patients need to be worked up thoroughly. To the editor, A 67-year female, known case of beta thalassemia intermedia and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (since 50 years) was diagnosed to have severe calcific aortic stenosis, valve area of 0.7 cm2, gradient 90/60 mm Hg, hypertrophic normal left ventricle without regional wall abnormality. [Extracted from the article]

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) is a commonly performed procedure in critically sick patients. It can be safely performed bedside by intensivists.This has resulted in decline in the use of surgical tracheostomy in intensive care unit (ICU) except in few selected cases. Most common indication of tracheostomy in ICU is need for prolonged ventilation. About 10% of patients requiring at least 3 days of mechanical ventilator support get tracheostomised during ICU stay. The ideal timing of PDT remains undecided at present. Contraindications and complications become fewer with increase in experience. Various methods of performing PDT have been discovered in last two decades. Preoperative work up, patient selection and post tracheostomy care form key components of a successful PDT. Bronchoscopy and ultrasound have been found to be useful procedural adjuncts, especially in presence of unfavorable anatomy. This article gives a brief overview about the use of PDT in ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-floating right heart thrombi are uncommon and need emergency treatment in view of their tendency to dislodge and cause pulmonary embolism. We report a successful surgical management of a patient who had large mobile right atrial thrombus, bilateral pulmonary thrombi, coronary artery disease, and postmyocardial infarction ventricular septal rupture (VSR). The patient underwent coronary angiography, inferior vena cava filter placement, removal of thrombi from the right atrium and pulmonary arteries, repair of VSR, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery in a hybrid operating room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented in which the editor discusses the recent trends in hemodynamic monitoring with respect to cardiac surgery. The concept of hemodynamic monitoring is explained. The article also discusses the need for an effective monitoring tool for hemodynamic instability during cardiac surgeries. Common modalities for measurement such as the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) and the noninvasive pulse contour analysis devices, aimed towards preventing tissue hypoxia, are mentioned

Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a commonly encountered postoperative complication after cardiac surgery especially in high risk patients. AKI though seen more commonly after conventional on pump coronary artery bypass surgery (CCABG), is not uncommon after off pump coronary bypass surgery (OPCAB). Various biomarkers have shown promise over last one decade as an early marker for predicting AKI postoperatively. NGAL is one such biomarker whose concentration is increased in urine after any nephrotoxic and ischemic insult. The objective of this study was to assess the role of urine NGAL in predicting AKI after OPCAB in patients with increased risk of developing AKI. Design: A prospective cohort study. Setting: A clinical study in a multi specialty hospital. Participants: Eighty patients. Materials and Methods: study was approved by the hospital research ethics committee. 80 patients posted for OPCAB with an increased risk of developing AKI defined as having a Cleveland Clinic Foundation Acute renal failure scoring System score of ≥6 were included in the study. Patients with coronary angiography (CAG) within 48 hrs prior to surgery, pre-existing AKI, preoperative renal replacement therapy (RRT) and CKD stage 5 were excluded. Urine NGAL level before the start of surgery baseline and at 4 hrs post surgery were done. Renal function tests were assessed on the day of surgery (4 hrs post surgery) and on the next three days. Result: Seven patients developed AKI as defined by acute kidney infection network (AKIN) and risk injury failure loss end stage (RIFLE) criteria for AKI. NGAL value at 4 hrs in patients who developed AKI was significantly higher than in those patients who did not develop AKI (P < 0.05). Conclusion: urine NGAL is an early biomarker of acute kidney injury in patients undergoing OPCAB surgeries. However, large multicentre studies may be needed to confirm it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical ventilation remains the cornerstone in the management of severe acute respiratory failure. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most common cause of respiratory failure. It is associated with substantial mortality, and unmanageable refractory hypoxemia remains the most feared clinical possibility. If hypoxemia persists despite application of lung protective ventilation, additional therapies including inhaled vasodilators, prone positioning, recruitment maneuvers, high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, neuromuscular blockade (NMB), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may be needed. NMB and prone ventilation are modalities that have been clearly linked to reduced mortality in ARDS. Rescue therapies pose a clinical challenge requiring a precarious balance of risks and benefits, as well as, in-depth knowledge of therapeutic limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraoperative aortic dissection is a rare but fatal complication of open heart surgery. By recognizing the population at risk and by using a gentle operative technique in such patients, the surgeon can usually avoid iatrogenic injury to the aorta. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography and epiaortic scanning are invaluable for prompt diagnosis and determination of the extent of the injury. Prevention lies in the strict control of blood pressure during cannulation/decannulation, construction of proximal anastomosis, or in avoiding manipulation of the aorta in high-risk patients. Immediate repair using interposition graft or Dacron patch graft is warranted to reduce the high mortality associated with this complication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Epidural anesthesia is a central neuraxial block technique with many applications. It is a versatile anesthetic technique, with applications in surgery, obstetrics and pain control. Its versatility means it can be used as an anesthetic, as an analgesic adjuvant to general anesthesia, and for postoperative analgesia. Off pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery triggers a systemic stress response as seen in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA), combined with general anesthesia (GA) attenuates the stress response to CABG. There is Reduction in levels of Plasma epinephrine, Cortisol and catecholamine surge, tumor necrosis factor-Alpha(TNF ά), interleukin-6 and leucocyte count. Design: A prospective randomised non blind study. Setting: A clinical study in a multi specialty hospital. Participants: Eighty six patients. Material and Methods/intervention: The study was approved by hospital research ethics committee and written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Patients were randomised to receive either GA plus epidural (study group) or GA only (control group). Inclusion Criteria (for participants) were -Age ≥ 70 years, Patient posted for OPCAB surgery, and patient with comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, renal dysfunction). Serum concentration of Interlukin: - 6, TNF ά, cortisol, Troponin - I, CK-MB, and HsCRP (highly sensitive C reactive protein), was compared for both the group and venous blood samples were collected and compared just after induction, at day 2, and day 5 postoperatively. Time to mobilization, extubation, total intensive care unit stay and hospital stay were noted and compared. Independent t test was used for statistical analysis. Primary Outcomes: Postoperative complications, total intensive care unit stay and hospital stay. Secondary Outcome: Stress response. Result: Study group showed decreased Interlukin - 6 at day 2, TNF ά at day 2 and 5,troponin I at day 5, and decreased total hospital stay (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Thoracic epidural anesthesia decreases stress and inflammatory response to surgery and decreases hospital stay. However a large multicentre study may be needed to confirm it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role of cardiac anesthesiologists in intensive care medicine. Topics discussed include the areas covered by critical care medicine, cardiac anaesthesiology as a sub-speciality of anesthesiology focusing on patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery and related procedures and characteristics of cardiac surgery patients that make the delivery of high quality critical care medicine important for the success of cardiac surgery.

The article examines the role of simulation in hemodynamic monitoring in cardiac surgery. Noted are the benefits of medical simulation including the practice virtual hemodynamic stabilization of a patient in surgical and intensive care unit, the options it can provide among the three shock case scenarios cardiogenic shock, hypovolemic shock, and septic shock. Other topics mentioned include chest drain, fluid balance sheet, and poor urine output.

Background: Delirium is a commonly seen complication of cardiac surgery. Dexmedetomidine, by its anti-inflammatory properties and other effects, can attenuate postoperative delirium.Aims: The aim of this work was to study the incidence of delirium after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and to compare the effects of dexmedetomidine and propofol on the incidence of postoperative delirium in coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients.Materials and Methods: A prospective, observational study was conducted on 180 consecutive patients undergoing off-pump or on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The patients were administered either intravenous dexmedetomidine (n = 90) or propofol (n = 90) after hemostasis was achieved, till they were ready for weaning from the ventilator. The Confusion Assessment Method was used to assess the incidence of postoperative delirium.Measurements and Main Results: A total of 25 (13.8%) patients developed delirium after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Sedation with dexmedetomidine was associated with a significantly reduced incidence of postoperative delirium (8.9% v 18.9% propofol, P = 0.049). Subgroup analyses showed reduced incidence of postoperative delirium in off-pump patients compared to on-pump coronary artery bypass graft patients (3.3% vs. 20%, P = 0.009 dexmedetomidine group and 11.6% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.047 propofol group respectively). The mean age of the patients who had delirium was significantly more (64.9 ± 8.1 years vs. 52.5 ± 5.8 years, P = 0.046) compared to those who did not have delirium.Conclusion: Administration of dexmedetomidine-based sedation resulted in the reduced incidence of postoperative delirium compared to propofol-based sedation in patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors look at the challenges associated with the establishment of a new cardiac surgical unit. One of the issues to be addressed in designing the facility is determining the size of the facility. Among the processes and protocols to be considered are staffing norms and training. They recommend including recording of the outcomes and putting a trend analysis to ensure continuous quality improvement in the whole process.

The benefits of thoracic epidural analgesia in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting are well documented. However, the literature available on the role of high thoracic epidural analgesia (HTEA) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (OPCAB) surgery is scarce. We conducted a randomized clinical trial to establish whether HTEA is beneficial in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease undergoing elective OPCAB surgery. After institutional ethics board approval and informed consent, 62 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients undergoing elective OPCAB were randomly grouped into two (n = 31 each). Both groups received general anesthesia (GA), but in the HTEA group patients, TEA was also administered. Standardized surgical and anesthetic techniques were used for both the groups. Pulmonary function tests were performed pre-operatively, 6 h and 24 h post-extubation and on days 2, 3, 4 and 5 along with arterial blood gas analysis (ABG) analysis. Time for extubation (h) and time for oxygen withdrawal (h) were recorded. Pain score was assessed by the 10-cm visual analogue scale. All hemodynamic/oxygenation parameters were noted. Any complications related to the TEA were also recorded. Patients in the HTEA group were extubated earlier (10.8 h vs. 13.5 h, P < 0.01) and their oxygen withdrawal time was also significantly lower (26.26 h vs. 29.87 h, P < 0.01). The VAS score, both at rest and on coughing, was significantly lower in the HTEA group at all times, post-operatively (P < 0.01). The forced vital capacity improved significantly at 6 h post-operatively in the HTEA group (P = 0.026) and remained significantly higher thereafter. A similar trend was observed in forced expiratory volume in the first second on day 2 in the HTEA group (P = 0.024). We did not observe any significant side-effects/mortality in either group. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients undergoing elective OPCAB surgery, HTEA is a good adjunct to GA for early extubation, faster recovery of pulmonary function and better analgesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perioperative Thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) is an important part of a multimodal approach to improve analgesia and patient outcome after cardiac and thoracic surgery. This is particularly important for obese patients undergoing off pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB). We conducted a randomized clinical trial at tertiary care cardiac institute to compare the effect of TEA and conventional opioid based analgesia on perioperative lung functions and pain scores in obese patients undergoing OPCAB. Sixty obese patients with body mass index >30 kg/m² for elective OPCAB were randomized into two groups (n=30 each). Patients in both the groups received general anesthesia but in group 1, TEA was also administered. We performed spirometry as preoperative assessment and at six hours, 24 hours, second, third, fourth and fifth day after extubation, along with arterial blood gases analysis. Visual analogue scale at rest and on coughing was recorded to assess the degree of analgesia. The other parameters observed were: time to endotracheal extubation, oxygen withdrawal time and intensive care unit length of stay. On statistical analysis there was a significant difference in Vital Capacity at six hours, 24 hours, second and third day postextubation. Forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second followed the same pattern for first four postoperative days and peak expiratory flow rate remained statistically high till second postoperative day. ABG values and PaO2 /FiO2 ratio were statistically higher in the study group up to five days. Visual analogue scale at rest and on coughing was significantly lower till fourth and third postoperative day respectively. Tracheal extubation time, oxygen withdrawal time and ICU stay were significantly less in group 1. The use of TEA resulted in better analgesia, early tracheal extubation and shorter ICU stay and should be considered for obese patients undergoing OPCAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLAS) characterises a clinical condition of arterial and venous thrombosis associated with phospholipids directed antibodies. APLAS occurs in 2% of the general population. However, one study demonstrated that 7.1% of hospitalised patients were tested positive for at least one of the three anticardiolipin antibody idiotype. Antiphospholipid antibodies often inhibit phospholipids dependent coagulation in vitro and interfere with laboratory testing of hemostasis. Therefore, the management of anticoagulation during cardiopulmonary bypass can be quite challenging in these patients. Here, we present a case of right atrial mass removal and pulmonary thrombectomy in a patient of APLAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) is routinely used in valvular surgery in most institutions. The popularity of TEE stems from the fact that it can supplement or confirm information gained from other methods of evaluation or make completely independent diagnoses. Quantitative and qualitative assessment permits informed decisions regarding surgical intervention, type of intervention, correction of inadequate surgical repair and re-operation for complications. This review summarizes the various methods for quantification of aortic regurgitation and stenosis on TEE. The application of Doppler echo (pulsed wave, continuous wave and color) with two-dimensional echo allows the complete evaluation of AV lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minimally invasive surgery with robotic assistance should elicit minimal pain. Regional analgesic techniques have shown excellent analgesia after thoracotomy. Thus the aim of this study was to compare thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) technique with paravertebral block (PVB) technique in these patients with regard to quality of analgesia, complications, and haemodynamic and respiratory parameters. This was a prospective randomised study involving 36 patients undergoing elective robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). TEA or PVB were administered in these patients. The results revealed no significant differences with regard to demographics, haemodynamics, and arterial blood gases. Pulmonary functions were better maintained in PVB group postoperatively; however, this was statistically insignificant. The quality of analgesia was also comparable in both the groups. We conclude that PVB is a safe and effective technique for postoperative analgesia after robotic-assisted CABG and is comparable to TEA with regard to quality of analgesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to compare the risk factors and outcome of patients with preexisting resistant gram-negative bacilli (GNB) with those who develop sensitive GNB in the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU). Of the 3161 patients (n = 3,161) admitted to the ICU during the study period, 130 (4.11%) developed health care-associated infections (HAIs) with GNB and were included in the cohort study. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (37.8%) was the most common organism isolated followed by Klebsiella species (24.2%), E. coli (22.0%), Enterobacter species (6.1%), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (5.7%), Acinetobacter species (1.3%), Serratia marcescens (0.8%), Weeksella virosa (0.4%) and Burkholderia cepacia (0.4%). Univariate analysis revealed that the following variables were significantly associated with the antibiotic-resistant GNB: females (P = 0.018), re-exploration (P = 0.004), valve surgery (P = 0.003), duration of central venous catheter (P < 0.001), duration of mechanical ventilation (P < 0.001), duration of intra-aortic balloon counter-pulsation (P = 0.018), duration of urinary catheter (P < 0.001), total number of antibiotic exposures prior to the development of resistance (P < 0.001), duration of antibiotic use prior to the development of resistance (P = 0.014), acute physiology and age chronic health evaluation score (APACHE II), receipt of anti-pseudomonal penicillins (piperacillin-tazobactam) (P = 0.002) and carbapenems (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, valve surgery (adjusted OR = 2.033; 95% CI = 1.052-3.928; P = 0.035), duration of mechanical ventilation (adjusted OR = 1.265; 95% CI = 1.055-1.517; P = 0.011) and total number of antibiotic exposure prior to the development of resistance (adjusted OR = 1.381; 95% CI = 1.030-1.853; P = 0.031) were identified as independent risk factors for HAIs in resistant GNB. The mortality rate in patients with resistant GNB was significantly higher than those with sensitive GNB (13.9% vs. 1.8%; P = 0.03). HAI with resistant GNB, in ICU following cardiac surgery, are independently associated with the following variables: valve surgeries, duration of mechanical ventilation and prior exposure to antibiotics. The mortality rate is significantly higher among patients with resistant GNB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An ideal CO monitor should be noninvasive, cost effective, reproducible, reliable during various physiological states. Limited literature is available regarding the noninvasive CO monitoring in open chest surgeries.Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the CO measurement by Regional Impedance Cardiography (RIC) and Thermodilution (TD) method in patients undergoing off pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery (OPCAB).Settings and Design: We conducted a prospective observational comparative study of CO measurement by the noninvasive RIC method using the NICaS Hemodynamic Navigator system and the gold standard TD method using pulmonary artery catheter in patients undergoing OPCAB. A total of 150 data pair from the two CO monitoring techniques were taken from 15 patients between 40-70 years at various predefined time intervals of the surgery.Patients and Methods: We have tried to find out the accuracy, precision and cost effectiveness of the newer RIC technique. Mean CO, bias and precision were compared for each pair i.e.TD-CO and RIC-CO as recommended by Bland and Altman. The Sensitivity and specificity of cutoff value to predict change in TD-CO was used to create a Receiver operating characteristic or ROC curve.Results: Mean TD-CO values were around 4.52 ± 1.09 L/min, while mean RIC- CO values were around 4.77± 1.84 L/min. The difference in CO change was found to be statistically not significant (p value 0.667). The bias was small (-0.25). The Bland Altman plot revealed a mean difference of -0.25 litres. The RIC method had a sensitivity of 55.56 % and specificity of 33.33 % in predicting 15% change in CO of TD method and the total diagnostic accuracy was 46.67%.Conclusion: A fair correlation was found between the two techniques. The RIC method may be considered as a promising noninvasive, potentially low cost alternative to the TD technique of hemodynamic measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty seven year old asymptomatic male underwent routine medical examination which revealed an abnormal mass in the right atrium. Family history was not suggestive of any cardiac or malignant disease. Detailed investigation detected deficiency of protein S, which is a vitamin K dependent protein and a cofactor for activated protein C mediated cleavage of factor Va and VIIIa. The deficiency of protein S predisposes to venous thrombosis. Further investigation revealed that it was an organized calcified thrombus in right atrium occupying almost whole of the cavity. Various approaches including surgical excision, thrombolysis and anticoagulation has been used to manage such thrombosis. However therapeutic approach is still a question of debate. Atriotomy and excision of mass was done using cardiopulmonary bypass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A seventy eight year old male patient was admitted in our hospital with headache, vomiting, irritability and confusion. Initially he was diagnosed as a case of pyogenic encephalitis. Further investigations revealed that patient had cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea and coronary artery disease. He successfully underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and cerebrospinal fluid leak repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidural analgesia is widely used in cardiothoracic surgery. Most of the complications associated with epidural analgesia are related to the insertion techniques of epidural catheter. A 68-year-old obese patient posted for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery developed headache followed by seizures after insertion of the thoracic epidural catheter. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed air in the basal cisterns and in the left frontal region. The patient was managed conservatively and the symptoms subsided after 24 h. Later, the patient underwent coronary angioplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to a case report on the use of phlebotomy to optimize myocardial stress in a coronary artery disease patient.

The article discusses research being done on the use of the European score for cardiac operative risk evaluation (EuroSCORE) in patients who experienced cardiac surgery. It references the study "30-Day Mortality After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Valve Surgery Has Greatly Improved Over the Last Decade, But the 1-Year Mortality Remains Constant," by Laura Sommer Hansen et al. in the 2015 issue of the "Annals of Cardiac Anesthesia." A discussion on in-hospital mortality is also offered.

The article offers information on the video regarding percutaneous tracheostomy (PT). Topics mentioned include the consider as an alternative to surgical tracheostomy (ST), the use in the intensive care unit (ICU) for patients that needs mechanical ventilation (MV), and the benefits in patient comfort and sedation requirement.

The author discusses the study on paravertebral block (PVB) with thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) in pediatric patients who undergone thoracotomy. He compares the PVB, thoracotomy and TEA techniques. Also investigated is the utilization of multiple paravertebral injections in post-thoracotomy pain.

A letter to the editor is presented about the clinical case of a 50-year-old obese diabetic female who underwent prophylactic percutaneous minitracheostomy following omentoplasty for sternal wound infection.

A letter to the editor is presented about valve replacement in a patient with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLS).

A letter to the editor is presented about dengue fever in patients recuperating from coronary artery bypass grafting.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Blood Transfusion is Associated With Increased Resource Utilization, Morbidity and Mortality in Cardiac Surgery," by Bharathi H. Scott, F. C. Seifert and R. Grimson in the 2008 issue.

The author comments on a study by C. A. Sinha and colleagues which compared the performance of the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) thermodilution method and the pulse wave transit time (PWTT) technique in estimating and monitoring cardiac output (CO). Topics discussed include estimation of the PWTT using the estimated continuous cardiac output (eeCCO) life sciences monitoring system, non-invasiveness of the PWTT technique, and electrocardiography and blood pressure monitoring.

The author discusses research on the correlation between pulse wave transit time (PWTT) and estimated continuous cardiac output (esCCO) in cardiac patients, conducted by C. A. Sinha and colleagues, published within the issue. Topics explored include the use of pulmonary artery catheter thermodilution for estimating cardiac output, factors that would affect PWTT in liver transplant patients, and the implications of over and under CO estimation for the patient's course of treatment.

A response from the authors of the article "Necklace shadow in the neck after surgery" in volume 16, 2013, which discusses chest radiography, is presented.

The article describes the case of a 72-year-old female coronary artery bypass graft patient who had necklace shadow in the neck following surgery. The patient underwent post-operative chest radiography, but medical personnel failed to find a necklace. According to a radiologist, the necklace shadow was calcification of tracheal rings.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article on off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and Dengue fever.

During current medical care, perioperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has become a vital component of patient management, especially in cardiac operating rooms and in critical care medicine. Information derived from echocardiography has an important bearing on the patient's outcome. The Indian Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Anaesthesiologists (IACTA) has promoted the use of TEE during routine clinical care of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. An important mission of IACTA is to oversee training and certify anesthesiologists in the perioperative and intensive care use of TEE. The provision of "Fellowship" is by way of conducting IACTA - TEE fellowship (F-TEE) examination. This has been done annually for the past 7 years using well-established curriculums by accredited national and international societies. Now, with the transformation and reconstitution of IACTA education and research cell into the newly formed Indian College of Cardiac Anaesthesia, F-TEE is bound to meet international standards. To ensure that the examinations are conducted in a transparent and foolproof manner, the guideline committee (formulated in 2010) of IACTA has taken the onus of formulating the guidelines for the same. These guidelines have been formally reviewed and updated since 2010 and are detailed here to serve as a guide to both the examinee and examiner ensuring standardization, efficiency, and competency of the IACTA F-TEE certification process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Left atrial dissection (LatD) is a rare complication of cardiac surgery due to creation of a false chamber through a tear in the mitral valve annulus that extends into the left atrium wall. It is primarily associated with mitral valve surgery although other etiologies have also been defined. Perioperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a key to the diagnosis. This is a case report of management of LatD after mitral valve replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Timely decision making in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is very essential to improve the outcome of critically sick patients. Conventional scores like Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE IV) are quite cumbersome with calculations and take minimum 24 hours. Procalcitonin has shown to have prognostic value in ICU/Emergency department (ED) in disease states like pneumonia, sepsis etc. NTproBNP has demonstrated excellent diagnostic and prognostic importance in cardiac diseases. It has also been found elevated in non-cardiac diseases. We chose to study the prognostic utility of these markers on ICU admission.Settings and Design: Retrospective observational study.Materials and Methods: A Retrospective analysis of 100 eligible patients was done who had undergone PCT and NTproBNP measurements on ICU admission. Their correlations with all cause mortality, length of hospital stay, need for ventilator support, need for vasopressors were performed.Results: Among 100 randomly selected ICU patients, 28 were non-survivors. NTproBNP values on admission significantly correlated with all cause mortality (P = 0.036, AUC = 0.643) and morbidity (P = 0.000, AUC = 0.763), comparable to that of APACHE-IV score. PCT values on admission did not show significant association with mortality, but correlated well with morbidity and prolonged hospital length of stay (AUC = 0.616, P = 0.045).Conclusion: The current study demonstrated a good predictive value of NTproBNP, in terms of mortality and morbidity comparable to that of APACHE-IV score. Procalcitonin, however, was found to have doubtful prognostic importance. These findings need to be confirmed in a prospective larger study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of epilepsy worldwide is around 0.5%-2% of the population. Antiepileptic medications are the first line of treatment in most of the cases but approximately 25%-30% epilepsy patients are refractory to the single or combination therapy. The surgical option for temporal lobe epilepsy is temporal lobectomy, which has its inherent risk of neurological deficits after the surgery. Patients who are either refractory to combination therapy or do not want surgical temporal lobectomy are the candidates for electrical stimulation therapy. Refractory cases require implantable device such as vagal nerve stimulator (VNS). We are reporting perioperative management of a patient, with an implanted VNS, posted for pericardiectomy. It is important for the anesthesiologist to be familiar with the mechanism of VNS for proper perioperative care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented on the topic of airway management using high flow nasal cannula to increase safe apneic period and securing the airway with an awake fiberoptic bronchoscope in the case of a 72-year-old male with left ventricular ejection fraction of 20 percent.

Severe symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation (TR) with right heart failure is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Medical therapy is often ineffective and surgical correction is not feasible due to prohibitive perioperative risk. Transcatheter caval valve implantation (CAVI) is an evolving therapeutic option for this condition. It refers to the heterotopic placement of a valve into the inferior vena cava alone or with a second valve in the superior vena cava to restrict the backflow from the failing tricuspid valve. We hereby describe a patient with previous mitral valve surgery with chronic severe TR who underwent successful CAVI at our institute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prospective recipients of liver transplant (LT) have a high prevalence rate of coronary artery disease (CAD) requiring revascularization. In patients of Child Turcot Pugh Class B and C performing LT prior to cardiac revascularization on cardiopulmonary bypass leads to a high risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Whereas, isolated cardiac surgery prior to LT has perioperative risk of coagulopathy, sepsis, and hepatic decompensation. We present four cases of end stage liver disease who underwent concomitant living donor liver transplant (LDLT) with off pump coronary artery bypass graft (OPCAB) in an effort to decrease the morbidity and mortality.Methods: The cases were performed in a tertiary care centre over two years. Four patients scheduled for LDLT, who were diagnosed with significant CAD, underwent single sitting OPCAB and LDLT. Cardiac surgery was performed first and once patient was stable, it was followed by LDLT. The morbidity parameters in terms of duration of intubation, blood transfusion, hospital stay, ICU stay, requirement of dialysis, atrial fibrillation and sepsis was compared with similar studies.Results: The blood transfusion requirement (median 8 units PRBC), incidence of atrial fibrillation (25%), sepsis (25%), and renal dysfunction (0%) was less than the combined surgery conducted on cardiopulmonary bypass. The rate of median intubation time, length of ICU stay, hospital stay, and one year mortality rate was comparable with other studies.Conclusions: Morbidity with combined OPCAB and LDLT is less than combined on pump coronary artery bypass surgery with LDLT. Combined CABG with LDLT may be performed with acceptable outcomes in CTP class B and C cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double-orifice mitral valve is a rare congenital anomaly being associated with other cardiac defects and rarely presented in isolation. Valve function can be preserved for long and it is usually an incidental finding. We present an unusual case of double-orifice mitral valve with mitral regurgitation in a middle-aged man associated with the atrial septal defect, highlighting the role of three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydatid infection of the heart is rare and there is always the lethal hazard of cyst perforation. We present an 18-year-old male from Kashmir valley who was admitted to the emergency department of our hospital with fever and chest pain for the last 4 days. Using echocardiography and cardiac tomography (CT), cardiac Echinococcosis was diagnosed. The results of surgical treatment of cardiac Echinococcosis were better than the conservative strategy. Surgical excision was performed. The patient had an uneventful recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a patient who after an uneventful coronary artery bypass graft surgery and left ventricular aneurysmorrhaphy developed intracerebral hemorrhage and subsequently required minitracheostomy. Chest X-ray showed misdirected minitracheostomy tube facing upward toward the laryngeal opening which was repositioned using bronchoscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]