This issue of Selected Readings in General Surgery (SRGS) is the first of a two-part series relevant to surgical critical care, and it reviews the diagnosis and management of cardiac disorders, pulmonary complications, and acute kidney injuries. Cardiac and respiratory complications are the two most frequent adverse events that occur following injury and general surgical operations. Using modern understandings of cardiac and pulmonary pathophysiology, surgeons can now prevent or manage these events with frequent patient salvage and full recovery. Understanding the pathophysiology and risk factors for critical illness-related kidney injuries can provide useful knowledge that will help surgeons prevent renal injuries, recognize signs of acute kidney dysfunction before permanent renal damage occurs, and implement approaches that will support and maintain renal function in these patients.
Critical Care of Surgical Patients Part I (PDF)
In the second part of our two-issue Selected Readings in General Surgery (SRGS) series focusing on critical care of the surgical patient, we begin by reviewing articles relevant to the use of blood and blood products in surgical practice. Emphasis on safe transfusion practices has increased over the past decade, and the articles reviewed will provide information on recognizing and managing transfusion reactions, evidence-based guidance for choosing the optimum hemoglobin trigger for transfusion, and the controversy regarding the potential risks of transfusing blood that is approaching the end of its storage cycle versus using fresh blood.
Following the transfusion discussion is a review on managing shock in surgical patients. We also explore the mechanisms and management of hemorrhage-associated coagulopathy as well as the management of sepsis, septic shock, and cardiogenic shock.
Critical Care of Surgical Patients Part II (PDF)