This special article is the seventeeth in an annual series for the Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. The authors thank the editor-in-chief, Dr. Kaplan, and the editorial board for the opportunity to continue this series, namely the research highlights of the past year in the specialty of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesiology.1 The major themes selected for 2024 are outlined in this introduction, and each highlight is reviewed in detail in the main article. The literature highlights in the specialty for 2024 begin with an update on perioperative rehabilitation and enhanced recovery (ERACS) in in cardiothoracic surgery, with a focus on novel methods to best assess our patients in the preoperative period and the impact of implementing enhanced recovery care models on outcomes. The second major theme is focused on cardiac surgery, with the authors discussing new insights into anemia, transfusions, and CABG outcomes with a focus on gender disparities. The third theme is focused on cardiothoracic transplantation, with discussions focusing on techniques related to lung transplantation including MCS. The fourth theme is focused on mechanical circulatory support, with discussions exploring advancements in left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) highlight the evolving landscape of mechanical circulatory support and discussion of anticoagulation practices. The fifth, and final theme is an update on medical cardiology, with focus on outcomes of transcatheter management of regurgitant pathology, device management in heart failure, and new techniques in catheter ablation. The themes selected for this article are only a few of the diverse advances in the specialty during 2024. These highlights will inform the reader of key updates on a variety of topics, leading to improvement of perioperative outcomes for patients with cardiothoracic and vascular disease.
Read full abstract