Year in Review 2024: Noteworthy Literature in Cardiothoracic Critical Care

Area of Science:

• Critical care medicine
• Cardiothoracic surgery
• Pulmonary and cardiovascular medicine

Background:

• Management of critically ill cardiothoracic surgical patients requires continuous updates on best practices.
• Recent literature provides new insights into complex conditions like sepsis and acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF).
• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) remains a vital but evolving therapy in this patient population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and synthesize significant 2024 literature additions for managing critically ill cardiothoracic surgical patients.
• To provide an updated overview of key topics including ECMO, sepsis, shock, and AHRF.
• To summarize evidence on prophylaxis and prevention of common intensive care unit (ICU) complications.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 8100 articles published in 2024.
• Selection of 10 high-impact publications.
• Categorization of findings across major critical care themes relevant to cardiothoracic surgery.

Main Results:

• Ten publications were identified, offering new or updated information.
• Key areas covered include extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), sepsis and shock management, and acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF).
• Evidence on prophylaxis and prevention of bleeding, thrombosis, and acute kidney injury (AKI) was also reviewed.

Conclusions:

• The 2024 literature offers crucial updates for the care of critically ill cardiothoracic surgical patients.
• Clinicians should be aware of advancements in ECMO, sepsis, shock, and AHRF.
• Updated guidelines for preventing common ICU complications are essential for improving patient outcomes.