Why the study?
Patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing surgical procedures present complex anesthetic challenges and require specialized care during novel medical and surgical interventions.
Highlights the evolving role of anesthesiologists in managing complex, anticoagulated patients undergoing novel interventions for atrial fibrillation.
May support expanded anesthesiologist training for anticoagulated AF interventions; leaves open prospective validation of outcomes.
As the world's growing population ages, diseases associated with the elderly, such as atrial fibrillation (AF), have increased in prevalence. These patients require specialized anesthetic care when presenting for surgical procedures, as they often have additional cardiovascular comorbidities and are frequently anticoagulated. Innovative techniques promise to mitigate thromboembolic risks associated with AF or even provide a cure. However, many are highly technical and associated with unique and potentially serious complications. Increasingly, comfort with providing anesthetics in nontraditional locations and use of advanced transesophageal echocardiography are required of anesthesiologists to safely and competently provide care during these novel procedures.
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B. et al. (2022) studied this question.
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