Changes in the Sublingual Microcirculation Following Aortic Surgery Under Balanced or Total Intravenous Anesthesia: a Prospective Observational Study

Detailed Summary

Ischemia/reperfusion injury following aortic cross-clamping for vascular surgery leads to systemic hemodynamic and microcirculatory perturbances. The use of different anesthetic regimens may have an impact on tissue perfusion. The aim of this study was to explore changes in microvascular perfusion in patients undergoing elective open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair under balanced or total intravenous anesthesia. Prospective observational study on 40 patients scheduled for elective open infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, who received balanced (desflurane + remifentanil, n=20) or total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA, propofol + remifentanil using target-controlled infusion, n=20) according to the clinician's decision. A goal-directed hemodynamic management was applied in all patients. Hemodynamics and arterial/venous blood gases were compared before anesthesia induction (baseline) and at end-surgery. Changes in sublingual microvascular flow and density were assessed with incident dark field illumination imaging. Near infrared spectroscopy was applied on the thenar eminence with a vascular occlusion test (VOT) to assess variations in the peripheral muscle tissue oxygenation and microcirculatory reactivity.

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