The importance and ways of exploring the entire chest before and after cardiac surgery: Chest radiography, lung ultrasonography, and computed tomography

Abstract

Flow chart on use of chest radiography, CT, and chest ultrasonography in cardiac surgery. Central MessageChest radiography is a fundamental tool in cardiac surgery, but it may be replaced by CT preoperatively, at least in selected cases, and by LUS to monitor common postoperative pulmonary complications.

Prognostic Value of a New Lung Ultrasound Score to Predict Intensive Care Unit Stay in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

“…(Ann Thorac Surg 2020;109:178-84) Ó 2020 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons L ung ultrasound (LUS) is a noninvasive, easy, and fast technique for the evaluation of pulmonary disease in children, especially in the acute setting. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Pulmonary complications are common with pediatric cardiac surgery and have been evaluated primarily with chest roentgenograms. [4][5][6][7] Recent studies have evaluated the utility of LUS in children undergoing congenital heart surgery.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Pulmonary complications are common with pediatric cardiac surgery and have been evaluated primarily with chest roentgenograms. [4][5][6][7] Recent studies have evaluated the utility of LUS in children undergoing congenital heart surgery. [4][5][6][7] These studies have shown diagnostic accuracy of LUS for pulmonary complications after surgery including pleural effusion, atelectasis, pneumothorax, and pneumonia.…”

“…[4][5][6][7] Recent studies have evaluated the utility of LUS in children undergoing congenital heart surgery. [4][5][6][7] These studies have shown diagnostic accuracy of LUS for pulmonary complications after surgery including pleural effusion, atelectasis, pneumothorax, and pneumonia. Moreover, LUS has demonstrated benefit in differentiating effusion, atelectasis, and severe lung congestion.…”

“…Moreover, LUS has demonstrated benefit in differentiating effusion, atelectasis, and severe lung congestion. [4][5][6][7] Therefore, the systematic use of LUS in pediatric cardiac surgery has been encouraged as a complementary diagnostic tool. It also has the advantage of reducing radiation exposure from repeated roentgenogram examinations.…”

“…It also has the advantage of reducing radiation exposure from repeated roentgenogram examinations. [4][5][6][7] Furthermore, there is some evidence to suggest LUS provides not only diagnostic but also prognostic information in pediatric cardiac surgery. 7,8 The aim of the present study was (1) to investigate the prognostic potential of a new LUS score in children undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD), and (2) to compare LUS score with traditional markers of outcome including age, body surface area, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons/European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (STAT) score, Aristotle score, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and established prognostic biomarkers such as brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cystatin-C. [9][10][11][12][13] Material and Methods…”