Postoperative Care/Critical Care of the Transplant Patient

Critical care of the general surgical patient requires synthesis of the patient’s physiology, intraoperative events, and preexisting comorbidities. Evaluating an abdominal solid-organ transplant recipient after surgery adds a new dimension to clinical decisions because the transplanted allograft has undergone its own physiologic challenges and now must adapt to a new environment. This donor-recipient interaction forms the foundation for assessment of early allograft function (EAF). The intensivist must accurately assess and support EAF within the context of the recipient’s current physiology and preexisting comorbidities. Optimizing EAF is essential because allograft failure is a significant predictor of recipient morbidity and mortality.

Source: Anesthesiology Clinics - November 8, 2013 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Geraldine C. Diaz, Gebhard Wagener, John F. Renz Source Type: research