Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder involving the abnormal communication of vascular structures. HHT typically presents with recurrent epistaxis and telangiectasis of the nasal and buccal mucosa, tongue, and lips. More serious manifestations of this disease include cerebral, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and hepatic arteriovenous malformations. This case report details a 55-year-old male with HHT undergoing a five-box maze procedure for curative treatment of atrial fibrillation. Particular anesthetic considerations are described to reduce morbidity and mortality in this patient population.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a global cause of both hospital and community-acquired infection. This retrospective, observational study determined the prevalence of MRSA carriers in cardiothoracic and neurological surgical patients presenting to an outpatient preoperative assessment center in Columbus, OH. Aggressive skin and soft-tissue infection may be caused by MRSA with potentially fatal complications. Cardiothoracic and neurological surgical patients are at high risk for surgical-site infection. Results indicated that 4.25% of the sample carried MRSA and 25.25% carried methicillin-sensitive S. aureus.