Year in Review 2023: Noteworthy Literature in Cardiothoracic Critical Care

Abstract

This article reviews noteworthy investigations and society recommendations published in 2023 relevant to the care of critically ill cardiothoracic surgical patients. We reviewed 3,214 articles to identify 18 publications that add to the existing literature across a variety of topics including resuscitation, nutrition, antibiotic management, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), neurologic care following cardiac arrest, coagulopathy and transfusion, steroids in pulmonary infections, and updated guidelines in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

A Year of Changes: The End of the Pandemic Marks the Beginning of New Priorities

“…In this issue’s first review, Alber et al elaborated on exciting updates in the field of critical care. 4 The authors discussed how the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine and American Thoracic Society updated management guidelines for ARDS with many important lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. 5,6 In two potentially practice-changing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) included in this review, hydrocortisone improved 28-day mortality in severe community-acquired pneumonia, 7 and preventive inhaled amikacin decreased the rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia at 28 days.…”