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The management of infective endocarditis is complex and inherently requires multidisciplinary cooperation. About half of all patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis will meet the criteria to undergo cardiac surgery, which regularly takes place in urgent or emergency settings. The pathophysiology and clinical presentation of infective endocarditis make it a unique disorder within cardiac surgery that warrants a thorough understanding of specific characteristics in the perioperative period. This includes, among others, echocardiography, coagulation, bleeding management, or treatment of organ dysfunction. In this narrative review article, the authors summarize the current knowledge on infective endocarditis relevant for the clinical anesthesiologist in perioperative management of respective patients. Furthermore, the authors advocate for the anesthesiologist to become a structural member of the endocarditis team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this prospective, randomized, double-blind trial we investigated the use of stimulating catheters in patients during and after shoulder surgery; functional improvement being the primary outcome measurement., Methods: After eliciting an adequate muscular twitch at < or =0.5 mA nerve stimulation output, the perineural catheter was advanced either blindly (conventional catheter = CC group, n = 20) or guided by stimulation via the catheter (stimulating catheter = SC group, n = 20). A bolus of 40 mL prilocaine 1% and 10 mL ropivacaine 0.75% was injected, followed by a patient-controlled infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% (8 mL/h infusion rate, bolus 2 mL, lockout time 20 min)., Results: Onset of motor block was faster in the SC group, whereas sensory block did not differ between groups. Median pain scores on two postoperative days were equal. Improvement of the objective shoulder function score (Constant Murley Score) 6 wk postoperatively was enhanced to a clinically relevant extent in the SC group compared to the CC group (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: We conclude that the use of a stimulating catheter results in a faster onset of motor block, unaltered postoperative pain, and a significantly improved functional outcome 6 wk after shoulder surgery.

Increase in skin temperature (Ts) occurs early during neuraxial blocks. However, the reliability of Ts to predict successful peripheral block is unknown. Therefore, we investigated whether an increase in Ts more than 1 degrees C precedes or follows an impairment of sensation after combined femoral and sciatic nerve block as well as after epidural anesthesia. In this prospective, nonrandomized study we determined Ts changes in 33 patients undergoing knee or foot surgery under femoral and sciatic nerve block and 10 patients undergoing epidural anesthesia. Perception and motor function were assessed every 5 min. An increase in Ts (> or =1 degrees C) at the foot occurred later after sciatic nerve block than after epidural anesthesia (10.3 +/- 2.8 versus 5.0 min; P < 0.01). Alterations of Ts at skin innervated by the femoral nerve were <1 degrees C. Ts increase preceded sensory block after sciatic nerve block in 6.6% of patients but indicated a successful block (sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy = 100%). We conclude that an increase of Ts is a reliable, but late, sign of successful sciatic nerve block. Therefore it is of limited clinical value. Ts changes after femoral nerve block are negligible and late.