Due to the increase in both the number of transplant operations performed each year and the number of medical centers carrying out these surgeries, there is a growing need for anesthesiologists to know how to care for transplant patients. Anesthesiologists are responsible for treating patients before, after, and during transplantation surgery, and they must be aware of the different procedures involved for the transplantation of different organs.
The first section addresses general considerations such as ethical and legal issues, organ preservation, and infectious disease and transplantation. The second section focuses on preanesthetic care, including preanesthetic evaluation of patients with end-stage renal disease. The actual anesthesia procedures necessary for transplantation of different organs is discussed in the third section. The final section addresses postoperative care. Transplantation: Anesthesia and Critical Care Procedures at the University of Pittsburgh will provide anesthesiologists with the information they need to successfully care for patients who are undergoing transplantation or have received a new organ and are on their way to recovery.