Reconstructive transplantation of vascularized composite allografts (VCAs), such as upper extremity, craniofacial, abdominal, lower extremity, or genitourinary transplants, has emerged as a cutting-edge specialty, with more than 50 programs in the United States and 30 programs across the world performing these procedures. Most VCAs involve complicated technical planning and preparation, protracted surgery, and complex immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory protocols, each associated with unique anesthesiology challenges. This article outlines key procedural, patient, and protocol-related aspects of VCA relevant to anesthesiology management with the goal of ensuring patient safety and optimizing surgical, immunologic, and functional outcomes.
Anesthesiology clinics. 2017 Jul 05 [Epub]
Raymond M Planinsic, Jay S Raval, Vijay S Gorantla
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Suite C-200, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: ., Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Transfusion Medicine Service, Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Laboratory, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Drive, Suite C3162, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA., Departments of Surgery, Ophthalmology and Bioengineering, US Air Force, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Richard H. Dean Biomedical Building, 391 Technology Way, Winston Salem, NC 27101, USA. Electronic address: .