The past year in critical care medicine was notable for ongoing sequelae of the COVID-19 pandemic, including nationwide shortages and critical care demand in many regions in excess of usual operating capacity. Despite these challenges, evidence-based medicine and investigations into the optimal management of the critically ill continued to be at the forefront. This article is a collection of studies published in 2022 which are specifically relevant to cardiothoracic critical care. These noteworthy publications add to the existing literature across a broad spectrum of topics, from optimal timing of mechanical circulatory support (MCS), delirium prevention, updates in nutrition guidelines, alternative defibrillation techniques, novel ventilator management, and observing the downstream psychological impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy.
Keywords: cardiac arrest; cardiothoracic critical care; defibrillation; delirium; diaphragm protection; early mobilization; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; nutrition; pulmonary embolism.