Re-certification Reflections and Clinical Updates on Procalcitonin, VAP, and Septic Shock Management

Host Dr. Fred Pieracci and special guest Dr. Jared Huston dive into the tough topics of surgical critical care recertification and current practices in infection management.

Dr. Pieracci and Dr. Huston share their contrasting approaches to the two-year recertification exam and use it as a springboard to review core principles. They discuss the limited role of procalcitonin in their ICUs, the shift toward using PCR results to safely minimize empiric antibiotics in VAP, and the priority of achieving source control before medical management. The doctors also touch on advanced concepts like the use of Angiotensin II in pressor-refractory septic shock and the vital importance of risk stratifying patients for appropriate antibiotic stewardship.

Finally, Dr. Pieracci and Dr. Huston encourage all trainees and junior faculty to take full advantage of the Surgical Infection Society (SIS)’s abundant abstract submission and funding opportunities, emphasizing the society’s role in guiding the next generation of academic surgeons.