AUTHORS: Turan A et al Anesthesiology. 2020 Jan;132(1):121-130 BACKGROUND: Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D is associated with cardiovascular, renal, and infectious risks. Postsurgical patients are susceptible to similar complications, but whether vitamin D deficiency contributes to postoperative complications remains unclear. We tested whether low preoperative vitamin D is associated with cardiovascular events within 30 days after noncardiac surgery. […]
Comparison of emergence agitation between succinylcholine and rocuronium-sugammadex in adults following closed reduction of a nasal bone fracture
Authors: Seok-Jin Lee et al BMC Anesthesiology volume 19, Article number: 228 (2019) Background Sugammadex allows rapid recovery from rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade. Succinylcholine is often used for brief surgeries but is associated with myalgia, headache, histamine release, and increased lactate levels. Thus, we hypothesized that succinylcholine may affect emergence agitation (EA) and compared the effects of succinylcholine and rocuronium-sugammadex on […]
Real-Time Intraoperative Determination and Reporting of Cerebral Autoregulation State Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
AUTHORS: Montgomery, Dean PhD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: December 27, 2019 BACKGROUND: Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is maintained over a range of blood pressures through cerebral autoregulation (CA). Blood pressure outside the range of CA, or impaired autoregulation, is associated with adverse patient outcomes. Regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) derived from near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can […]
Timing and Risk Factors Associated With Postoperative Stroke in Vascular Surgery Patients Using Time-Varying Coefficients From a Cox Model
Authors: Moore, Laurel E. MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: March 2020 – Volume 130 – Issue 3 – p 673-684 BACKGROUND: Mechanisms of postoperative stroke are poorly understood, particularly for strokes occurring after uneventful emergence from anesthesia. We sought to create a model to study retrospectively the timing and associations for stroke in a […]
FDA approves Battelle’s process to decontaminate N95 face masks
By Kim Lyons The Verge The Ohio company says its process could decontaminate 80,000 masks per day The Food and Drug Administration has approved a process that would clean much-needed N95 protective face masks and allow them to be reused, the agency said in a release. Columbus-Ohio based Battelle uses a “vapor phase hydrogen peroxide” process to […]
Patient and anesthesia characteristics of children with low pre‐incision blood pressure
Authors: Wietze Pasma et al Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Dec 2019 Background Intraoperative blood pressure has been suggested as a key factor for safe pediatric anesthesia. However, there is not much insight into factors that discriminate between children with low and normal pre‐incision blood pressure. Our aim was to explore whether children who have a low […]
Ratios of Plasma and Platelets to Red Blood Cells in Surgical Patients With Acute Intraoperative Hemorrhage
AUTHORS: Warner, Matthew A. MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: December 26, 2019 BACKGROUND: The relationships between the ratios of transfused allogeneic blood products and clinical outcomes in patients with acute intraoperative hemorrhage are poorly defined. METHODS: To better define these ratios, we undertook a single-center, observational cohort study of all surgical patients (≥18 years) […]
Neuromuscular Block Protocol Decreases Residual Blockade
Author: Michael Vlessides Anesthesiology News Management of neuromuscular block with rocuronium and its reversal with neostigmine and sugammadex according to a protocol is associated with a very low incidence of postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade, in a new study. The researchers reported that neostigmine played an important role in the protocol, and resulted in significant cost […]
Ultrasound-Assisted Versus Landmark-Guided Spinal Anesthesia in Patients With Abnormal Spinal Anatomy
AUTHORS: Park, Sun-Kyung MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: March 2020 – Volume 130 – Issue 3 – p 787-795 BACKGROUND: Spinal anesthesia using a surface landmark–guided technique can be challenging in patients with anatomical alterations of the lumbar spine; however, it is unclear whether using ultrasonography can decrease the technical difficulties in these populations. […]
MedPAC to recommend eliminating 2.8% rate increase for surgery centers
Author: Alia Paavola Becker’s Hospital CFO Report The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission plans to recommend eliminating an expected 2.8 percent payment rate bump for surgery centers in 2021, according to Bloomberg Law. The panel, which advises lawmakers on Medicare payment policy, said that it will make the recommendation to Congress March 13, because it doesn’t have […]