Published in Anesthesiology on 4 2015. Authors: Brendan Silbert, MB, BS, FABZCA et al Background: This study investigated the prevalence of cognitive impairment in elderly noncardiac surgery patients and any association between preoperative cognitive impairment and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Additionally, the incidence of cognitive decline at 12 months after surgery was identified. Methods: Three hundred patients for […]
Read MorePublished in European Journal of Anaesthesiology Authors: Evansa, Irina et al BACKGROUND: Epidural steroid injections are routinely performed under fluoroscopic guidance, but could also be performed using preprocedure ultrasound spine examination. OBJECTIVES: To compare ultrasound-assisted and fluoroscopy-controlled epidural steroid injections with regard to technical feasibility (accuracy, average procedure time) and outcome (pain relief and degree […]
Read MoreReferrals for medical workups prior to low-risk surgeries such as cataract removal needlessly raise costs for Medicare and other payers, researchers find. Despite guidelines in 2002 that advised against precautionary testing of patients before cataract surgery, which is considered to be a safe, quick procedure, 53% were referred for low-benefit and costly tests days before […]
Read MoreI included this for being important for our recoverery room patients. Published in Ann Emerg Med 2015 Apr 65:356 Authors: Brainard A et al. Normal volunteers tolerated a flow rate of 15 L/minute but found it more uncomfortable than 6 L/minute. A new technique called “apneic oxygenation” is purported to prevent desaturation by delivering high-flow oxygen […]
Read MoreAuthors: Anna I. Hårdemark Cedborg, M.D., Ph.D. et al Background: Drugs used for sedation in anesthesia and intensive care may cause pharyngeal dysfunction and increased risk for aspiration. In this study, the authors investigate the impact of sedative doses of morphine and midazolam on pharyngeal function during swallowing and coordination of breathing and swallowing. Methods: Pharyngeal function, […]
Read MorePublished in J Am Coll Surg. 2015;220:12-17 Authors: Laurie Barclay, MD An effectively implemented standardized safe surgery program significantly reduced rates of serious reportable events (SREs), according to findings of a retrospective cohort study published online October 4, 2014, and in the January 2015 issue of theJournal of the American College of Surgeons. Risk for SREs is […]
Read MoreThis is for our pain providers. Published in BMC Public Health (2014;14:797). Children with parents who have chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) are at a higher risk for developing CMP, a new family-linkage study finds. According to researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, CMP is “among the leading causes of reduced quality […]
Read MoreFew pain specialists advise patients with low back pain to simply “take two aspirin and call me in the morning,” to borrow from a now-ancient phrase. Now research suggests that acetaminophen, a commonly used aspirin alternative for low back pain, may not be effective as well. A study published online in The Lancet (2014 Jul 23) found […]
Read MoreInjecting a newer long-acting numbing medicine called liposomal bupivacaine into the tissue surrounding the knee during knee replacement surgery may provide a faster recovery and higher patient satisfaction. While improvements in implantable devices and surgical technique has made knee replacement surgery highly effective, pain control after surgery remains a common but persistent side effect for […]
Read MoreThe FDA drafted new recommendations regarding the fill size for vials of injectable drugs and biologic products this summer, which prompted a response from the American Society of Anesthesiologists. In a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, ASA President Jane Fitch, MD, said the anesthesiology group “strongly supports the FDA’s recommendation that a drug product’s […]
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