Month: June 2016

Uncategorized Published - 28 June, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Anesthesia Exposure and Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Prospective Study

J Am Geriatr Soc. 2016;64(3):602-607. AUTHORS: Erin J. Aiello Bowles, MPH et al Objectives: To evaluate the associations between anesthesia and dementia or Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk using prospectively collected data. Design: Cohort study. Participants: Community-dwelling members of the Adult Changes in Thought cohort aged 65 and older and free of dementia at baseline (N = 3,988). Measurements: Participants self-reported […]

Read More
Uncategorized Published - 28 June, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
The Effect of Local Anesthetic Volume Within the Adductor Canal on Quadriceps Femoris Function Evaluated by Electromyography: A Randomized, Observer- and Subject-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study in Volunteers.

Anesthesia & Analgesia: May 2016 AUTHORS: Grevstad, Ulrik MD, PhD et al BACKGROUND: Single-injection adductor canal block (ACB) provides analgesia after knee surgery. Which nerves that are blocked by an ACB and what influence-if any-local anesthetic volume has on the effects remain undetermined. We hypothesized that effects on the nerve to the vastus medialis muscle […]

Read More
Uncategorized Published - 28 June, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Liposomal Bupivacaine After TKA Reduces Hospital Stay

Patients receiving liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel, Pacira) injection after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) spent less time in the hospital and were significantly less likely to need to go to a rehabilitation center after discharge, a recent study found. Patients given liposomal bupivacaine spent a half-day less in the hospital than those administered routine, opioid-based pain medications, […]

Read More
Uncategorized Published - 28 June, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
The Feasibility and Utility of Continuous Sleep Monitoring in Critically Ill Patients Using a Portable Electroencephalography Monitor

Anesthesia & Analgesia: July 2016 – Volume 123 – Issue 1 – p 206–212 AUTHORS: Vacas, Susana MD, PhD et al BACKGROUND: Sleep disruption in critically ill adults can result in acute decrements in cognitive function, including delirium, but it is underdiagnosed in the setting of the intensive care unit (ICU). Although sleep stages can […]

Read More
Uncategorized Published - 28 June, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Neuraxial Anesthesia in Parturients with Low Platelet Counts

Anesthesia & Analgesia: July 2016 – Volume 123 – Issue 1 – p 165–167 Authors: Bernstein, Jeffrey MD et al The obstetric anesthesiologist must consider the risk of spinal–epidural hematoma in patients with thrombocytopenia when choosing to provide neuraxial anesthesia. There are little data exploring this complication in the parturient. In this single-center retrospective study […]

Read More
Uncategorized Published - 27 June, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Social Security, Medicare Face Insolvency Over 20 Years, Trustees Report

I thought this was interesting so I wanted to share with our readers. New projections show that the programs will begin to spend more than they earn by the end of this decade. Medicare and Social Security will begin to spend more than they earn by the end of this decade, new projections showed Wednesday, […]

Read More
Uncategorized Published - 27 June, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
FDA Panel: Physician Opioid Training Should Be Mandatory

Physician training on the risks of prescription opioids should be mandatory and include information on immediate-release (IR) as well as extended-release (ER) and long-acting (LA) formulations, a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel concludes. At a 2-day joint meeting, the FDA’s Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee and its Anesthetic and Analgesic […]

Read More
Uncategorized Published - 27 June, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
In the United States, “Opt-Out” States Show No Increase in Access to Anesthesia Services for Medicare Beneficiaries Compared with Non–“Opt-Out” States

A&A Case Reports: 1 May 2016 – Volume 6 – Issue 9 – p 283–285 AUTHORS:  C. MD, PhD et al In the United States, anesthesia care can be provided by anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists. Since 2001, 17 states have exercised their right to “opt-out” of the federal requirement that a physician supervise the administration […]

Read More
Uncategorized Published - 27 June, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Nearly 1 in 3 on Medicare got commonly abused opioids

Nearly 12 million Medicare beneficiaries received at least one prescription for an opioid painkiller last year at a cost of $4.1 billion, according to a federal report that shows how common the addictive drugs are in many older Americans’ medicine cabinets. With an overdose epidemic worsening, nearly one-third of Medicare beneficiaries received at least one […]

Read More
Uncategorized Published - 27 June, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
To Improve Survival Rates, Think of Trauma Care as a System

Researchers call for combining the efforts of military and civilian trauma systems to “achieve zero preventable deaths” after traumatic injury and mass casualty events. Hospitals need to consider emergency medical teams as care providers, not just ambulance drivers, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences on the lessons for civilians from […]

Read More