Anesthesia & Analgesia: September 2016 – Volume 123 – Issue 3 – p 641–649 AUTHORS: Goldhaber-Fiebert et al BACKGROUND: Emergency manuals (EMs), context-relevant sets of cognitive aids or crisis checklists, have been used in high-hazard industries for decades, although this is a nascent field in health care. In the fall of 2012, Stanford clinically implemented […]
Read MoreDiabetes has been found to be an independent predictor of several postoperative complications, including superficial surgical site infections (SSIs), sepsis and 30-day readmission, in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. According to the researchers, further investigation of the results may aid surgical planning and prevention of these adverse outcomes. “Diabetic patients are […]
Read MoreOne of the most frustrating aspects of treating complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is its variable nature, challenging practitioners to find a regimen that will provide enough analgesia to allow patients to resume normal activities. A case report presented here described the first-ever reported placement of an ultrasound-guided continuous superficial radial nerve block for the […]
Read MoreAnesthesia & Analgesia: August 2, 2016 AUTHORS: drew C. PharmD, BCPS et al BACKGROUND: Recent attention to adverse effects of intensive care unit (ICU) sedation has led to the use of strategies that target a “lighter” depth of sedation. Among these strategies are “analgosedation” protocols, which prioritize pain management and preferentially use IV opioids before […]
Read MoreDebra Beaulieu, October 6, 2016 A shift away from the “cowboy culture” of medicine is underway, but there’s still work to do in preparing clinicians to behave appropriately when things go wrong. A retired surgeon recently confessed in a newspaper column that he perjured himself to protect a colleague during a medical malpractice trial nearly two […]
Read MoreInability to manage negative emotional and somatic stress is associated with opioid misuse in adults with chronic pain, according to a study published in the Journal of Pain. Previous research suggests those with chronic pain who misuse their opioids exhibit higher levels of distress in general, as well as heightened reactivity to that distress. Kathryn McHugh, […]
Read MoreAuthors: Hernández-Hernández M et al Reumatología Clinica (Jun 2016) OBJECTIVES Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting diarthrodial joints, in which patients tend to perform less physical activity (PA) than recommended. This review focuses on the existing evidence about the relationship of PA and RA, specifically how the former influences joint inflammation, […]
Read MoreAuthors: Cook T et al British Journal of Anaesthesia (BJA) 117 (2), 182-90 (Aug 2016) BACKGROUND The 4th National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists’ and Difficult Airway Society (NAP4) made recommendations to improve reliability and safety of airway management in hospitals. This survey examines its impact. METHODS A survey was sent to […]
Read MoreRespiratory depression occurs more often and is more severe in patients undergoing gastroenterologist-led colonoscopy than in those attended by an anesthesiologist during gastrointestinal endoscopy, according to a new study. Routine monitoring of tidal volumes and minute ventilation may help prevent respiratory depression in future cases, the researchers found. Monitoring respiratory function during sedation for GI […]
Read MoreUse of neuraxial anesthesia decreases the development of surgical site infections compared with general anesthesia after total joint arthroplasty, a meta-analysis has found. These findings may help support the use of neuraxial techniques in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways. “There are some smaller, observational studies suggesting that if you use spinal or epidural analgesia, […]
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