Month: February 2017

Uncategorized Published - 14 February, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
A Case Report From the Anesthesia Incident Reporting System

ASA Monitor 02 2017, Vol.81, 42-43. Review of unusual patient care experiences is a cornerstone of medical education. Each month, the AQI-AIRS Steering Committee abstracts a patient history submitted to the Anesthesia Incident Reporting System (AIRS) and authors a discussion of the safety and human factors challenges involved. Real-life case histories often include multiple clinical decisions, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 14 February, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Communication Failures in Medical Malpractice – Lessons Learned From the CRICO Strategies’ Comparative Benchmarking System

Authors: Mazen Maktabi, M.B.B.Ch.; Gretchen Ruoff, M.P.H., CPHRM ASA Monitor 02 2017, Vol.81, 20-22. Clear communication of clinical information is an essential component of delivering safe and effective medical care, whether in emergency departments, critical care areas, operating rooms or patient wards. Inadequate communication of information is a major contributor to preventable medical errors.   The average 500-bed heath care […]

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Uncategorized Published - 14 February, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Propofol Might Be Better than Midazolam for Emergency Department Procedural Sedation

Authors: Lameijer H et al., Am J Emerg Med 2017 Jan 3; In a retrospective cohort study, propofol was more effective than midazolam and just as safe. Propofol and midazolam are each commonly used for procedural sedation in the emergency department (ED). To compare their efficacy and safety, investigators reviewed a convenience sample of procedural sedations performed […]

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Uncategorized Published - 14 February, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
A Pilot Study Investigating a Promising Approach for the Management of Chronic Low Back Pain

Authors: Tania Gardner, BAppSc et al Spine. 2016;41(18):1405-1413. Study Design. A prospective, single-arm, pre-postintervention study. Objective. The aim of this study was to test the preliminary effectiveness of a patient-led goal-setting intervention on improving disability and pain in chronic low back pain. Summary of Background Data. An effective intervention for the treatment of chronic low back pain remains elusive […]

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Uncategorized Published - 14 February, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Challenges of Treating Young Patients With a Terminal Prognosis

Interview with Abby R. Rosenberg, MD, MS Matters concerning negative prognosis, transitioning into hospice care, end-of-life (EoL) scenarios, and other related topics can be very hard to discuss with patients and their family members. Having to conduct these sensitive conversations with pediatric patients presents even more challenges, considering certain ethical and emotional precautions must be […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 February, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Professional Liability Trends in 2016: Things Are Stable, But Changes May Be Lurking

Authors: Christopher M. Burkle, M.D., J.D. ASA Monitor 02 2017, Vol.81, 12-14. Each year, the ASA Committee on Professional Liability provides a report on changing trends in malpractice insurance premiums and characteristics impacting physician anesthesiologists. The Anesthesia Closed Claims Project conducted a survey of malpractice insurers from May-July 2016 on behalf of the committee. Twenty-eight medical […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 February, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Anti-Muscarinic Drugs May Reverse Peripheral Neuropathy

By blocking muscarinic receptors, some drugs already on the market could be used to prevent, or even reverse, the process of nerve degeneration common in axonopathic diseases, including diabetes. Interview with Paul Fernyhough, PhD For years, the conventional wisdom was to treat patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy but there was no possibility of a cure. […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 February, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Opioid Overdoses Deaths Higher in Rural Than Urban Areas

A new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports preventable deaths due to opioids are far higher in rural counties compared to urban counties, and now significantly outweigh the overall national death rate. Interview with Mark Faul, PhD, MA Excess death rates from unintentional opioid overdose remain considerably higher in […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 February, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
CDC Guidelines and Potential Conflict of Interest

According to a new report, most criticisms of the CDC’s guidelines for opioid management of chronic noncancer pain did not include disclosures of any potential conflicts of interests with opioid manufacturers. Interviews with Caleb Alexander, MD, and Daniel B. Carr, MD In March of last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 February, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Cardiac Calcium Release Channel (Ryanodine Receptor 2) Regulation by Halogenated Anesthetics

Authors: Derek R. Laver, Ph.D. et al Anesthesiology 3 2017, Vol.126, 495-506. Background: Halogenated anesthetics activate cardiac ryanodine receptor 2–mediated sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release, leading to sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ depletion, reduced cardiac function, and providing cell protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Anesthetic activation of ryanodine receptor 2 is poorly defined, leaving aspects of the protective mechanism uncertain. Methods: Ryanodine receptor 2 […]

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