Pregabalin (Lyrica) is not effective in controlling the chronic pain that sometimes develops following traumatic nerve injury, according to a study published in the Journal of Neurology. The results of the international study, which was driven by an effort to identify effective non-opioid pain medications, did show potential in relieving in pain that sometimes lingers after […]
Read MoreTwo separate studies on Monday report successes with epidural electrical stimulation in helping paralyzed patients regain the ability to walk. As reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers enrolled four patients who experienced spinal cord injuries roughly 3 years earlier. The patients had no motor abilities below the level of their injuries; two of […]
Read MoreAn estimated 80,000 Americans died of flu and its complications last winter — the disease’s highest death toll in at least four decades. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield, revealed the total in an interview Tuesday night with The Associated Press. Flu experts knew it was a very […]
Read MoreAuthors: Sérgio M. Pereira, M.D. et al Anesthesiology published September 2018. What We Already Know about This Topic: In patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome, physiologic tidal volume and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) are protective In patients without lung diseases undergoing mechanical ventilation under general anesthesia, optimal PEEP is unknown What This Article Tells Us That […]
Read MoreAntibiotic therapy alone appears to be feasible for the initial treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis in adults, according to longer-term follow-up from the APPAC trial, published in JAMA. Roughly 530 adults with uncomplicated acute appendicitis confirmed on computed tomography were randomized to appendectomy or antibiotics. The latter entailed intravenous ertapenem for 3 days, followed by oral levofloxacin […]
Read MoreAuthor: Ingrid Stiver Senior Manager, PwC Health Research Institute, PwC US August 29, 2018 PwC’s Health Research Institute (HRI) projects a 6 percent medical cost trend in 2019, consistent with the 5.5-7 percent range of the previous five years. But employers continue to struggle to contain their employee coverage costs. Medical costs continue to grow, yet the […]
Read MoreAuthors: Feras Hatib, Ph.D. et al Anesthesiology 10 2018, Vol.129, 663-674. What We Already Know about This Topic: The ability to predict intraoperative hypotension may advance the ability to prevent hypotension-associated complications effectively The extent to which advanced waveform analysis of invasive arterial lines may provide meaningful forewarning remains unknown What This Article Tells Us That […]
Read MoreAuthors: Daniel I. McIsaac, M.D., M.P.H., F.R.C.P.C. Anesthesiology published September 2018. What We Already Know about This Topic: Neuraxial anesthesia use for hip fracture surgery has wide variation in use across hospitals, and hospitals using it for less than 25% of patients may have increased 30-day mortality The proportion of the variation in use attributable to […]
Read MoreAuthors: Naveed Liquidize, M.D., M.Sc. et al Anesthesiology published September 2018. What We Already Know about This Topic: Accurate identification of the cricothyroid membrane is key for success of emergency cricothyrotomy Ultrasound has been reported to identify the cricothyroid membrane more accurately than external palpation in patients with normal neck anatomy What This Article Tells Us […]
Read MoreAuthors: Philippe Biboulet, M.D. et al Anesthesiology 10 2018, Vol.129, 710-720. Editor’s Perspective: What We Already Know about This Topic: Epoetin-α is often given to patients scheduled for major orthopedic surgery It remains unknown whether it is best to accompany epoetin-α with oral or intravenous iron What This Article Tells Us That Is New: Hemoglobin level […]
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