Author: Josh Lumbley, MD, MBOE, FASA ASA Monitor December 2021, Vol. 85, 27. The past 18 months have placed seemingly unending physical and emotional strain upon physician anesthesiologists, CRNAs, and allied health care workers. As clinicians, we’ve seen care protocols for COVID patients evolve. We have repeatedly adapted our practice to the latest surge. In a […]
Read MoreAuthor: Richard Novak, MD THE ANESTHESIA CONSULTANT The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) just published a 2022 update on their ASA Difficult Airway Algorithm Guidelines. The 2022 document is a revision of the 2013 publication “Practice guidelines for management of the difficult airway: A report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Management of the Difficult Airway.” […]
Read MoreAuthors: Janet Adegboye, M.D. et al Anesthesiology November 2021. Background Erythrocyte transfusions are independently associated with acute kidney injury. Kidney injury may be consequent to the progressive hematologic changes that develop during storage. This study therefore tested the hypothesis that prolonged erythrocyte storage increases posttransfusion acute kidney injury. Methods The Informing Fresh versus Old Red Cell Management […]
Read MoreAuthors: Xu Zhao, M.D. et al Anesthesiology December 2021, Vol. 135, 1076–1090. Background Mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients remains high. Although randomized controlled trials must continue to definitively evaluate treatments, further hypothesis-generating efforts to identify candidate treatments are required. This study’s hypothesis was that certain treatments are associated with lower COVID-19 mortality. Methods This […]
Read MoreAuthors: James E. Baumgardner, M.D., Ph.D., M.D. et al Anesthesiology December 2021, Vol. 135, 1042–1054. Background Kinetics of the uptake of inhaled anesthetics have been well studied, but the kinetics of elimination might be of more practical importance. The objective of the authors’ study was to assess the effect of the overall ventilation/perfusion ratio (VA/Q), […]
Read MoreAuthoir: Natalya S. Hasan-Hill, MD ASA Monitor December 2021, Vol. 85, 24–25. In “Stumbling Into the Next Stage of Your Pandemic Life,” psychotherapist Lindsey Antin describes the complicated psychology of “returning” (asamonitor.pub/3lv1nYo). For some people, returning means coming out of quarantine and going back to their work or practice in person. That doesn’t apply to […]
Read MoreAuthors: Charles H. Brown, IV, M.D., M.H.S. et al Anesthesiology December 2021, Vol. 135, 992–1003. Background Reducing depth of anesthesia and anesthetic exposure may help prevent delirium, but trials have been conflicting. Most studies were conducted under general anesthesia or in cognitively impaired patients. It is unclear whether reducing depth of anesthesia beyond levels consistent […]
Read MoreAuthors: Forbes McGain, F.A.N.Z.C.A, F.C.I.C.M., Ph.D. et al Anesthesiology December 2021, Vol. 135, 976–99 Background Health care itself contributes to climate change. Anesthesia is a “carbon hotspot,” yet few data exist to compare anesthetic choices. The authors examined the carbon dioxide equivalent emissions associated with general anesthesia, spinal anesthesia, and combined (general and spinal anesthesia) […]
Read MoreAuthors: Thomas Poulard, M.Sc. et al Anesthesiology November 2021. Background The relationship between the diaphragm thickening fraction and the transdiaphragmatic pressure, the reference method to evaluate the diaphragm function, has not been clearly established. This study investigated the global and intraindividual relationship between the thickening fraction of the diaphragm and the transdiaphragmatic pressure. The authors […]
Read MoreAuthors: Eva Rivas, M.D. et al Anesthesiology November 2021. Background Early mobilization is incorporated into many enhanced recovery pathways. Inadequate analgesia or excessive opioids may restrict postoperative mobilization. The authors tested the hypotheses that in adults recovering from abdominal surgery, postoperative pain and opioid consumption are inversely related to postoperative mobilization, and that postoperative mobilization […]
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