C-MAC video laryngoscope (KARL STORZ) use does not improve the success rate of first-attempt rapid sequence intubation compared with direct laryngoscopy, but visualization of the vocal cords is improved, new research suggests. Video laryngoscopes were introduced into clinical practice to help visualize the airway and increase the success rate of airway management, according to researchers […]
Read MoreIf you think 140 characters aren’t enough to get your brain churning, a study from Toronto might convince you otherwise. Researchers have found that anesthesiology-related higher-order thinking is, indeed, possible on Twitter. They noted, however, that more studies are needed to determine how these electronic interactions affect patient care. “We all know that social media […]
Read MoreWhat place do case reports have in the anesthesia literature? According to research, their impact is significant, being regularly cited in review articles and even clinical guidelines. Even so, the quality of such reports needs improvement, and their worth can be gauged by implementation of the Case Report (CARE) guidelines (www.care-statement.org). “Case reports have always […]
Read MorePreloading alkalinized lidocaine in the endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff significantly decreases emergence cough after general anesthesia in surgeries lasting less than an hour. The investigators also found an inverse relationship between opioid dose and the incidence of coughing. “In the early 2000s, European studies showed that alkalinized lidocaine would diffuse out of the endotracheal tube […]
Read MoreThe classic belief that hospital alarms should be loud might be a mistake, a new study suggests. The overabundance and high volume of hospital alarms can have deleterious effects on patients and providers, impairing clinician performance and possibly compromising patient safety (Crit Care 2009;13:208; Anesth Analg 2014;118:1249-1253). “They’re already an annoying sound,” said Joseph J. Schlesinger, MD, study […]
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