Author: Laszlo Vutskits, M.D., Ph.D. Anesthesiology 4 2016, Vol.124, 758-760. ADVERSE experiences during the perinatal period are associated with altered pain sensitivity and long-term behavioral sequels, including significant emotional problems during childhood and major psychotic episodes, anxiety, depression, and suicides in adolescence or adulthood.1 Exposure to painful stimuli is one major cause of these harmful incidents, especially […]
Read MoreAuthors: Allan F. Simpao, M.D., M.B.I.; Jorge A. Gálvez, M.D. Anesthesiology 4 2016, Vol.124, 750-751. THE pulse oximeter has become a virtually indispensable monitor for measuring a patient’s peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (Spo2) accurately and reliably in a continuous, noninvasive fashion.1 Despite its ubiquitous use as a detector of hypoxemia, pulse oximetry has limited utility to herald an […]
Read MoreAnesthesiology 4 2016, Vol.124, 804-814. Authors: Kyle R. Kirkham, M.D. et al Background: Increasing attention has been focused on low-value healthcare services. Through Choosing Wisely campaigns, routine laboratory testing before low-risk surgery has been discouraged in the absence of clinical indications. The authors investigated rates, determinants, and institutional variation in laboratory testing before low-risk procedures. Methods: Patients who […]
Read MoreAnesthesiology 4 2016, Vol.124, 826-836. Authors: Alain Deschamps, Ph.D., M.D. et al Background: Cerebral oxygen desaturation during cardiac surgery has been associated with adverse perioperative outcomes. Before a large multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the impact of preventing desaturations on perioperative outcomes, the authors undertook a randomized prospective, parallel-arm, multicenter feasibility RCT to determine whether an […]
Read MoreAnesthesiology 4 2016, Vol.124, 899-907. Authors: Hannah Wunsch, M.D., M.Sc. et al Background: Use of intensive care after major surgical procedures and whether routinely admitting patients to intensive care units (ICUs) improve outcomes or increase costs is unknown. Methods: The authors examined frequency of admission to an ICU during the hospital stay for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing selected […]
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