Author: Dr Clemens

Uncategorized Published - 2 October, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Perineural Dexmedetomidine Is More Effective Than Clonidine When Added to Local Anesthetic for Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

AUTHORS: El-Boghdadly, Kariem MBBS, FRCA et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: June 2017 – Volume 124 – Issue 6 – p 2008–2020 BACKGROUND: Clonidine, an α-2 agonist, has long been used as a local anesthetic adjunct with proven efficacy to prolong peripheral nerve block duration. Dexmedetomidine, a newer α-2 agonist, has a more favorable pharmacodynamic and safety […]

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Uncategorized Published - 2 October, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Comparison of Postoperative Respiratory Monitoring by Acoustic and Transthoracic Impedance Technologies in Pediatric Patients at Risk of Respiratory Depression

AUTHORS: Patino, Mario MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: June 2017 – Volume 124 – Issue 6 – p 1937–1942 BACKGROUND: In children, postoperative respiratory rate (RR) monitoring by transthoracic impedance (TI), capnography, and manual counting has limitations. The rainbow acoustic monitor (RAM) measures continuous RR noninvasively by a different methodology. Our primary aim was to […]

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Uncategorized Published - 2 October, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Prophylactic Pentazocine Reduces the Incidence of Pruritus After Cesarean Delivery Under Spinal Anesthesia With Opioids: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial

AUTHORS: Hirabayashi, Masato MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: June 2017 – Volume 124 – Issue 6 – p 1930–1934 BACKGROUND: The incidence of pruritus after cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia with opioids is high, ranging from 50% to 100%. Pruritus is difficult to prevent; however, pentazocine has been shown to be an effective treatment. Despite […]

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Uncategorized Published - 2 October, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Massive Transfusion in Cardiac Surgery: The Impact of Blood Component Ratios on Clinical Outcomes and Survival

AUTHORS: Delaney, Meghan DO, MPH et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: June 2017 – Volume 124 – Issue 6 – p 1777–1782 BACKGROUND: Cardiac surgery is the most common setting for massive transfusion in medically advanced countries. Studies of massive transfusion after injury suggest that the ratios of administered plasma and platelets (PLT) to red blood cells […]

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Uncategorized Published - 2 October, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Haptoglobin Administration in Cardiovascular Surgery Patients: Its Association With the Risk of Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury

AUTHORS: Kubota, Kenta MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: June 2017 – Volume 124 – Issue 6 – p 1771–1776 BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) often occurs after cardiac surgery. During cardiac surgery, plasma free hemoglobin (fHb) would increase due to hemolysis. Since plasma fHb is thought to be nephrotoxic, haptoglobin, which is an fHb scavenger, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 29 September, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Perioperative Lidocaine Offers No Benefits in Patients Undergoing Spinal Fusion

Postoperative use of opioid analgesics increases the risk of respiratory depression, which can lead to brain damage or death. Perioperative lidocaine does not reduce morphine use in the first 24 hours after posterior spinal arthrodesis and offers no measurable benefits, according to a randomized placebo-controlled trial recently published in Pain.1 Postoperative use of opioid analgesics increases the risk […]

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Uncategorized Published - 29 September, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Epidural Neostigmine versusFentanyl to Decrease Bupivacaine Use in Patient-controlled Epidural Analgesia during Labor: A Randomized, Double-blind, Controlled Study

Authors: Jessica L. Booth, M.D. et al Anesthesiology 7 2017, Vol.127, 50-57. Background: The addition of opioids to epidural local anesthetic reduces local anesthetic consumption by 20% but at the expense of side effects and time spent for regulatory compliance paperwork. Epidural neostigmine also reduces local anesthetic use. The authors hypothesized that epidural bupivacaine with neostigmine would […]

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Uncategorized Published - 29 September, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Preoperative Low-Dose Aspirin Exposure and Outcomes After Emergency Neurosurgery for Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage in Elderly Patients

AUTHORS: Lee, Alex T. MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: August 2017 – Volume 125 – Issue 2 – p 514–520 BACKGROUND: Antiplatelet medications are usually discontinued before elective neurosurgery, but this is not an option for emergent neurosurgery. We performed a retrospective cohort study to examine whether preoperative aspirin use was associated with worse outcomes […]

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Uncategorized Published - 29 September, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
Chronic Pain Treatment Outcomes Influenced by Nonspecific Factors

Nonspecific factors include a patient’s spirituality, their trust in a provider’s power to influence treatment outcomes, as well as their expectations. Contextual or nonspecific factors may influence treatment outcomes in patients with chronic pain, according to a study presented at the American Pain Society’s 36th Annual Scientific Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.1 Nonspecific factors include a patient’s spirituality […]

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Uncategorized Published - 29 September, 2017    By - Dr Clemens
The best physicians are multidimensional

No, this is not a science fiction reference. Rather this represents, at least in my mind, the many skills necessary to become a superb clinician. I write this from the perspective of an internist, but I believe these skills are not specialty specific. 1. History taker. Most patient encounters start with taking a thorough history. […]

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