Although patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who present for surgery are often instructed to stop certain medications preoperatively, a study from New York University Langone Medical Center has concluded that such cessation may be largely unnecessary. The researchers found that five common agents—angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, diuretics, statins, insulin and calcium channel […]
Read MoreEur J Anaesthesiol 2015 Sep 32(9): 602-8 Authors: Fassoulaki A MD et al Background: Propofol alone or combined with opioids is considered the drug of choice for sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of pre or intraprocedural opioids on propofol requirement during deep sedation for ERCP, and on recovery, pain […]
Read MorePatients with spinal stenosis (SS) experienced good short-term benefit, lasting from weeks to months, after receiving epidural steroid injections (ESI), according to a study published in the journal Pain Medicine. The study findings contradict a previously published study, published in 2014 in the New England Journal Medicine (NEJM), which found epidural steroid injections were not […]
Read MoreAuthors: Birnbach D MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia (Jul 2015) BACKGROUND Anesthesiologists may contribute to postoperative infections by means of the transmission of blood and pathogens to the patient and the environment in the operating room (OR). Our primary aims were to determine whether contamination of the IV hub, the anesthesia work area, and […]
Read MoreAuthors: Mathew J MD et al Published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 8 CD007082 (Aug 2015) BACKGROUND The laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is a safe and effective modality to maintain the airway for general anaesthesia during surgical procedures. The LMA is removed at the end of surgery and anaesthesia, when the patient maintains an […]
Read MoreEur Spine J 2015 Sep 1. Authors: Kim SI MD et al PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of a novel preemptive multimodal analgesic regimen for reducing postoperative pain and complications after primary lumbar fusion surgery. Preemptive multimodal analgesia is revealed to be an effective alternative to conventional morphine administration providing improved postoperative pain control with diminished side […]
Read MoreAnesthesia & Analgesia: Nov 2015 Vol 121 Issue 5 p 1165-1175 Authors: Estrup Olesen, Anne PhD et al BACKGROUND: The analgesic effect of opioids is often based on subjective one dimensional measurements. Electroencephalography (EEG) offers a possibility to objectively quantify the brain’s activity before and after the administration of opioids. The aim of this study […]
Read MoreAuthors: Olivind Jans, MD, PhD et al Anesthesiology 12 2015, Vol.123, 1292-1300. Background: Early postoperative mobilization is essential for rapid recovery but may be impaired by orthostatic intolerance (OI) and orthostatic hypotension (OH), which are highly prevalent after major surgery. Pathogenic mechanisms include an insufficient postoperative vasopressor response. The oral α-1 agonist midodrine hydrochloride increases vascular resistance, and […]
Read MoreAuthors: Michael R. King, et al Anesthesiology published on 11 2015 Background: N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists have been shown to reduce perioperative pain and opioid use. The authors performed a meta-analysis to determine whether the use of perioperative dextromethorphan lowers opioid consumption or pain scores. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of […]
Read MoreAuthors: Miklos D. Kertai, MD, PhD et al Anesthesiology published on 11 2015 Background: Cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with platelet activation. Because platelets are increasingly recognized as important effectors of ischemia and end-organ inflammatory injury, the authors explored whether postoperative nadir platelet counts are associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality after coronary artery […]
Read More