Author: Dr Clemens

Uncategorized Published - 31 December, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
The Effect of Epidural Steroid Injection on Postoperative Outcome in Patients From the Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Outcome Study

Authors. Tamas Fekete, MD et Study Design. Retrospective analysis of data from patients participating in the Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Outcome Study (LSOS). Objective. The aim of LSOS was to assess clinical outcomes after surgical or nonoperative treatment in patients with and without prior epidural steroid injections. Summary of Background Data. Epidural steroid injections (ESI), a common treatment modality, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 31 December, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Does a Single Dose of Intravenous Dexamethasone Reduce Symptoms in Emergency Department Patients With Low Back Pain and RAdiculopathy (SEBRA)?

A Double-Blind Randomised Controlled Trial Authors: Ravichandra Balakrishnamoorthy et al Emerg Med J. 2015;32(7):525-530. Objective To assess the effect of a single dose of intravenous dexamethasone in addition to routine treatment on visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at 24 h in emergency department (ED) patients with low back pain with radiculopathy (LBPR). Methods Double-blind randomised controlled trial […]

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Uncategorized Published - 30 December, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
An Analysis of Near Misses Identified by Anesthesia Providers in the Intensive Care Unit

Authors: Angela K.M. Lipshutz et al BMC Anesthesiol. 2015;15(93) Background: Learning from adverse events and near misses may reduce the incidence of preventable errors. Current literature on adverse events and near misses in the ICU focuses on errors reported by nurses and intensivists. ICU near misses identified by anesthesia providers may reveal critical events, causal mechanisms and […]

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Uncategorized Published - 30 December, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Perioperative Lung Protective Ventilation in Obese Patients

Authors: Ana Fernandez-Bustamante et al BMC Anesthesiol. 2015;15(56) Abstract The perioperative use and relevance of protective ventilation in surgical patients is being increasingly recognized. Obesity poses particular challenges to adequate mechanical ventilation in addition to surgical constraints, primarily by restricted lung mechanics due to excessive adiposity, frequent respiratory comorbidities (i.e. sleep apnea, asthma), and concerns of […]

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Uncategorized Published - 30 December, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
An Anatomical Study of Lumbar Epidural Catheterization

Authors: Huanwei Jiang et al BMC Anesthesiol. 2015;15(94) Background: We herein provide an analysis of lumbar epidural catheterization, which outlines a detailed anatomical description of the epidural anatomy, and may improve the success rate of neuraxial cannulation. Methods: Lumbar epidural catheters were placed in 50 adult embalmed cadavers. After catheterization, the lumbar dura and connecting structures between the […]

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Uncategorized Published - 30 December, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Greater Use of Opioids During Cancer Treatment Can Reduce Survival

High opioid exposure is a prognostic factor for shorter overall survival, according to a study presented here at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium. The study involved patients with stage IV non-hematologic malignancies. For these and other patients with advanced cancer, pain is a challenging problem. “Opioids are […]

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Uncategorized Published - 30 December, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Tramadol Effective for Pain, Does Not Affect Diagnosis in Suspected Appendicitis

The opioid tramadol is an effective analgesic for patients with clinically suspected acute appendicitis, according to the results of a prospective study presented at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). “Tramadol…can provide significant reduction in abdominal pain and tenderness without altering the diagnostic confidence of the surgeon…in patients with suspected […]

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Uncategorized Published - 29 December, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Length of postanesthetic care unit stay in elderly patients after general anesthesia: a randomized controlled trial comparing desflurane and sevoflurane

J Clin Anesth, 2015 Sep 28. Authors: Pakpirom J et al OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the length of postanesthetic care unit (PACU) stay and recovery profiles of elderly patients after general anesthesia between sevoflurane and desflurane. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Tertiary care hospital, university hospital. PATIENTS: Eighty elderly patients […]

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Uncategorized Published - 29 December, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Single dose oral analgesics for acute postoperative pain in adults – an overview of Cochrane reviews

Authors: Moore RA et al BACKGROUND: This is an updated version of the original Cochrane overview published in Issue 9, 2011. That overview considered both efficacy and adverse events, but adverse events are now dealt with in a separate overview.Thirty-nine Cochrane reviews of randomised trials have examined the analgesic efficacy of individual drug interventions in […]

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Uncategorized Published - 29 December, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
A comparison of ultrasound alone vs ultrasound with nerve stimulation guidance for continuous femoral nerve block in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty

J Clin Anesth, 2015 Sep 28. Authors: Kim HY et al STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare analgesic efficacy of ultrasound (US) guidance alone and US guidance combined with nerve stimulation (NS) for continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB) in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). DESIGN: Prospective, randomized double-blind trial. SETTING: Postanesthesia care unit and general ward. PATIENTS: Fifty […]

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