Author: Dr Clemens

Uncategorized Published - 12 November, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Induced Hypothermia Can Worsen Outcomes After Traumatic Brain Injury

Authors: Andrews PJD et al., N Engl J Med 2015 Oct 7; A multicenter randomized trial was stopped early because hypothermia worsened outcomes when used as second-line therapy for elevated intracranial pressure. Induced hypothermia has become popular for treating cerebral edema from traumatic brain injury (TBI), but we do not know the effect on long-term […]

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Uncategorized Published - 12 November, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Problems with Automated Anesthesia Machine Checkout

Dear Q&A, We write to describe an instance of anesthesia machine ventilator failure during provision of anesthesia. The case in point was an emergency vascular operation for a pulseless lower extremity. In preparation for the case, the anesthesia machine checkout was performed on the Dräger GS Premium. All tests confirmed that the anesthesia machine was […]

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Uncategorized Published - 12 November, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Medical Air Supply Causes Rapid Inflow of Water Into Flow Meters

Dear Q&A, We were using oxygen and air with sevoflurane for a case in the cystoscopy suite. During the maintenance phase of the case, we found what we assumed to be water inside the air flowmeter, with its float rising and dropping rapidly and the liquid spilling into the next flowmeter (nitrous oxide). We promptly […]

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Uncategorized Published - 12 November, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Anesthetic Drugs May Interact With Medications Used for Parkinson’s Disease

By Lorri A. Lee, MD, and Tricia A. Meyer, PharmD, MS, FASHP An estimated one million people in the United States have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) making it one of the most common neurological disorders in patients. This number is estimated to double in the next 30 years as PD is associated with […]

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Uncategorized Published - 11 November, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
The Neostigmine Shortage: A Clinical Conundrum with Few Drug Alternatives

By Steven Greenberg, MD, FCCP et al Nationwide drug shortages affect anesthesia professionals every day.1 In 2012, a survey generated by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and accessible on the ASA website, suggested that 97.6% of anesthesiologists experienced a drug shortage in their practices. There have been several documented reasons for drug shortages, which include […]

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Uncategorized Published - 11 November, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Measuring Glucose with Point-of-Care Meters: Be Careful!

By Mark J. Rice, MD, and Douglas B. Coursin, MD Anesthesia care providers rely heavily on monitors and diagnostic devices for the safe passage of our patients. We believe that the technology we use in our practice has not only been thoroughly vetted by monitor and device manufacturers and the FDA, but also by academic […]

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Uncategorized Published - 11 November, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Naproxen Alone Wins for Relieving Lower Back Pain

This is for our providers who treat back pain. Opioids, when combined with naproxen, are not more effective than naproxen alone for the majority of patients with acute, nontraumatic, nonradicular low back pain. Pain, functional impairment, and use of healthcare resources were similar among treatment groups at 7 days or 3 months, and almost two-thirds […]

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Uncategorized Published - 11 November, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
“Extreme” Remote Locations Raise Unique Safety Concerns

By Charles E. Cowles, MD, MBA et al As medical technology advances, so does the complexity of the environment for anesthesia care. Many specialty care centers are utilizing hybrid combinations of MRI, radiation, and lasers in operating suites and other patient care areas. Some of these new treatment and diagnostic modalities pose hazards to the […]

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Uncategorized Published - 11 November, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Anesthesia Patient Safety: Practices to Ensure Adequate Venous Access and Safe Drug Administration During Transfer to the Operating Room for Emergency Cesarean Delivery

By Rachel M. Kacmar, MD, and Jill M. Mhyre, MD On behalf of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) Patient Safety Committee Patient transfer  to the operating room for emergency cesarean delivery is a high risk epoch for serious     medication error or venous access complication, based on a series of patient safety […]

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Uncategorized Published - 10 November, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Post-op Complications in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Unaffected by Continuing Common Medications

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 […]

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