Author: Dr Clemens

Uncategorized Published - 26 August, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Study Reveals Hidden Costs of Reconciling Surgical Sponge Counts

The annualized cost of searching for missing sponges and ruling out the presence of a retained sponge using radiography was $218,328 at a Level 1 trauma center, according to results of a study presented at the 2015 Surgical Conference & Expo of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). Additionally, complications of a retained sponge […]

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Uncategorized Published - 26 August, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Trauma Surge Linked to Higher Mortality

A newly developed Trauma Surge Index (TSI) can help hospitals assess how periods of suddenly increased trauma patient volume, such as during mass shootings, public transit accidents, terrorist attacks, or similar catastrophic events, stretch hospital resources and affect trauma patient mortality. Trauma patients seen during high-surge periods were twice as likely to die as those […]

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Uncategorized Published - 26 August, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Ultrasound Assessment of Gastric Contents in the Perioperative Period

Why Is This Not Part of Our Daily Practice? Authors: D. Benhamou Br J Anaesth. 2015;114(4):545-548. In 1946, Mendelson[1] showed that pulmonary complications and death could arise in pregnant women because of aspiration of gastric contents. Since then, prevention of aspiration of gastric contents has contributed significantly to a decrease in maternal deaths. Aspiration of gastric contents […]

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Uncategorized Published - 26 August, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Synovial Cyst Rupture Provides Long-Term Pain Relief, Effective Alternative to Surgery

Painful Z-joint synovial cysts can be successfully treated by percutaneous fluoroscopic synovial cyst rupture, helping some 80% of patients avoid surgery, according to study findings reported at the American Society of Anesthesiologists 2014 annual meeting (abstract 1045). Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine/MetroHealth Medical Center, in Cleveland, conducted a synovial cyst rupture […]

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Uncategorized Published - 26 August, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Communication Lacking in Chronic Migraine Encounters

Neurologists frequently fail to ask patients with chronic migraine the right questions, new research suggests. Findings from an analysis of audio-recorded neurologist-patient encounters were presented at the recent American Headache Society (AHS) 57th Annual Scientific Meeting by Richard B. Lipton, MD, director of Montefiore Headache Center and vice chair of neurology, and the Edwin S. […]

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Uncategorized Published - 25 August, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
FDA Strengthens Warning That NSAIDs Can Cause MIs or Strokes

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is strengthening an existing label warning that non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increase the chance of a myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke. Based a comprehensive review of new safety information, the FDA is requiring updates to the drug labels of all prescription NSAIDs. As is the case with […]

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Uncategorized Published - 25 August, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
High-Pressure Oxygen Can Effectively Treat Fibromyalgia

A study published in PLoS ONE has found that women with fibromyalgia were able to drastically reduce, or even eliminate, their use of pain medication following hyperbaric oxygen treatment. The study authors believe they have also identified the primary factor causing fibromyalgia: the disruption of the brain mechanism for processing pain. “As a physician, the […]

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Uncategorized Published - 25 August, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Video Distraction and Parental Presence for the Management of Preoperative Anxiety and Postoperative Behavioral Disturbance in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Anesthesia & Analgesia: Sept 2015-Volume 121-Issue 3-p778-784 Authors: Kim, Hyuckgoo MD et al BACKGROUND: The anxiolytic efficacy of video watching, in the absence of parents, during the mask induction of anesthesia in young children with high separation anxiety has not been clearly established. We performed this study to determine whether the effect of video distraction […]

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Uncategorized Published - 25 August, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Intraoperative Local Anesthetic Shows No Benefit for Chronic Postoperative Hernia Pain

Pain is one of the most common complaints after inguinal hernia repair, but the incidence of chronic pain can vary significantly from study to study. Estimates of chronic pain after open mesh and laparoscopic repairs tend to fall between 4% and 30% (Surg Endosc 2010;24:1707-1711; Ann Surg 2006;244:212-219), but some trials report values of greater than 50% (Br […]

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Uncategorized Published - 25 August, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Heads Up: Higher Sniffing Position Best for View

Head elevation before direct laryngoscopy may substantially increase the likelihood of obtaining a better laryngeal view, making it the ideal starting point when difficult visualization is expected, research has shown. A research team led by Mohammad El-Orbany, MD, professor of anesthesiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, studied the effects of head elevation […]

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