Author: Dr Clemens

Uncategorized Published - 13 February, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Ketamine peritonsillar infiltration during tonsillectomy in pediatric patients: An updated meta-analysis

Published in International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology 78 (10), 1735-41 (Oct 2014) Authors: Tong Y, Ding X, Wang X, Ren H, Chen Z, Li Q OBJECTIVES Peri-operative ketamine peritonsillar infiltration in children can reduce the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), but its postoperative analgesic time is short. A previous meta-analysis in 2011 was […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 February, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Emergency Physicians Aren’t to Blame for Opioid Abuse

I thought this was interesting so I wanted to share it with our followers who treat chronic pain. Emergency departments generate fewer prescriptions for opioid analgesics and are less likely to prescribe high doses for relief of noncancer pain than office-based practices, a new study has found.”While we are sensitive to the need to develop […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 February, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
PTSD Common in Patients With Intraoperative Awareness

Events during surgery, especially intraoperative awareness, can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), investigators report. Healthcare-associated PTSD can also be triggered by a stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), the use of mechanical ventilation, and cardiac arrest, said Elizabeth Whitlock MD, from the University of California, San Francisco. However, “other than awareness, risk factors […]

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Uncategorized Published - 12 February, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
10 key standards to grow patient satisfaction

There are at least 30 ways to grow patient satisfaction at your healthcare facility, but 10 key service standards should do the trick. Increasing patient satisfaction is challenging, but necessary to the success of a medical practice in an increasingly competitive healthcare marketplace. Identify low patient satisfaction scores and work as a team to design, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 12 February, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
After PCI, Aspirin Before Noncardiac Surgery Irrelevant

In patients undergoing noncardiac surgery after previous percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and stent implantation, the use of aspirin is unrelated to the occurrence of a major cardiac adverse event, a new study shows. Canadian investigators evaluated whether antiplatelet therapy decreases the incidence of cardiac adverse events in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, and found the use […]

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Uncategorized Published - 12 February, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Challenges in the Perioperative Management of the Patient Receiving Extended-Release Naltrexone

Published in A&A Case Reports: 1 December 2014 – Volume 3 – Issue 11 – p 142–144 Authors: Curatolo, Christopher MD, MEM; Trinh, Muoi MD, MPH Patients receiving extended-release (XR) naltrexone who are having surgery present unique challenges to anesthesia providers, the most obvious of which is an altered response to the effects of opioid […]

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Uncategorized Published - 12 February, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Is It Risky to Give Etomidate to Septic Patients?

Etomidate is a hypnotic agent used for the induction of general anesthesia and is commonly used for rapid sequence intubation (RSI). Medications used in RSI can contribute to hypotension after intubation, which has been shown to be associated with increases in mortality. Although it has been reported that etomidate is associated with hemodynamic stability after […]

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Uncategorized Published - 12 February, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Delirium After Cardiac Surgery Predicts Cognitive Decline

Postoperative delirium might be associated with cognitive decline 4 to 6 weeks after cardiac surgery, a rigorous analysis has shown. “The prevention of postoperative delirium may be a strategy for avoiding cognitive decline,” said lead investigator Charles Brown, MD, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Dr Brown pointed out that delirium […]

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Uncategorized Published - 11 February, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Neuropathic Pain Therapy: Evidence-Based Recommendations

Published in Lancet Neurol 2015 Feb 14:162 Authors: Finnerup NB et al. Results of a meta-analysis and systematic review Neuropathic pain is a serious chronic condition affecting quality of life that can be relieved but not cured. The estimated prevalence is at least 1% to 5% of the general population (Pain Pract 2014; 14:283). Neuropathic pain results […]

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Uncategorized Published - 11 February, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
High Rates of Opioid Prescriptions Among Women Raise Birth Defect Fears

Opioids like OxyContin pills are the single largest cause of overdose fatalities in the nation. The federal health authorities reported that nearly one-third of women of reproductive age had had an opioid painkiller prescription filled every year from 2008 to 2012. Experts said the practice carried considerable risks for birth defects. The Centers for Disease […]

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