Author: Dr. Clemens

Uncategorized Published - 25 July, 2014    By - Dr. Clemens
The effect of intra-operative passive movement therapy on non-surgical site pain after breast reconstructive surgery: a preliminary study

Published in Anaesthesia. 2014 Aug;69(8):872-7. doi: 10.1111/anae.12729 Authors: Bidd H et al Abstract Pain distant to an operative site is under-reported but sometimes more severe than pain from the surgical site. Intra-operative passive movement could possibly reduce this pain. This preliminary study was designed to assess the practicalities of conducting a randomised controlled trial of […]

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Uncategorized Published - 25 July, 2014    By - Dr. Clemens
A comparison of total intravenous anaesthesia using propofol with sevoflurane or desflurane in ambulatory surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis

Published in Anaesthesia. 2014 May 22. doi: 10.1111 Authors: Kumar G et al Abstract With the popularity of ambulatory surgery ever increasing, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether the type of anaesthesia used had any bearing on patient outcomes. Total intravenous propofol anaesthesia was compared with two of the newer […]

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Uncategorized Published - 25 July, 2014    By - Dr. Clemens
Ropivacaine in ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block: what is the minimal effective anaesthetic concentration (EC90)?

Authors: Taha AM et al Abstract The objective of this study was to estimate the minimal effective anaesthetic concentrations of ropivacaine required to block the femoral nerve in 90% of patients. Forty-five patients who had knee surgery received ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block using 15 ml ropivacaine. The ropivacaine concentration given to a patient relied on […]

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Uncategorized Published - 23 July, 2014    By - Dr. Clemens
Does Eye Color Predict Response to Pain?

The color of a person’s eyes may predict how that person responds to pain. “There may be certain phenotypes that predict or indicate a person’s response to pain stimuli or drug treatment for pain,” Inna Belfer, MD, PhD, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania said. “Human pain is correlated with multiple […]

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Uncategorized Published - 23 July, 2014    By - Dr. Clemens
Naloxegol Shows Promise for Treating Opioid-Induced Constipation

The results of 2 phase 3 studies of naloxegol, an investigational treatment for opioid-induced constipation (OIC), showed that the investigational drug safely increased bowel movements among patients suffering from constipation due to opioid use. The findings were published first in the New England Journal of Medicine. “The studies showed rapid and sustained improvement for these […]

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Uncategorized Published - 23 July, 2014    By - Dr. Clemens
Transitioning to Bundled Payments

Taking a more strategic approach to payer relationships may be the key to surviving new reimbursements models. As the healthcare industry moves away from fee-for-service reimbursements toward a bundled payment model that holds providers financially accountable for an entire episode of care, hospitals and health systems need strategies for maintaining cash flow and economic viability […]

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Uncategorized Published - 23 July, 2014    By - Dr. Clemens
Children Exposed to Second-Hand Smoke Have High Rates of Complications After Tonsillectomy

I thought this was interesting to read so I wanted to share it with our followers. A study presented at this year’s Euroanaesthesia meeting shows that children exposed to indoor coal-burning stoves and/or second-hand tobacco smoke are much more likely to suffer postoperative complications and excessive pain after tonsillectomies. Almost half of the world’s population […]

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Uncategorized Published - 23 July, 2014    By - Dr. Clemens
Reduce Costs With Selective Pre-Op Testing

Routine preanesthetic tests cost more than $60 billion every year, but far fewer than 1% reveal pertinent abnormalities relating to the anesthetic or the surgery, according to a 1989 study published in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia (1989;36:S13-S19). For that reason, national guidelines recommend minimizing preoperative testing in low-risk, stable patients undergoing non-emergent surgery. The […]

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Uncategorized Published - 23 July, 2014    By - Dr. Clemens
10 things employees are dying to hear their managers say

Employees crave more than just a paycheck from work. They want to go home feeling valued and respected for the job they do. Only about a third of employees these days say they are “engaged” in their jobs. But in the midst of everyday chaos, it’s hard for managers to think about big-picture issues like […]

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Uncategorized Published - 23 July, 2014    By - Dr. Clemens
Efficacy and safety of sublingual fentanyl orally disintegrating tablet at doses determined by titration for the treatment of breakthrough pain

Published in Int J Clin Oncol. 2014 May Authors: Shimoyama N et al BACKGROUND: Breakthrough cancer pain typically has a rapid onset and relatively short duration. Due to this temporal profile, it may not be adequately relieved by oral opioid analgesics. The sublingual fentanyl orally disintegrating tablet is a formulation by which fentanyl can be […]

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