The most comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on the subject to date has shown that perioperative goal-directed therapy reduces mortality, morbidity and hospital length of stay in adult patients undergoing major surgery. That did not stop researchers from advising caution in interpreting their results, however, given what they saw as the risk for bias in […]
Read MoreBlood management strategies continue to vary widely across institutions, a phenomenon that may lead to less than optimal results. Investigators at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and members of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists’ (SCA) Clinical Practice Improvement Blood Conservation Work Group aim to change that: Results from their survey (released in mid-September) […]
Read MorePatients who develop atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery have greater resting-state functional connectivity in certain areas of the brain than those who did not develop this sometimes devastating side effect, a small study has concluded. These findings not only potentially provide insight into the central mechanisms responsible for autonomic derangement after cardiac surgery, but may […]
Read MoreAuthors: P. H. M. Sadleir et al Anesthesia November 2017 Summary Intra‐operative acute hypersensitivity reactions require a decision to be made regarding whether to proceed with or abandon the planned surgical procedure once the patient has stabilised. Using retrospective case controls, we examined all cases (223) of proven acute hypersensitivity reactions from 2005 to 2014 in […]
Read MoreMedicare will require hospitals to post their standard prices online and make electronic medical records more readily available to patients, officials said Tuesday. The program is also starting a comprehensive review of how it will pay for costly new forms of immunotherapy to battle cancer. “We are just beginning on price transparency. We know that […]
Read MoreThe average 1,500-bed hospital prints more than 8 million pages per month, adding up to about $3.8 million per year. In the era of electronic health records, it may seem counterintuitive that hospitals would be increasing the volume of their printed documents. But that’s precisely the case, and this lack of efficiency is leading to […]
Read MoreThe number of prescriptions for opioid painkillers filled in the U.S. fell dramatically last year, showing their biggest drop in 25 years and continuing a decline amid increasing legal restrictions and public awareness of the dangers of addiction, new data show. Health data firm IQVIA’s Institute for Human Data Science released a report Thursday showing an 8.9 […]
Read MoreAUTHORS: Brown, Tod, A., MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: Nov 2017 BACKGROUND: Manual positive pressure ventilation is an essential skill in a variety of clinical situations. The C&E technique is commonly used with standard facemasks to provide effective ventilation. The Tao mask is a novel design that allows a more ergonomic grip. A seal between the […]
Read MoreAUTHORS: Krohg, Anders, MD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: February 2018 – Volume 126 – Issue 2 – p 559–565 BACKGROUND: Landmark and ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane blocks have demonstrated an opioid-sparing effect postoperatively after cesarean delivery. The more posterior quadratus lumborum (QL) might provide superior local anesthetic spread to the thoracolumbar fascia and paravertebral space. The […]
Read MoreResearchers from Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both located in New York City, studied the use of spinal anesthesia versus general anesthesia for spine surgery, according to Medscape. The study involved 188 patients who received lumbar laminectomy or discectomy procedures between 2012 and 2016. Of the patients, 97 received spinal anesthesia and 91 received […]
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