Researchers have determined that patients who have not had an opioid prescription within 1 year prior to their procedure are at low risk of developing persistent opioid use after major surgery. The research, published online by JAMA Surgery, showed that of the 39,140 observed patients only 0.4% (~1 in every 225 patients) continued to receive ongoing […]
Read MoreThis is for our pain docs. Using the common pain-relieving medication acetaminophen during pregnancy was associated with increased risk for multiple behavioural problems in children, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics. Acetaminophen is generally considered safe in pregnancy and is used by a many pregnant women for pain and fever. Evie Stergiakouli, […]
Read MoreAnesthesia & Analgesia: August 12, 2016 AUTHORS: Liu, Jia-Ren MD, PhD et al BACKGROUND: Dexmedetomidine (DEX) has inherent neuroprotective properties that have been attributed to the activation of prosurvival kinases. However, the impact of supraclinical doses of DEX on neuroapoptosis and neuronal viability has not been determined. METHODS: Rat pups and primary neuronal cells were […]
Read MoreAnesthesia & Analgesia: Anesthesia & Analgesia: August 12, 2016 AUTHORS: Faraoni, David MD, PhD, FCCP et al BACKGROUND: Children with major and severe congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing noncardiac surgery are at increased risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to identify the predictors for in-hospital mortality, and to develop a risk stratification […]
Read MoreAuthors: Audun Eskeland Rimehaug et al BMC Anesthesiol. 2016;16(31) Background: Changes in cardiac power parameters incorporate changes in both aortic flow and blood pressure. We hypothesized that dynamic and non-dynamic cardiac power parameters would track hypovolemia better than equivalent flow- and pressure parameters, both during spontaneous breathing and non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV). Methods: Fourteen healthy volunteers underwent […]
Read MoreAuthors: Nikhil R Sahni et al BMJ. 2016;354(i3571) Objective To measure the association between a surgeon’s degree of specialization in a specific procedure and patient mortality. Design Retrospective analysis of Medicare data. Setting US patients aged 66 or older enrolled in traditional fee for service Medicare. Participants 25 152 US surgeons who performed one of eight procedures (carotid endarterectomy, coronary […]
Read MoreSurgeons may push anesthesia providers to participate in inappropriate or ill-fitting procedures at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), which is why it’s important to push back based on evidence-based practices to boost quality and positive outcomes. “We should be the gatekeepers of patients coming to ASCs so we can be the gatekeepers of outcomes, too,” said […]
Read MoreKamen Vlassakov, MD Director, Regional & Orthopedic Anesthesia Brigham and Women’s Hospital Assistant Professor Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts Dr Vlassakov reported no relevant financial disclosures. Multimodal airway approaches are being designed as a response to unusual difficult airway cases. Perhaps it is time to consider including these approaches in difficult airway algorithms as a […]
Read MoreAnesthesia & Analgesia: August 12, 2016 AUTHORS: Nishimura, Akiko DDS, PhD et al BACKGROUND: The revised Starling law suggests that intravenously infused fluid may leak into the interstitium and not remain in the intravascular space. This hypothesis is supported by clinical findings that postoperative weight gain is proportional to the amount of infused fluid. The […]
Read MoreThe American College of Surgeons (ACS) has issued a statement on proper dress for surgeons, whether in the operating room or interacting with families or the public outside. ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, said the refresher statement is meant to provide evidence-based consensus on appropriate head coverings and when scrubs must be changed. […]
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