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Uncategorized Published - 25 April, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
How to pre-oxygenate claustrophobic pts

For the claustrophobic patient who gets anxious having a face mask placed over him, remove the mask and have him place his lips around the round connector on the anesthesia circuit.  Patients find this much more comfortable while they’re pre-oxygenating.  As soon as the patient falls asleep, simply reattach the face mask so induction can […]

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Uncategorized Published - 25 April, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Simple Frailty Assessment for Fragile Aortic Valve Surgery Patients Predicts Morbidity, Mortality and Hospital LOS

Frailty can be easily assessed in aortic valve surgery patients using variables that are typically at the behest of most anesthesiologists, and the assessment can predict morbidity, mortality and hospital length of stay (LOS) in this fragile patient population. “Previous research has shown that frailty is an independent risk factor for predicting morbidity and mortality […]

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Uncategorized Published - 25 April, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Joint Commission Statement on Pain Management

Statement on pain management from David W. Baker, MD, MPH, FACP, Executive Vice President, Healthcare Quality Evaluation, The Joint Commission: In the environment of today’s prescription opioid epidemic, everyone is looking for someone to blame. Often, The Joint Commission’s pain standards take that blame. We are encouraging our critics to look at our exact standards, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 25 April, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
A Randomized Controlled Trial to Determine the Effect of Depth of Anesthesia on Emergence Agitation in Children

Anesthesia & Analgesia: April 2016 – Volume 122 – Issue 4 – p 1141–1146 AUTHORS: Frederick, Heather J. MD et al BACKGROUND: The cause of emergence agitation (EA) in children is unknown. Rapid emergence from inhaled anesthesia has been implicated because EA is more common with sevoflurane than with halothane. A dose-dependent effect of sevoflurane, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 22 April, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Sleep Deprivation Significantly Affects Mood Status of Anesthesiologists

The brain fog and clouded sensorium that follow a night call have long been accepted as part of the job by most anesthesiologists, but partial sleep deprivation significantly alters various aspects of mood and may ultimately affect the quality of patient care, a study has found. “It’s a given that residents work hours and hours, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 22 April, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
An Evaluation of Ultrasound-Guided Adductor Canal Blockade for Postoperative Analgesia After Medial Unicondylar Knee Arthroplasty

Anesthesia & Analgesia: April 2016 – Volume 122 – Issue 4 – p 1192–1201 AUTHORS: Henshaw, Daryl S. MD et al BACKGROUND: Unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a commonly performed procedure with significant expected postoperative pain. Peripheral nerve blocks are 1 analgesic option, but some approaches may decrease quadriceps motor strength and interfere with early […]

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Uncategorized Published - 22 April, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Johnson & Johnson To Stop Selling Sedasys System

Johnson & Johnson announced that the company will stop selling the Sedasys System due to unexpectedly slow sales and company-wide cost-cutting. The Sedasys System, a computer-assisted personalized sedation device that allows non-anesthesia professionals to administer propofol, was touted by some as a potential replacement for anesthesiologists. The device delivers a measured dose of propofol into the […]

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Uncategorized Published - 22 April, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Dexmedetomidine Combined with General Anesthesia Provides Similar Intraoperative Stress Response Reduction When Compared with a Combined General and Epidural Anesthetic Technique

Anesthesia & Analgesia: April 2016 – Volume 122 – Issue 4 – p 1202–1210 AUTHORS: Li, Yun MD et al BACKGROUND: Epidural anesthesia may attenuate the sympathetic hyperactivity and stress response from surgery. In this study, we compared the stress response, hemodynamic variables, and recovery profiles of patients undergoing total IV anesthesia (TIVA) and intraoperative […]

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Uncategorized Published - 22 April, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Ultrasound-Guided Thoracic Paravertebral Blockade: A Retrospective Study of the Incidence of Complications

Anesthesia & Analgesia: April 2016 – Volume 122 – Issue 4 – p 1186–1191 AUTHORS: Pace, Meredith M. MD et al BACKGROUND: The benefits of thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) have been demonstrated for patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer. However, pleural puncture resulting in pneumothorax is a serious complication associated with traditional approaches using guidance […]

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Uncategorized Published - 21 April, 2016    By - Dr Clemens
Implications of Patient Age and ASA Physical Status for Operating Room Management Decisions

Anesthesia & Analgesia: April 2016 – Volume 122 – Issue 4 – p 1169–1177 AUTHORS: Luedi, Markus M. MD, MBA et al BACKGROUND: In elderly, high-risk patients, operating room (OR) turnaround times are especially difficult to estimate, and the managerial implications of patient age and ASA physical status for OR management decisions remain unclear. We […]

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