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Uncategorized Published - 14 April, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Techniques Can Push Regional Anesthesia Risks Still Lower

The risk for neurologic injury associated with regional anesthesia is very low, but there are steps that anesthesiologists can take to further reduce that risk, according to anesthesiologists who spoke at the International Symposium of Ultrasound for Regional Anesthesia, Pain Medicine & Perioperative Applications. “What we do is very safe, but this allows us to […]

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Uncategorized Published - 14 April, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Intravenous (IV) Solutions (Select Lots) by Baxter: Recall – Potential Presence of Particulate Matter

Food and Drug Administration Press Release AUDIENCE: Pharmacy, Risk Manager, Nursing ISSUE:  Baxter International Inc. is voluntarily recalling select lots of intravenous (IV) solutions to the hospital/user level due to the potential presence of particulate matter. Intravenous administration of a solution containing sterile particulate matter may lead to adverse health consequences. The extent and severity […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 April, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Ultrasound-guided intermediate cervical plexus block for carotid endarterectomy using a new anterior approach: a two-centre prospective observational study

Published in Anaesthesia. 2015 Apr;70(4):445-51. Calderon AL et al Abstract The aim of this prospective, double-centre, observational study performed in 116 patients was to describe a new anterior approach of ultrasound-guided intermediate cervical plexus block for carotid endarterectomy. The median (IQR [range]) volume of ropivacaine 0.5% administered was 30 (25-30 [20-45]) ml. Supplemental local anaesthesia […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 April, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Opioid Prescriber Monitoring May Increase Overdose Deaths

This is for our chronic pain management providers. Surveillance of opioid prescribers, designed to prevent opioid overdose deaths, may actually be having the opposite effect, new research suggests. The qualitative study, aimed at assessing doctor-patient interactions after a prescription monitoring program (PMP) known as “I-STOP,” which was mandated by New York State in 2013, showed […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 April, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Physical Therapy as Effective as Surgery for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Physical therapy may achieve the same symptom relief as surgical decompression in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Some 170 stenosis patients aged 50 or older who were candidates for surgery were randomized to surgical decompression or physical therapy (2 PT visits per week for 6 […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 April, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Ketamine vs. Morphine for Analgesia

Published in Ann Emerg Med 2015 Mar 26; Authors: Motov S et al. Subdissociative-dose ketamine was as effective as morphine for acute pain in emergency department patients. Interest in ketamine as an analgesic has been growing. To evaluate the analgesic effect and safety of ketamine in an emergency department (ED) setting, investigators conducted a randomized, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 13 April, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Nebulized Fentanyl vs. Intravenous Morphine for Abdominal Pain

Published in Am J Emerg Med 2015 Mar 25; Authors: Deaton T et al. In a small randomized trial, nebulized fentanyl produced better pain relief and satisfaction than intravenous morphine. Fentanyl, a potent opioid with minimal hemodynamic effects, can be delivered by a variety of routes. In a randomized trial, investigators compared nebulized fentanyl (2 […]

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Uncategorized Published - 10 April, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Blood/Gas Partition Coefficients for Isoflurane, Sevoflurane, and Desflurane in a Clinically Relevant Patient Population

Published in Anesthesia & Analgesia (Nov 2014) Authors: Esper T et al BACKGROUND: The blood/gas partition coefficient of a certain volatile anesthetic is of clinical importance because it determines its velocity of uptake into and elimination from the body of a patient and thus its pharmacokinetic behavior. To date, the blood/gas partition coefficients of isoflurane, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 10 April, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Excessive Postoperative Bleeding and Outcomes in Neonates Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Published in Anesthesia & Analgesia (Nov 2014) Authors: Guzzetta N et al BACKGROUND: Neonates undergoing cardiac surgery are especially prone to the hemostatic alterations of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and are at high risk for post-CPB bleeding. An immature coagulation system, significant hemodilution from the CPB prime, long CPB times at low temperatures, and extensive suture […]

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Uncategorized Published - 10 April, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Addition of tramadol to standard IV acetaminophen and morphine infusion for postoperative analgesia in neonates offers no clinical benefit: a randomized placebo-controlled trial

Published in Paediatr Anaesth Author(s): Olischar M et al. BACKGROUND Tramadol is used following neonatal cardiac and general surgery. However, its ability to opioid-spare or facilitate earlier extubation in postoperative neonates is unquantified. OBJECTIVE This randomized placebo-controlled trial aimed to assess whether tramadol’s addition to standard analgesia resulted in earlier extubation or reduced analgesic/sedative requirements […]

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