Published in Aging Clin Exp Res. 2014 May 25 Authors: Jacobson SA et al BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia (FM) has been understudied in the elderly population, a group with particular vulnerabilities to pain, reduced mobility, and sleep disruption. AIMS: To characterize FM symptoms and treatments in a cohort of older subjects examined over time to determine the […]
Read MorePublished in Br J Anaesth. 2014 Jun;112(6):991-1004 Authors: Fletcher D et al BACKGROUND: Opioids can increase sensitivity to noxious stimuli and cause opioid-induced hyperalgesia. We performed a systematic review to evaluate the clinical consequences of intra-operative doses of opioid. METHODS: We identified randomized controlled trials which compared intra-operative opioid to lower doses or placebo in […]
Read MorePublished in Anesth Analg. 2014 May;118(5):981-6 Authors: Short TG et al BACKGROUND: Deep general anesthesia has been associated with increased mortality in 5 observational studies. The association may be causal or an epiphenomenon due to increased anesthetic sensitivity in high-risk patients. We conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility of performing a definitive randomized […]
Read MoreAuthors: Kim HC et al., Anaesthesia 2014 Apr 28; A 90° rotation increases first-pass success and decreases insertion time. The i-gel is a supraglottic device with a soft, noninflatable cuff. Although insertion is usually successful, it sometimes fails because of tongue folding. Previous studies have shown that a rotational technique during insertion improves first-pass success […]
Read MoreAuthors: Sutton RM et al., Resuscitation 2014 May 16; Compliance with the 2010 pediatric resuscitation guidelines portended better rates of return of spontaneous circulation and 24-hour survival for pediatric patients with in-hospital arrest. Higher quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in adults has been shown to be associated with improved survival to discharge, but measuring CPR […]
Read MoreAuthors: Hoshijima H et al., Anaesthesia 2014 May 13; A meta-analysis showed superior laryngeal view with the Pentax AWS but no other differences in performance. To compare performance of the Pentax Airway Scope (AWS) video laryngoscope and the Macintosh direct laryngoscope, researchers performed a meta-analysis of 17 randomized, controlled trials involving 1800 adults undergoing oral […]
Read MoreAuthors: Sohn LE et al., Anaesthesia 2014 May 2; Using the air-Q laryngeal mask airway did not confer advantage in this randomized trial. Fiber-optic tracheal intubation can be particularly challenging in infants. To evaluate the possible benefits of using a supraglottic airway as a conduit for fiber-optic intubation, researchers recruited 80 healthy children between 1 […]
Read MoreAuthors: Horowitz R et al., Ann Emerg Med 2014 Jan 17; Injecting agitated saline into a femoral venous line while sonographically imaging the heart confirms the line’s location. Accidental placement of a femoral venous catheter into the artery can cause limb ischemia, especially in children, who have small femoral arteries. Investigators assessed ability of the […]
Read MoreThe HHS Office of Inspector General released a report finding Medicare inappropriately paid $6.7 billion for evaluation and management services claims in 2010. Here are 10 key things to know about E/M services, their coding and documentation requirements, and the improper Medicare payments. 1. E/M services are covered under Medicare Part B and are performed […]
Read MoreAnesthesia Management: One-Size-Fits-All Hydromorphone Dosing? Authors: Xia S et al., Ann Emerg Med 2013 Nov 11; Pain relief from a 1 mg dose did not vary by patient body weight. Because hydromorphone is distributed widely into multiple tissues, weight-based dosing would seem to be the safest and most effective strategy when treating acute pain. Investigators […]
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