DG News An opioid use score based on state prescription databases does not predict complications or other adverse outcomes in patients undergoing spinal surgery, according to a study published in the journal Spine. The increasingly used NarxCare narcotics score does not predict adverse outcomes or patient dissatisfaction after elective spine surgery, according to Anoop Raj […]
Read MoreAUTHORS: Yeung J et al BMJ Open 9 (7), e023679 (Jul 2019) OBJECTIVES Thoracotomy is considered one of the most painful surgical procedures. The incidence of chronic post-thoracotomy pain (CPTP) is up to 50%. Paravertebral blockade (PVB) may be superior to thoracic epidural blockade (TEB) in preventing CPTP. The specific objective of this pilot study […]
Read MoreAuthors: Brian C. Davis, MD and Jasmohan S. Bajaj, MD Anesthesiology News Alcohol use is deeply ingrained in American culture. More adults in this country report drinking regularly than say they voted in the last election, own a pet, or attend religious services—in some cases, by significant margins. And the problem is worsening. In the […]
Read MoreAUTHORS: Väänänen A et al Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica (Jul 2019) BACKGROUND AND AIM The analgesic effect on labour pain of either spinal or epidural sufentanil or fentanyl was tested in a total of 80 primiparousparturients at an early phase of the delivery. The aim of the study was to compare the level of analgesia achieved […]
Read MoreAUTHORS: Roberts T et al Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (Jul 2019) HYPOTHESIS The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the safety, efficacy, and opioid-sparing effect of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) vs. nonliposomal local anesthetic agents (NLAs) for postoperative analgesia after shoulder surgery. METHODS A systematic literature review of randomized controlled clinical studies comparing […]
Read MoreAUTHORS: Dardashti A et al Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica (Jul 2019) BACKGROUND The optimal prime solution for the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit in adult cardiac surgery has not yet been defined. Mannitol is widely used in the priming solution for CPB despite the fact that there is no clear consensus on the role of mannitol in […]
Read MoreAuthor: Karen Blum Anesthesiology News The prevalence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) in the United States may be higher than clinicians realize, a new study has found. “We need to do a better job of understanding the epidemiology of hepatitis D in the U.S. and really get at the question of who is currently infected, […]
Read MoreThe longer immigrants live in the United States, the more likely they are to use prescription opioids—a fact that contradicts popular views linking wealth and health, and suggests that American culture is uniquely favorable toward prescribing opioids. A new study from the University of Michigan and Dartmouth University found that in an adjusted analysis, immigrants […]
Read MoreAUTHORS: Dunn, Lauren K. MD, PhD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: July 17, 2019 BACKGROUND: Blood loss during adult spinal deformity surgery is multifactorial. Anesthetic-related factors, such as mode of mechanical ventilation, may contribute to intraoperative blood loss. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of ventilator mode and ventilator parameters on intraoperative blood […]
Read MoreAUTHORS: Guglielminotti, Jean MD, PhD et al Anesthesia & Analgesia: November 2019 – Volume 129 – Issue 5 – p 1328-1336 BACKGROUND: Increased risks of cerebral venous thrombosis or subdural hematoma, bacterial meningitis, persistent headache, and persistent low back pain are suggested in obstetric patients with postdural puncture headache (PDPH). Acute postpartum pain such as PDPH […]
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