Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialEarly administration of high-dose antithrombin in severe sepsis: single center results from the KyberSept-trial.
The overall finding in the KyberSept trial of no treatment effect of high-dose antithrombin (AT) in severe sepsis was inconsistent for the primary outcome, 28-day mortality, possibly because of patient heterogeneity. No data have been reported on the effects of AT therapy administered early in severe sepsis when microcirculation is disturbed but irreversible organ damage has not yet developed. ⋯ Data from this post hoc analysis confirm an increased bleeding risk seen with AT treatment in these patients. When given early in severe sepsis, though statistically not significant, absolute risk reductions with AT of 21% and 14% for organ failure and mortality, respectively, indicate a potential for treatment benefit in selected sepsis patients. This observation may have implications for continuing sepsis trials with AT that focus on reduced patient heterogeneity.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized controlled trial of cell salvage in routine cardiac surgery.
Previous trials have indicated that cell salvage may reduce allogeneic blood transfusion during cardiac surgery, but these studies have limitations, including inconsistent use of other blood transfusion-sparing strategies. We designed a randomized controlled trial to determine whether routine cell salvage for elective uncomplicated cardiac surgery reduces blood transfusion and is cost effective in the setting of a rigorous transfusion protocol and routine administration of antifibrinolytics. ⋯ In patients undergoing routine first-time cardiac surgery in an institution with a rigorous blood conservation program, the routine use of cell salvage does not further reduce the proportion of patients exposed to allogeneic blood transfusion. However, patients who do not have excessive bleeding after surgery receive significantly fewer units of blood with cell salvage. Although the use of cell savage may reduce the demand for blood products during cardiac surgery, this comes at an increased cost to the institution.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialIntravascular injection during ultrasound-guided axillary block: negative aspiration can be misleading.
Needle visualization is an advantage of ultrasound-guided nerve blocks compared to traditional methods of nerve localization. However, visualization of local anesthetic spread is also important. ⋯ The ultrasound transducer was removed from the patient's arm and venous blood was aspirated from the nerve block needle. Pressure applied to an ultrasound transducer can occlude venous structures making negative aspiration of blood unreliable for excluding intravascular needle placement.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2008
The dynamic relationship between end-tidal sevoflurane concentrations, bispectral index, and cerebral state index in children.
To guide anesthetic administration with electroencephalogram monitors in children, an adequate characterization of the anesthetic effect measured by these monitors in this population is needed. We sought to quantify and compare the dynamic profile of sevoflurane's effect measured with the cerebral state index (CSI) and the bispectral index (BIS) in children. ⋯ In children, the t(1/2) k(e0) of sevoflurane and the pharmacodynamics of sevoflurane were quantified and the results were entirely dependent on the monitor used to measure its hypnotic effect. Within the anesthetic depth range studied, the rate of change of sevoflurane's effect was slower with the CSI. To adequately guide sevoflurane administration with these monitors in children, these differences should be considered.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2008
Resistive polymer versus forced-air warming: comparable heat transfer and core rewarming rates in volunteers.
Mild perioperative hypothermia increases the risk of several severe complications. Perioperative patient warming to preserve normothermia has thus become routine, with forced-air warming being used most often. In previous studies, various resistive warming systems have shown mixed results in comparison with forced-air. Recently, a polymer-based resistive patient warming system has been developed. We compared the efficacy of a standard forced-air warming system with the resistive polymer system in volunteers. ⋯ Heating efficacy and core rewarming rates were similar with full-body forced-air and full-body resistive polymer heating in healthy volunteers.