Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2014
ReviewThe effects of glucocorticoids on neuropathic pain: a review with emphasis on intrathecal methylprednisolone acetate delivery.
Methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) has a long history of use in the treatment of sciatic pain and other neuropathic pain syndromes. In several of these syndromes, MPA is administered in the epidural space. ⋯ In this review, we broadly consider mechanisms whereby glucocorticoids exert their action on spinal cascades relevant to the pain arising after nerve injury and inflammation. We then focus on the characteristics of the actions of MPA in pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety when administered in the intrathecal space.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialThe Risk of Hypertension after Preoperative Discontinuation of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists in Ambulatory and Same-Day Admission Patients.
The continued use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II subtype I receptor antagonists (ARBs) medications in the preoperative period has been reported to be associated with intraoperative hypotension that can be unresponsive to pressor drugs. As a result, several investigators suggested discontinuation of these medications before scheduled surgery but did not report on unintended consequences that might result from discontinuation. We conducted a prospective, single-blind, randomized trial to observe the effect of the medications on preoperative arterial blood pressure recordings in patients presenting for ambulatory and same-day surgery. ⋯ Discontinuing ACEIs and ARBs in patients on the day of surgery did not result in a substantively increased incidence of pre- or postoperative HTN compared with patients who continued these medications on the day of surgery. The results provide an evidentiary basis for the safety of discontinuing ACEIs and ARBs on the day of surgery without increasing adverse hemodynamic outcomes.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2014
Cognitive dysfunction after fast-track hip and knee replacement.
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is reported to occur after major surgery in as many as 20% of patients, elderly patients may especially experience problems in the weeks and months after surgery. Recent studies vary greatly in methods of evaluation and diagnosis of POCD, and the pathogenic mechanisms are still unclear. We evaluated a large uniform cohort of elderly patients in a standardized approach, after major joint replacement surgery (total hip and knee replacement). Patients were in an optimized perioperative approach (fast track) with multimodal opioid-sparing analgesia, early mobilization, and short length of stay (LOS ≤3 days) and discharged to home. ⋯ The incidence of POCD early after total hip and knee replacement seems to be lower after a fast-track approach than rates previously reported for these procedures, but late POCD occurred with an incidence similar to that in previous studies of major noncardiac elective surgery. No association between early and late POCD could be verified.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2014
Comparative Study Observational StudyReduced length of hospital stay in colorectal surgery after implementation of an enhanced recovery protocol.
Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a multimodal approach to perioperative care that combines a range of interventions to enable early mobilization and feeding after surgery. We investigated the feasibility, clinical effectiveness, and cost savings of an ERAS program at a major U. S. teaching hospital. ⋯ Implementation of an enhanced recovery protocol for colorectal surgery at a tertiary medical center was associated with a significantly reduced LOS and incidence of urinary tract infection. This is consistent with that of other studies in the literature and suggests that enhanced recovery programs could be implemented successfully and should be considered in U.S. hospitals.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2014
ReviewStrategies for net cost reductions with the expanded role and expertise of anesthesiologists in the perioperative surgical home.
The Perioperative Surgical Home is a model adopted by the American Society of Anesthesiologists to increase quality and patient safety and to decrease costs. This Special Article is about the latter topic. Using narrative review, we show that there are two principal opportunities for net cost reduction. ⋯ These two are the same as the principal ways that a positive return on investment can be achieved from use of an anesthesia information management system. Three other opportunities are much less likely to achieve as large (if any) net cost reduction among all patients but may at some hospitals. These are to reduce cancellations, operating room times, and/or hospital postoperative lengths of stay.