Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jan 2017
ReviewUnderstanding Phenotypes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Applications in Anesthesia, Surgery, and Perioperative Medicine.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep-disordered breathing with potential long-term major neurocognitive and cardiovascular sequelae. The pathophysiology of OSA varies between individuals and is composed of different underlying mechanisms. Several components including the upper airway anatomy, effectiveness of the upper airway dilator muscles such as the genioglossus, arousal threshold of the individual, and inherent stability of the respiratory control system determine the pathogenesis of OSA. ⋯ In this review, the clinically relevant endotypes and phenotypes of OSA are described. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is the treatment of choice for most patients with OSA but tolerance and adherence can be a problem. Patient-centered individualized approaches to OSA management will be the focus of future research into developing potential treatment options that will help decrease the disease burden and improve treatment effectiveness.
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A number of different technologies have been developed to measure tissue oxygenation, with the goal of identifying tissue hypoxia and guiding therapy to prevent patient harm. In specific cases, tissue oximetry may provide clear indications of decreases in tissue oxygenation such as that occurring during acute brain ischemia. However, the causation between tissue hemoglobin-oxygen desaturation in one organ (eg, brain or muscle) and global outcomes such as mortality, intensive care unit length of stay, and remote organ dysfunction remains more speculative. ⋯ Furthermore, well-designed prospective studies that test the hypothesis that monitoring oxygenation status in one organ predicts outcomes related to other organs need to be done. Finally, we call for more work that defines regional variations in tissue oxygenation and improves technology for measuring and even imaging oxygenation status in critical organs. Such studies will contribute to establishing that monitoring and imaging of tissue oxygenation will become routine in the care of high-risk patients because the monitors will provide outputs that direct therapy to improve clinical outcomes.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jan 2017
Multicenter StudyChallenges of Anesthesia in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Access to Safe Obstetric Anesthesia in East Africa.
The United Nations 2015 Millennium Development Goals targeted a 75% reduction in maternal mortality. However, in spite of this goal, the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births remains unacceptably high across Sub-Saharan Africa. Because many of these deaths could likely be averted with access to safe surgery, including cesarean delivery, we set out to assess the capacity to provide safe anesthetic care for mothers in the main referral hospitals in East Africa. ⋯ We identified significant shortages of both the personnel and equipment needed to provide safe anesthetic care for obstetric surgical cases across East Africa. There is a need to increase the number of physician anesthetists, to improve the training of nonphysician anesthesia providers, and to develop management protocols for obstetric patients requiring anesthesia. This will strengthen health systems and improve surgical outcomes in developing countries. More funding is required for training physician anesthetists if developing countries are to reach the targeted specialist workforce density of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery of 20 surgical, anesthetic, and obstetric physicians per 100,000 population by 2030.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jan 2017
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyEffectiveness of Epidural Analgesia, Continuous Surgical Site Analgesia, and Patient-Controlled Analgesic Morphine for Postoperative Pain Management and Hyperalgesia, Rehabilitation, and Health-Related Quality of Life After Open Nephrectomy: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Study.
There is no widely recognized effective technique to optimally reduce pain scores and prevent persistent postoperative pain after nephrectomy. We compared continuous surgical site analgesia (CSSA), epidural analgesia (EA), and a control group (patient-controlled analgesic morphine) in patients undergoing open nephrectomy. ⋯ CSSA and EA significantly improve postoperative analgesia, reduce postoperative morphine consumption, area of wound hyperalgesia, and accelerate patient rehabilitation after open nephrectomy. CSSA significantly reduces the severity of residual pain 1 month after surgery and optimizes quality-of-life parameters 3 months after surgery.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jan 2017
Review Practice GuidelineConsensus Bundle on Prevention of Surgical Site Infections After Major Gynecologic Surgery.
Surgical site infections are the most common complication of surgery in the United States. Of surgeries in women of reproductive age, hysterectomy is one of the most frequently performed, second only to cesarean birth. Therefore, prevention of surgical site infections in women undergoing gynecologic surgery is an ideal topic for a patient safety bundle. ⋯ The bundle is organized into four domains: Readiness, Recognition and Prevention, Response, and Reporting and Systems Learning. In addition to recommendations for practice, each of the domains stresses communication and teamwork between all members of the surgical team. Although the bundle components are designed to be adaptable to work in a variety of clinical settings, standardization within institutions is encouraged.