Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2018
The Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology Consensus Statement on the Anesthetic Management of Pregnant and Postpartum Women Receiving Thromboprophylaxis or Higher Dose Anticoagulants.
Venous thromboembolism is recognized as a leading cause of maternal death in the United States. Thromboprophylaxis has been highlighted as a key preventive measure to reduce venous thromboembolism-related maternal deaths. However, the expanded use of thromboprophylaxis in obstetrics will have a major impact on the use and timing of neuraxial analgesia and anesthesia for women undergoing vaginal or cesarean delivery and other obstetric surgeries. ⋯ Furthermore, existing guidelines have not integrated the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anticoagulants in the obstetric population. The goal of this consensus statement is to provide a practical guide of how to appropriately identify, prepare, and manage pregnant women receiving thromboprophylaxis or higher dose anticoagulants during the ante-, intra-, and postpartum periods. The tactics to facilitate multidisciplinary communication, evidence-based pharmacokinetic and spinal epidural hematoma data, and Decision Aids should help inform risk-benefit discussions with patients and facilitate shared decision making.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2018
Multicenter StudyClinical Utility of Intraoperative Motor-Evoked Potential Monitoring to Prevent Postoperative Spinal Cord Injury in Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm Repair: An Audit of the Japanese Association of Spinal Cord Protection in Aortic Surgery Database.
Spinal cord ischemic injury is the most devastating sequela of descending and thoracoabdominal aortic surgery. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) have been used to intraoperatively assess motor tract function, but it remains unclear whether MEP monitoring can decrease the incidence of postoperative motor deficits. Therefore, we reviewed multicenter medical records of patients who had undergone descending and thoracoabdominal aortic repair (both open surgery and endovascular repair) to assess the association of MEP monitoring with postoperative motor deficits. ⋯ MEP monitoring was not significantly associated with motor deficits at discharge.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2018
Evaluation of the Augmented Infant Resuscitator: A Monitoring Device for Neonatal Bag-Valve-Mask Resuscitation.
Annually, 6 million newborns require bag-valve-mask resuscitation, and providing live feedback has the potential to improve the quality of resuscitation. The Augmented Infant Resuscitator (AIR), a real-time feedback device, has been designed to identify leaks, obstructions, and inappropriate breath rates during bag-valve-mask resuscitation. However, its function has not been evaluated. ⋯ The AIR is a promising innovation that has the potential to improve neonatal resuscitation. It introduces only marginal resistance and performs well on neonatal manikins, but its firmware should be improved before clinical use.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2018
Multicenter Study Observational StudyPostoperative Complications Affecting Survival After Cardiac Arrest in General Surgery Patients.
Postoperative cardiac arrest is uncommon but associated with a high mortality risk in general surgery patients and is often preceded by postoperative complications. The relationships between previous complications and mortality after cardiac arrest in general surgery patients have not been completely evaluated. ⋯ Among general surgery patients with cardiac arrest after POD #0, complications occurring before cardiac arrest are common but are not associated with increased mortality risk.
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A technology-focused review of respiratory gas analysis, with an emphasis on carbon dioxide analysis, is presented. The measurement technologies deployed commercially are highlighted, and the basic principles and technical concerns of infrared spectroscopy and mainstream versus sidestream gas sampling are discussed. The specifications of particular interest to the clinician, accuracy and response time, and the related standard, with typical values for a capnometer, are presented. ⋯ Aspects of the terminology in present-day use and the need for clarity in defining what is a breath and an end-tidal value are reviewed. The applications of capnography of particular interest to the anesthesiologist are noted, and key references are provided. Ongoing developments with respect to respiratory gas analysis, and those that will impact it, are noted.