Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2019
Major Neurologic Complications Associated With Postdural Puncture Headache in Obstetrics: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
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 may also lead to postpartum depression. This study tested the hypothesis that PDPH in obstetric patients is associated with significantly increased postpartum risks of major neurologic and other maternal complications. ⋯ PDPH is associated with substantially increased postpartum risks of major neurologic and other maternal complications, underscoring the importance of early recognition and treatment of anesthesia-related complications in obstetrics.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2019
Flow Cytometry Characterization of Cerebrospinal Fluid Monocytes in Patients With Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction: A Pilot Study.
Animal models suggest postoperative cognitive dysfunction may be caused by brain monocyte influx. To study this in humans, we developed a flow cytometry panel to profile cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples collected before and after major noncardiac surgery in 5 patients ≥60 years of age who developed postoperative cognitive dysfunction and 5 matched controls who did not. ⋯ Patients who developed postoperative cognitive dysfunction showed an increased CSF monocyte/lymphocyte ratio and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 receptor downregulation on CSF monocytes 24 hours after surgery. These pilot data demonstrate that CSF flow cytometry can be used to study mechanisms of postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2019
The American Board of Anesthesiology's Staged Examination System and Performance on the Written Certification Examination After Residency.
This study compared anesthesiology residency graduates' written certification examination performance before and after the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) introduced the staged examination system. After equating test scores using common test items, the first 2 cohorts (2013, 2014) in the staged system scored 7.1 points and 8.3 points higher than the 2011 baseline cohort in the former examination system. The 2013 and 2014 cohorts' pass rates (94.2% and 95.9%) were also higher than the 2011 and 2012 cohorts (91.9% and 92.6%) if a common standard had been applied. The staged examination system may be associated with improved knowledge of anesthesiology graduates.