Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2021
Meta AnalysisEarly Versus Late Tracheostomy in Patients With Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Acute traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs) often result in impairments in respiration that may lead to a sequelae of pulmonary dysfunction, increased risk of infection, and death. The optimal timing for tracheostomy in patients with acute SCI is currently unknown. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the optimal timing of tracheostomy in SCI patients and evaluate the potential benefits of early versus late tracheostomy. ⋯ Based on the available data, patients with early tracheostomy within the first 7 days of injury or tracheal intubation had higher cervical SCI, shorter ICU length of stay, and shorter duration of mechanical ventilation compared to late tracheostomy. The risk of in-hospital mortality may be lower following an early tracheostomy. However, due to the quality of studies and insufficient clinical data available, it is challenging to make conclusive interpretations. Future prospective trials with a larger patient population are needed to fully assess short- and long-term outcomes of tracheostomy timing following acute SCI.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2021
Comparative StudyRisk of Hypoxemia by Induction Technique Among Infants and Neonates Undergoing Pyloromyotomy.
In patients presenting for pyloromyotomy, most practitioners prioritize rapid securement of the airway due to concern for aspiration. However, there is a lack of consensus and limited evidence on the choice between rapid sequence induction (RSI) and modified RSI (mRSI). ⋯ In infants presenting for pyloromyotomy, anesthetic induction with mRSI compared with RSI was associated with significantly less hypoxemia without an observed increase in aspiration events. In addition, the need for multiple intubation attempts was a strong predictor of hypoxemia. The increased risk of hypoxemia associated with RSI and multiple intubation attempts was even more pronounced in neonatal patients.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2021
ReviewPotential for Kappa-Opioid Receptor Agonists to Engineer Nonaddictive Analgesics: A Narrative Review.
A serious adverse effect of prescription opioid analgesics is addiction, both to these analgesics and to illicit drugs like heroin that also activate the µ-opioid receptor (MOR). Opioid use disorder (OUD) and opioid overdose deaths represent a current American health crisis, and the prescription of opioid analgesics has contributed significantly to this crisis. While prescription opioids are highly effective analgesics, there currently exists no facile way to use them for extended periods without the risk of addiction. ⋯ Prior findings with mixed MOR/KOR agonists are considered before exploring new potential avenues such as biased KOR agonists. New preclinical data are highlighted, demonstrating that the G protein-biased KOR agonist nalfurafine reduces the rewarding properties of MOR-targeting analgesics and enhances MOR-targeting analgesic-induced antinociception. Finally, we discuss the recent discovery that a regulator of G protein signaling (namely, RGS12) is a key component of signaling bias at KOR, presenting another drug discovery target toward identifying a single agent or adjuvant to be added to traditional opioid analgesics that could reduce or eliminate the addictive potential of the latter drug.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2021
Observational StudyReal-Time Injection Pressure Sensing and Minimal Intensity Stimulation Combination During Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Nerve Blocks: An Exploratory Observational Trial.
Nerve damage can occur after peripheral nerve block (PNB). Ultrasound guidance does not eliminate the risk of intraneural injection or nerve injury. Combining nerve stimulation and injection pressure (IP) monitoring with ultrasound guidance has been suggested to optimize needle tip location in PNB. In this prospective observational study, we hypothesized that measured pairs of IP and minimum intensity of stimulation (MIS) might differentiate successive needle tip locations established by high-resolution ultrasound during PNB. ⋯ Our exploratory study evaluated concepts to generate hypotheses. The combinations of IP and MIS might help the physician during a PNB procedure. A low IP and low MIS might confirm a subparaneural location, and a high IP and a low MIS might be an alert for the intraneural location of the needle tip.