Anesthesia and analgesia
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2021
Historical ArticleThe Origins, Evolution, and Spread of Anesthesia Monitoring Standards: From Boston to Across the World.
In the mid-1980s, the anesthesia departments at hospitals affiliated with Harvard Medical School were faced with a challenge: mounting medical malpractice costs. Malpractice insurance was provided by the Controlled Risk Insurance Company (CRICO), a patient safety and medical malpractice insurance company owned by and providing service to the Harvard medical community. CRICO spearheaded an effort to reduce these costs and ultimately found a way to decrease the risks associated with anesthesia. ⋯ What began as an attempt to lower medical malpractice costs in a group of university hospitals became a worldwide effort that resulted in improvements in patient safety. Other specialties have adopted similar measures. Currently, an attitude and appreciation of safety are exemplified by several practices that include among others-the adherence to these patient safety guidelines, simulator training, the promulgation of standards and guidelines by ASA, and the use of a safety checklist before induction of anesthesia.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2021
Clinical TrialElevated Plasma Concentrations of Syndecan-1 Do Not Correlate With Increased Capillary Leakage of 20% Albumin.
Preclinical experiments show that an inflammatory reaction causes degradation of the endothelial glycocalyx layer and accelerated capillary leakage of albumin and fluid. The hypothesis in the present study was that elevated plasma concentrations of glycocalyx degradation products are associated with greater capillary leakage in humans. ⋯ A raised plasma concentration of syndecan-1 alone cannot be extrapolated to indicate increased capillary leakage of albumin and fluid.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2021
Comparative Study Observational StudyDo It Often, Do It Better: Association Between Pairs of Experienced Subspecialty Anesthesia Caregivers and Postoperative Outcomes. A Retrospective Observational Study.
Anesthesiologists typically care for patients having a broad range of procedures. Outcomes might be improved when care is provided by caregivers experienced in particular types of surgery. We tested the hypothesis that intraoperative care provided by pairs of anesthesia caregivers having significant experience with a particular type of surgery reduces a composite of in-hospital death and 6 serious complications, including bleeding, cardiac, gastrointestinal, infectious, respiratory, and urinary complications, compared to care provided by pairs of anesthesia caregivers with less experience. ⋯ Anesthesia care by experienced pairs was associated with fewer bleeding complications, fewer infections, shorter hospitalization, and reduced in-hospital mortality.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2021
Dexmedetomidine and Clonidine Attenuate Sevoflurane-Induced Tau Phosphorylation and Cognitive Impairment in Young Mice via α-2 Adrenergic Receptor.
Anesthetic sevoflurane induces tau phosphorylation and cognitive impairment in young mice. The underlying mechanism and the targeted interventions remain largely unexplored. We hypothesized that dexmedetomidine and clonidine attenuated sevoflurane-induced tau phosphorylation and cognitive impairment by acting on α-2 adrenergic receptor. ⋯ Dexmedetomidine and clonidine could inhibit the sevoflurane-induced tau phosphorylation and cognitive impairment via activation of α-2 adrenergic receptor. More studies are needed to confirm the results and to determine the clinical relevance of these findings.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2021
Observational StudyThe Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Preoperative Thrombocytopenia in Adults Undergoing Elective Surgery: An Observational Cohort Study.
Preoperative thrombocytopenia is associated with inferior outcomes in surgical patients, though concurrent anemia may obfuscate these relationships. This investigation assesses the prevalence and clinical significance of preoperative thrombocytopenia with thorough consideration of preoperative anemia status. ⋯ Preoperative thrombocytopenia is associated with clinical outcomes in elective surgery, both in the presence and absence of concurrent anemia. However, isolated thrombocytopenia is rare (0.5%) and is usually identified before preoperative testing. It is unlikely that routine thrombocytopenia screening is indicated for most patients.