European journal of anaesthesiology
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Anaesthesiology is one of the safest fields in medicine today in relation to mortality. Deaths directly because of anaesthesia have fortunately now become rare exceptions. Nevertheless, important findings can still be drawn from the rare deaths that still occur. ⋯ The majority of the anaesthesia-related deaths investigated could very probably have been avoided with simple anaesthesiological measures if routine guidelines had been followed and current standards observed. Actions to be taken are inferred from these results, and recommendations are made. In future, greater care must be taken to ensure that the level of safety already achieved in anaesthesiology can be maintained despite demographic developments and increasing economic pressures.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Intra-operative ventilator mechanical power as a predictor of postoperative pulmonary complications in surgical patients: A secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.
Studies in critically ill patients suggest a relationship between mechanical power (an index of the energy delivered by the ventilator, which includes driving pressure, respiratory rate, tidal volume and inspiratory pressure) and complications. ⋯ In patients receiving ventilation during major noncardiothoracic, nonintracranial surgery, exposure to a higher mechanical power was independently associated with an increased risk of PPCs and acute respiratory failure.