Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Nov 2012
Point-of-care testing of coagulation and fibrinolytic status during postpartum haemorrhage: developing a thrombelastography®-guided transfusion algorithm.
Thrombelastography® is a monitor of coagulation and fibrinolytic status, with point-of-care applications in managing haemorrhaging patients. Advocates have suggested a possible role in managing obstetric haemorrhage. This study aims to develop a pregnancy-specific thrombelastography-guided transfusion algorithm, which could be integrated into the management of postpartum haemorrhage. ⋯ From the assay-specific reference intervals obtained, it was possible to establish a pregnancy-specific thrombelastography-guided transfusion algorithm. Specific features of this transfusion algorithm included the preferential use of activated assays, the need for duplicates and a recommendation that an initial baseline thrombelastography measurement is established for subsequent serial comparisons. This transfusion algorithm has been developed to assist with assessment of coagulation and fibrinolytic status during postpartum haemorrhage.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Nov 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyFifteen-hour day shifts have little effect on the performance of taskwork by anaesthesia trainees during uncomplicated clinical simulation.
Shiftwork and work-hour limits for junior doctors are now well established in hospital work patterns. In order to ensure that trainees have adequate exposure to daytime elective surgical procedures, there is a tendency to have long shifts that include an after-hours component. However, long shifts can cause performance decrement due to time-on-task fatigue. ⋯ In both conditions, there was failure to meet current guidelines for preoperative evaluation or machine check, and when fatigued there was a 'trend' (P=0.06) to a reduction in the number of items in the machine check. With increase in time awake, there was an increase in time taken for explanation to the patient, an increase in mean duration of explanation to the patient, more time looking at the intravenous line or fluids when multi-tasking but less time adjusting the intravenous fluid. These effects are minor during routine uncomplicated induction of anaesthesia, but further investigation is needed to examine fatigue effects during non-routine circumstances.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Nov 2012
Patterns of patient-ventilator asynchrony as predictors of prolonged mechanical ventilation.
Patient-ventilator asynchrony has been associated with adverse outcomes. The largest body of investigation has focused on ineffective ventilator triggering. Nevertheless, the effect of other patterns of asynchrony on patient outcomes is unknown. ⋯ AUC for the dish-out index was 0.88±0.09. AUC for overshoot, delay termination and composite indexes were 0.55±0.12, 0.62±0.12 and 0.70±0.10 respectively. Dish-out index is the best predictor of prolonged mechanical ventilation, compared with other patterns of patient-ventilator asynchrony.