Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Feb 2025
Unrecognised drug error and subsequent airway management utilising ultrasound-guided cricothyroidotomy and Rapid-O2® oxygen insufflation.
Tubeless microlaryngoscopy optimises surgical access but typically relies on total intravenous anaesthesia, commonly using propofol and remifentanil infusions. We present a difficult airway case where an unrecognised drug error during programming of an infusion pump resulted in unexpected apnoea. ⋯ Furthermore, cricothyroid membrane identification failed with digital palpation but was successful with ultrasonography. While the latter is currently not considered the standard of care for preparing for front-of-neck access in a time-critical 'can't intubate, can't oxygenate' scenario, in our case it proved helpful.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Feb 2025
The impact of the introduction of monitored anaesthesia care in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory on Clinical Review, Rapid Response, and Blue Code rates, and mortality.
Most procedures in cardiac catheterisation laboratories (CCLs) have traditionally been performed under conscious sedation under the supervision of the treating proceduralist. With growing demand for more complex procedures to be performed, in emergencies and in patients with limited cardiorespiratory reserve, a reconsideration of the level of supervision provided is required. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all patients who had CCL procedures and required an overnight stay at Royal North Shore Hospital during a 12-month period prior to introducing monitored anaesthesia care (MAC), compared with a 12-month period following introduction of MAC on selected weekdays. ⋯ We found no statistically significant difference in any of the primary or secondary outcomes between the pre-intervention and post-intervention patients overall. However, we found a statistically significant lower rate of Code Blue calls in patients who had MAC (n = 3, 0.6%) compared with no MAC (n = 31, 2.3%). We also found a significantly lower 24-h mortality in patients who had MAC (n = 1, 0.2%) compared with no MAC (n = 22, 1.6%), but no difference in overall in-hospital mortality.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Feb 2025
A randomised trial to assess the impact of midodrine on early mobilisation after elective primary hip replacement surgery.
Early mobilisation following elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) facilitates quicker rehabilitation, and reduces complications and hospital length of stay. Reasons for delayed mobilisation are multifactorial, but the most common cause is orthostatic intolerance. Midodrine, an oral alpha-1 agonist, is used off-label for perioperative hypotension. ⋯ A preplanned interim analysis showed no statistical difference in ability to mobilise 5 m (78.26% vs 78.95%, P = 1.0). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of orthostatic intolerance between the groups 17.4% vs 31.6% (P = 0.45). Pre-emptive use of midodrine did not improve patient mobilisation the morning after elective primary THA and had no significant effect on the incidence of orthostatic hypotension.