Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Although intensive care unit (ICU) acquired sodium disturbances are common in critically ill patients, few studies have examined sodium disturbances in patients following cardiac surgery. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of ICU-acquired hyponatremia and hypernatremia in patients following cardiac surgery. ⋯ ICU-acquired hyponatremia and hypernatremia are common complications in critically ill patients following cardiac surgery. They are associated with patient demographic and clinical characteristics and an increased risk of hospital mortality.
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The saphenous nerve, a branch of the femoral nerve, is a pure sensory nerve that supplies the anteromedial aspect of the lower leg from the knee to the foot. There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided techniques to block the saphenous nerve. We therefore undertook a retrospective case series to investigate the efficacy of an ultrasound-guided subsartorial approach to saphenous nerve block. ⋯ This case series shows that an ultrasound-guided subsartorial approach to saphenous nerve blockade is a moderately effective means to anesthetize the anteromedial lower extremity. The success rate is based on stringent criteria with an endpoint of postoperative analgesia. A randomized prospective study would provide a more definitive answer regarding the efficacy of this technique for surgical anesthesia.
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Although guidelines for difficult airway management have been published, the extent to which consultant anesthesiologists follow these guidelines has not been determined. The purpose of this study is to observe how consultant anesthesiologists manage a "cannot intubate, cannot ventilate" (CICV) scenario in a high-fidelity simulator and to evaluate whether a simulation teaching session improves their adherence to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) difficult airway algorithm. ⋯ No substantial changes in airway management in a CICV scenario were observed after an intense one-hour personalized video-assisted airway-focused simulation debriefing session with an expert. It appears that multiple factors other than airway algorithms come into play in emergency airway decision-making processes, including one's personal clinical experience with the many available airway devices.