Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Postoperative delirium often remains undiagnosed and therefore untreated. The purpose of this continuing professional development module is to identify patients at high risk of developing delirium following non-cardiac surgery and to provide tools to aid in the diagnosis of delirium at the bedside. Optimal prevention and treatment strategies are recommended. ⋯ Delirium is a serious condition that must be recognized early and treated promptly to minimize deleterious outcomes. In order to institute prevention strategies and treat the condition effectively when it occurs, the anesthesiologist must be vigilant in identifying patients at risk and in screening for this condition.
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A preoperative machine check is imperative, yet machine faults are missed despite experience. We hypothesized that a simulation training session would improve junior residents' ability to perform a machine check beyond the level of final year residents who received only didactic training. ⋯ Our results suggest that an experiential training session allowed junior residents to achieve skills superior to those of senior colleagues after a five-year residency. This training was retained for two to four years as they continued to outperform their comparative controls.
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Case Reports
A case of drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome complicating airway management.
Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a severe multi-system reaction defined by fever, rash, eosinophilia, and internal organ involvement. The condition typically occurs one to eight weeks following exposure to inciting medications. In severe cases, it can develop into multi-organ system failure and death. We present a case of DRESS syndrome with mucosal edema that led to extreme difficulties with airway management. ⋯ We emphasize the need for early identification of DRESS syndrome as well as the possible airway implications associated with this increasingly recognized clinical entity.