Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Perioperative stroke is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, with an incidence that may be underappreciated. In this review, we examine the significance, pathophysiology, risk factors, and evidence-based recommendations for the prevention and management of perioperative stroke. ⋯ Perioperative stroke carries a significant clinical burden. The incidence of perioperative stroke may be higher than previously recognized, and there are diverse pathophysiologic mechanisms. There are many opportunities for further investigation of the pathophysiology, prevention, and management of perioperative stroke.
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Measuring patient-relevant, clinically important, and valid outcomes is fundamental to the delivery of high-quality clinical care and to the innovation and development of such care through research. As surgical innovations become more complex and the burden of age and comorbidities in the surgical patient population continues to increase, understanding the benefits and harms of surgical interventions becomes ever more important. Nevertheless, we can understand only what we can adequately describe. ⋯ This would result in limiting the value of the research effort and depriving patients and clinicians of definitive answers. Collaboration in perioperative medicine-whether between institutions or across continents-has enormous potential to improve the value of research output. Standardizing endpoints for outcome measurement is fundamental to maximizing the quality of such collaboration and ensuring the impact of future perioperative research.
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The purpose of this paper is to review the current evidence relating anesthetic depth to long-term survival after surgery. ⋯ The available evidence on anesthetic depth and long-term survival is inconclusive. Randomized controlled trials with carefully controlled arterial blood pressure are required.
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The purpose of this narrative review is to address perioperative bleeding and transfusion as determinants of adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery. ⋯ Perioperative bleeding itself is a complex syndrome that can be classified as an outcome measure. Red blood cell transfusion has limitations when considered as an outcome variable and can be biased by many confounders. Its relationship with clinical outcome remains uncertain. In addition to being potential outcome measures, transfusion rates and the number of allogeneic blood products transfused may also be considered as quality-of-care markers.