Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Review
Prophylaxis for pediatric postoperative nausea and vomiting: a scoping review of clinical trials.
Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is common in pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia, and clinicians seek prophylactic interventions to prevent its ill effects on patients as well as its ramifications on perioperative care. We sought to assess the body of evidence around prophylactic strategies, both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic, targeting pediatric PONV. ⋯ The majority of data in pediatric PONV prophylaxis is based on pharmacologic interventions, with a paucity of research in nonpharmacologic or mixed interventions. Assessing and documenting PONV using tools such as the Baxter Animated Retching Faces Scale or PONV numeric scoring system may help standardize pediatric PONV prophylaxis research moving forward. Furthermore, concurrently assessing pain and adverse effects associated with PONV might further inform our understanding of this complex clinical entity.
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Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) has an incidence of 20-60% in cardiac surgery. The Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists and the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology Practice Advisory have recommended postoperative beta blockers and amiodarone for the prevention of POAF. By employing quality improvement (QI) strategies, we sought to increase the use of these agents and to reduce the incidence of POAF among our patients undergoing cardiac surgery. ⋯ This single-centre QI intervention increased the use of prophylactic amiodarone by 28% for patients at elevated risk of POAF, with no change in the early postoperative initiation of beta blockers (46.7% of patients by POD1). There was a notable reduction in the incidence of POAF in patients at elevated risk undergoing surgery.
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We sought to develop and validate an Anticipated Surveillance Requirement Prediction Instrument (ASRI) for prediction of prolonged postanesthesia care unit length of stay (PACU-LOS, more than four hours) after ambulatory surgery. ⋯ We developed and validated a preoperative prediction tool for prolonged PACU-LOS after ambulatory surgery that can be used to guide scheduling in ambulatory surgery to optimize PACU use during normal work hours, particularly in settings without limitation of PACU bed availability.