Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2010
ReviewAre there still limitations for the use of target-controlled infusion in children?
Target controlled infusion (TCI) devices are gaining popularity among paediatric anaesthesia practitioners because propofol and short-acting opioids allow rapid onset and offset of action, reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting, reduce emergence delirium, lessen exposure to atmospheric pollutants and can be used in peripheral locations. Widespread use remains limited and this review examines reasons why children do not yet enjoy such benefits. ⋯ Hardware limitations, a lack of integrated pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies and target monitoring issues restrict use. Intravenous induction remains a hurdle, but increasing familiarity with the technique guarantees continued use for maintenance anaesthesia.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2010
ReviewUse of clotting factors and other prohemostatic drugs for obstetric hemorrhage.
To guide the optimal use of blood products and to clarify the indications for prohemostatic drugs in obstetric hemorrhage. ⋯ It seems reasonable to use blood products for transfusion earlier and in a 1: 1 fresh frozen plasma: red blood cell ratio during acute obstetric hemorrhage; however, this analysis is mainly based on trauma literature. Fibrinogen concentrate should be added if the fibrinogen plasma level remains below 1.0 g l(-1) and perhaps even as soon as it falls below 1.5-2.0 g l(-1); the addition of tranexamic acid (1 g) is cheap, likely to be useful and appears safe. Data on the proactive administration of platelets are insufficient to recommend this practice routinely. Presently, recombinant factor VIIa (60-90 microg kg(-1)) is advocated only after failure of other conventional therapies, including embolization or conservative surgery, but prior to obstetric hysterectomy. Prospective randomized controlled trials are highly desirable.
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One of the newest strategies to enlarge the pool of organ donors is to consider the category of donors after cardiac death rather than only after brain death. Prompt and accurate identification of potential donors and appropriate care is necessary to optimize the management of nonheartbeating donors. ⋯ In order to increase the number of organs available for transplantation, donation from nonheartbeating donors has been recently proposed. Identification of the key aspects of the donation after cardiac death should be fully achieved by the team involved in the transplantation program. Development of hospital policies and identification of receivers who are most likely to benefit from this strategy require further studies to assess long-term outcome and to identify ethical aspects concerning different religious and cultural backgrounds.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2010
ReviewAnesthetic management of the patient with epilepsy or prior seizures.
Epilepsy is a clinical disorder of paroxysmal recurring seizures, the diagnosis excluding alcohol or drug withdrawal seizures or such recurring exogenous events as repeated insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Epilepsy has a profound impact on each individual diagnosed with this disease. ⋯ The primary concerns for providing anesthesia to the patient with epilepsy are the capacity of anesthetics to modulate or potentiate seizure activity and the interaction of anesthetic drugs with AEDs. Proconvulsant and anticonvulsant properties have been reported for virtually every anesthetic such that these properties become elements of the anesthetic plan in the patient with epilepsy. Moreover, AEDs have many physiologic and pharmacologic effects that can have an impact on an anesthetic.