Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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The purpose of this review is to focus on recent literature about sedation or anaesthesia in paediatric MRI. Special features of the MRI working environment, recent studies about sedation or anaesthesia, and success rates and risk profiles in this setting are presented. Finally, information for physicians to decide between sedation or anaesthesia in individual situations is presented. ⋯ The MRI unit is a work station where all processes have to be well planned and staff trained to guarantee maximum patient safety, superior quality of imaging and economic needs. For optimal performance trained, experienced and certified personnel, appropriate drugs for the individual patient risk profile and sufficient monitoring equipment are essential.
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Interventions in the cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) requiring anaesthetic expertise are becoming routine. These interventions involve a heterogeneous patient population and take place in an offsite location. This review aims to give an insight into anaesthetic issues surrounding certain interventions and the challenges encountered in an offsite location. ⋯ Interventions in the CCL have developed to such an extent that dedicated anaesthesia teams are required in order to cope with the complexities of the patient populations, the interventions and the challenges brought by the offsite nature of the CCL.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Aug 2010
ReviewSugammadex: a selective relaxant-binding agent providing rapid reversal.
Sugammadex is a new reversal agent with a unique mechanism of action in anaesthesia. Because of its rapid onset of action and its efficacy in determining neuromuscular blockade at any time, it opens up new perspectives in anaesthesia. ⋯ Sugammadex binds amino-steroidal muscle relaxants by encapsulation. It enables rapid reversal of neuromuscular blockade at any time point and at any depth of block. Its effects are predictable and very reliable, in contrast to cholinesterase inhibitors. This opens up new perspectives in anaesthesia. Even an emergency reversal of high-dose rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade is possible with sugammadex and times to full recovery (TOF 0.9) are faster than after spontaneous recovery from suxamethonium.
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Ketamine has been repeatedly reviewed in this journal but novel developments have occurred in the last few years prompting an update. Interesting recent publications will be highlighted against a background of established knowledge. ⋯ More questions have arisen than have been answered. Some have very grave implications. The issue of neuroapoptosis must be clarified. The long-term effects must be further investigated. On the bright side the effects on postoperative delirium, as well as the anti-inflammatory and antidepressive effects, might open new vistas for an old drug.