Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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The aim of this review is to examine data relating to perioperative management of the patient with neuromuscular disorders RECENT FINDINGS: Patients with pre-existing neuromuscular disorders are at risk for a number of postoperative complications that are related to anesthetic drugs that are administered intraoperatively. Careful preoperative assessment is necessary to reduce morbidity and mortality. In particular, the risk of postoperative respiratory failure and need for long-term ventilation should be reviewed with patients. The use of succinylcholine should be avoided in muscular dystrophies, motor neuron diseases, and intrinsic muscle disease due to a risk of malignant hyperthermia, hyperkalemia, rhabdomyolysis, and cardiac arrest. The use of quantitative neuromuscular monitoring should be strongly considered whenever nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents are administered. A number of case series and reports have been recently published demonstrating that sugammadex can be safely used in patients with neuromuscular disease; the risk of residual neuromuscular is nearly eliminated when this agent is administered intraoperatively. ⋯ Careful assessment and management of patients with underlying neuromuscular diseases is required to reduce postoperative complications. This article reviews the anesthetic implications of patients undergoing surgery with neuromuscular disorder.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2017
ReviewPediatric sleep-disordered breathing: an update on diagnostic testing.
Recent advances in diagnostic testing for obstructive sleep apnea in children have refined the standard tests while identifying several new tools that hold promise to radically change how we diagnose sleep apnea. ⋯ The gold standard polysomnogram has been refined to permit its application in a modified form at home and for brief examinations in children. This standard has been challenged on several fronts, including questionnaires, nocturnal oximetry, drug-induced sleep endoscopy, and noninvasive urinary biomarkers that may ultimately supplant polysomnography as the gold standard to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in children.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2017
ReviewCurrent applications of big data in obstetric anesthesiology.
The narrative review aims to highlight several recently published 'big data' studies pertinent to the field of obstetric anesthesiology. ⋯ 'Big data' research has important implications for obstetric anesthesia care and warrants continued study. Real-time electronic surveillance is a potentially useful application of big data technology on the labor and delivery unit.
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The purpose of this review is to summarize the most recent up to date research data and recommendations regarding anaesthetic management of patients with liver disease undergoing surgery. The incidence of chronic liver disease (CLD) continues to rise and perioperative mortality and morbidity remains unacceptably high in this group. Meticulous preoperative assessment and carefully planned anaesthetic management are vital in improving outcomes in patients with liver disease undergoing surgery. ⋯ Patients with liver disease undergoing anaesthesia pose significant challenges and advanced planning and preparation are required in order to improve perioperative outcomes in this group. VIDEO ABSTRACT: http://links.lww.com/COAN/A43.
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Adverse long-term impact of general anesthesia on the developing brain is a widely discussed and controversial issue with potential public health relevance. The goal of this article is to give insights into the most recent experimental and clinical observations aimed to advance our understanding in this field. ⋯ Experimental data with reasonable translational relevance suggest that early-life exposure to general anesthetics can induce lasting behavioral and cognitive deficits. In contrast, human studies provide, at best, mixed evidence about developmental anesthesia neurotoxicity. Future research, both experimental and human, is needed to clarify this important issue.