Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Feb 2019
ReviewA surgical perspective of ERAS guidelines in thoracic surgery.
Guidelines for enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) have recently been published for lung surgery. Although some of the recommendations are generic or focused on anesthetic and nursing care, other recommendations are more specific to a thoracic surgeon's practice. The present review concentrates on the surgical approach, optimal chest drain management, and the importance of early mobilization. ⋯ The use of ERAS after lung surgery has the potential to improve patient outcomes. Although specific surgical elements are in the minority, thoracic surgeons should be involved in all aspects of perioperative care as part of the wider multidisciplinary team.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Feb 2019
ReviewPain therapy for the elderly patient: is opioid-free an option?
Chronic noncancer pain is an increasing problem in elderly because of rising life expectancy together with an increase of potentially painful medical conditions. Concomitantly, adequate treatment of elderly is often limited by coexisting diseases and polypharmacy.This review summarizes the most important specifics presented by elderly patients and discusses the pharmacological and nonpharmacological options of pain management. ⋯ Adequate pain management of elderly patients constitutes numerous pharmacological options including nonopioids, opioids, coanalgesics and topical agents. Due to age-related characteristics, all systemic analgesics have to be given very cautiously ('start low, go slow'). Whenever possible, treatment should be performed as a multimodal approach based on the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Feb 2019
ReviewBiomarkers and postoperative cognitive function: could it be that easy?
Neurocognitive dysfunction after surgery is highly relevant in the elderly. The multifactorial manner of this syndrome has made it hard to define an ideal biomarker to predict individual risk and assess diagnosis and severity of delirium [postoperative delirium (POD)] and subsequent postoperative cognitive decline (POCD). This review summarizes recent literature on blood biomarkers for POD/POCD. ⋯ Single markers for postoperative cognitive impairment cannot predict POD/POCD in geriatric patients. However, a wisely arranged battery of promising biomarkers might achieve a satisfying sensitivity and specificity for the preoperative assessment of subsequent cognitive decline. Adequately powered studies to prove this hypothesis are required.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Feb 2019
ReviewIncremental value of noncerebral somatic tissue oxygenation monitoring for patients undergoing surgery.
There is increasing interest in the use of noncerebral somatic tissue oxygen saturation (SstO2) monitoring on the basis of near-infrared spectroscopy in patients undergoing surgery or residing in intensive care unit. The relevant question is whether SstO2 monitoring can improve the quality of care. In this article, we reviewed the clinical application of SstO2 monitoring in acute care, focusing on its use in patients undergoing surgery. ⋯ Somatic tissue oxygenation may represent an essential aspect of human physiology in acute care, and it is likely outcome-relevant based on observational cohort studies. Future research should examine whether SstO2-guided care can further improve patient outcomes using randomized controlled trials.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Feb 2019
ReviewSpinal cord perfusion protection for thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery.
Spinal cord ischemia (SCI) is a devastating complication after open or endovascular aortic repair for thoracoabdominal aortic disease. The underlying pathogenesis is not fully understood but appears multifactorial. Multiple spinal cord protection strategies and monitoring techniques are currently utilized with variable results seen. The purpose of this review is to summarize important and recent findings related to cause, monitoring and impact of multiple spinal cord protection strategies. ⋯ SCI leading to paraplegia is a multifactorial complication that remains a major concern in complex aortic surgeries. Although there are no sufficient data to document the efficacy of spinal cord protection techniques individually, their effect on lowering the risk of SCI is most evident when used concomitantly using a multimodal approach that encompasses the perioperative and early postoperative period.