Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Oct 2022
ReviewRegional anesthesia and analgesia for trauma: an updated review.
This narrative review is an updated summary of the value of regional anesthesia and analgesia for trauma and the special considerations when optimizing pain management and utilizing regional analgesia for acute traumatic pain. ⋯ Our ability to save life and limb has improved, but our ability to manage acute traumatic pain continues to lag. Understanding trauma-specific concerns and tailoring the analgesia to a patient's specific injuries can increase a patient's immediate comfort and long-term outcome as well.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Oct 2022
ReviewCerebral metabolic derangements following traumatic brain injury.
Outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains variable, and derangements in cerebral metabolism are a common finding in patients with poor outcome. This review compares our understanding of cerebral metabolism in health with derangements seen following TBI. ⋯ Mitochondrial dysfunction and the use of alternative energy substrates are potential therapeutic targets, but improved understanding of the causes, impact and significance of metabolic derangements in clinical TBI are needed. Maintaining adequate oxygen and glucose delivery across the injured brain may accelerate the recovery of mitochondrial function and cerebral energy metabolism and remain important management targets.
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This article aims to summarize the current literature describing the application of erector spinae plane (ESP) blocks for regional anesthesia of upper and lower limbs and to discuss the advantages and limitations. ⋯ High thoracic and lumbar ESP blocks have the potential to provide adequate analgesia of the upper and lower limbs respectively, without causing significant motor block. They are thus alternative methods of regional anesthesia when other techniques are not feasible or have undesirable adverse effects.
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Complex spinal surgery is associated with significant postoperative pain. The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature on postoperative pain management in adult and adolescent patients having complex spinal surgery. ⋯ Pain management after complex spinal surgery remains challenging. Therefore, further studies are still required to determine the optimal multimodal analgesic regimen for these patients.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Oct 2022
ReviewBrain death/death by neurologic criteria determination: an update.
Brain death, also known as death by neurologic criteria (DNC), is a well-established concept. In this article, we present a short history of the concept and give an overview of recent changes and a practical update on diagnosis and definitions of brain death/DNC. Unresolved issues will be discussed. ⋯ There are two sets of criteria for declaration of death. First, if there is neither cardiac output nor respiratory effort, then cardiopulmonary criteria are used. Second, if both the cerebrum and brainstem have completely and permanently lost all functions, and there is a persistent coma, absent brainstem reflexes and no spontaneous respiratory effort, death can be declared on the basis of brain death/DNC. Although attempts to formulate uniform criteria are ongoing, consensus has been reached on the minimum criteria. Some inconsistencies and questions remain.