Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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The exacerbation of chronic lung disease, bronchospasm, atelectasis, pneumonia, and respiratory failure with prolonged mechanical ventilation are considered to be clinically relevant postoperative pulmonary complications associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Careful history taking and a thorough physical examination are the most sensitive ways to identify patients at risk. Lung function tests serve as management tools for optimizing preoperative therapy and to assess postoperative lung function and individual risk in lung resection candidates. ⋯ The cessation of smoking, optimizing nutritional status and physiotherapy serve to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications. Moreover, medical therapy is recommended, especially for patients with obstructive airway diseases. In the absence of controlled clinical trials, medical therapy along the respective guidelines, with the primary goals of minimizing symptoms and improving lung function to the optimum seems to be a reasonable approach.
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General anaesthesia is still the most common anaesthetic technique in the ambulatory surgery setting. With the introduction of propofol, total intravenous anaesthesia gained widespread acceptance. Recently, the combination with remifentanil, an ultra-short acting opioid analgesic, allowed even more control over the duration of the anaesthetic. ⋯ No differences have so far been demonstrated in respect to long-term recovery, discharge from the post-anaesthesia care unit and discharge from the ambulatory care centre. Currently the anaesthesiologist has the possibility to choose his preferred anaesthetic technique based on individual patient needs, the surgery performed and the side-effects each technique may have. However, in contrast to the situation at the beginning of the 1990s total intravenous anaesthesia is not the technique that fits all needs but balanced anaesthesia presents an alternative.
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Regional anaesthesia plays an important role in day case surgery because it combines reliable effects with low risk and the possibility of local postoperative analgesia without systemic side-effects. Fast-track regional anaesthesia allows short-term postoperative surveillance or even bypassing the post-anaesthesia care unit. ⋯ Multiple peripheral nerve stimulation and injection techniques may help to realize differential blockades with a pronounced analgesic rather than a motor blocking effect. Nerve blocks with local anaesthetics in combination with alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and short-acting parenteral opioids represent an effective multimodal concept for ambulatory surgery.
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In past years, cerebral monitoring was mostly focused around global cerebral perfusion and metabolism monitoring, with the use of transcranial Doppler recordings, jugular bulb oximetry and near-infrared spectroscopy. Most of the recently introduced cerebral monitoring modalities, such as brain tissue partial oxygen tension monitoring and cerebral microdialysis, offer new opportunities by providing regional information on the specific brain area in which the probe is inserted. ⋯ In this case, the combination of global and regional cerebral monitoring might offer the best information on which to base patient management. Also, the introduction of more clinically useful, functional neuroimaging techniques may be a valuable adjunct to future neurological critical care management.
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Combining regional and general anaesthesia can have many advantages, particularly in patients undergoing major thoracic, abdominal or orthopaedic surgery. The use of regional anaesthetic techniques in anaesthetized children is an accepted standard of care, because needle and procedure phobias are very common and can result in severe anxiety, an inability to cooperate and sudden unpredictable movement. Epidural local anaesthetics have the potential of attenuating sympathetic hyperactivity, maintaining bowel peristalsis, sparing the use of opioids, and facilitating postoperative feeding and out-of-bed activity. ⋯ The present review focuses on the use of a combination of regional and general anaesthesia for a variety of surgical procedures. It also compares the two anaesthetic techniques in elderly patients. The review is based on studies published during the past year.