Journal of anesthesia
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Journal of anesthesia · Jun 2016
Hemodynamic monitoring and management in high-risk surgery: a survey among Japanese anesthesiologists.
The aim of this study was to assess the current practices of hemodynamic management in high-risk surgical patients among Japanese anesthesiologists. An invitation letter to the survey, which included 35 questions related to hemodynamic monitoring in high-risk surgery, was mailed to every hospital approved by the Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists (JSA) (1260 hospitals). Of the 692 JSA respondents, 573 completed the survey. ⋯ SVV was more commonly used (76 %) as an indicator of volume expansion among JSA respondents, while central venous pressure was less frequently used (48 %). Despite a broader use of advanced hemodynamic monitoring, optimization of CO is still poorly protocolized and applied in Japan. The development of guidelines and protocols for hemodynamic management, including the establishment of strong evidence aimed at improving clinical outcomes, is needed to assist anesthesiologists in more universal adoption of perioperative CO optimization.
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Journal of anesthesia · Jun 2016
Case ReportsA case of delayed respiratory depression caused by accidental subcutaneous opioid infusion.
We report a case of delayed respiratory depression due to accidental subcutaneous opioid infusion. A healthy 33-year-old woman underwent orthopedic surgery under general anesthesia. ⋯ The patient recovered with the use of jaw lift together with bag-valve-mask ventilation. We believe that accidental subcutaneous opioid accumulation may have caused the respiratory depression.
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Journal of anesthesia · Jun 2016
Case ReportsTwo cases of compartment syndrome of the lower extremities during surgery for gynecological malignancies.
Two cases of compartment syndrome of the lower extremities occurring during surgery for gynecological malignancies are reported. In addition to the risk from being in the lithotomy position for over 4 h, these two cases were believed to have been caused by the combined use of a disposable wound retractor and abdominal retractors to secure the operative field. ⋯ Prolonged compression of the external iliac vein by a disposable wound retractor and abdominal retractors is believed to have induced congestion of the lower extremities, eventually resulting in compartment syndrome. To verify this, during subsequent surgeries of the same type, changes in the diameters of femoral arteries and veins when a disposable wound retractor and abdominal retractors were used were monitored using an ultrasound device, and the findings confirmed that changes in vascular diameter do occur.
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Journal of anesthesia · Jun 2016
Case ReportsFluoroscopically guided tunneled trans-caudal epidural catheter technique for opioid-free neonatal epidural analgesia.
Epidural analgesia confers significant perioperative advantages to neonates undergoing surgical procedures but may be very technically challenging to place using a standard interlaminar loss-of-resistance to saline technique given the shallow depth of the epidural space. Thoracic epidural catheters placed via the caudal route may reduce the risk of direct neural injury from needle placement, but often pose higher risks of infection and/or improper positioning if placed without radiographic guidance. ⋯ The accuracy and precision of this technique often provides adequate analgesia to allow for opioid-free epidural infusions as well as significant reductions in systemic opioids through the perioperative period. Opioid-free analgesia using a regional anesthetic technique allows for earlier extubation and reduced perioperative sedation, which may have a less deleterious neurocognitive effect on the developing brain of the neonate.
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Journal of anesthesia · Jun 2016
Same day admission for elective cardiac surgery: how to improve outcome with satisfaction and decrease expenses.
Admission on the day of surgery for elective cardiac and non-cardiac surgery has been established as a prevalent, critical practice. This approach realizes medical, logistical, psychological and fiscal benefits, and its success is predicated on an effective outpatient pre-operative evaluation. The establishment of a highly functional pre-operative clinic with a comprehensive set-up and efficient logistical pathways is invaluable. ⋯ Evaluating patients prior to admission for surgery, anesthesiologists can place themselves at the forefront of reducing unnecessary pre-operative hospital admissions, excess lab tests, unneeded consultations, and ultimately decrease the cancellations on the day of surgery. Furthermore, by taking a leadership role in the pre-operative clinic, anesthesiologists place themselves squarely at the forefront of the burgeoning movement for the peri-operative surgical home and continue to cement the indispensability of the anesthesiologist during the entire peri-operative course. The authors present this review as a follow-up describing the successful implementation of a pre-operative same-day cardiac surgery clinic and offer these experiences over the last 8 years as a guide to helping other anesthesiologists do the same.