Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Nov 2015
Review Meta AnalysisThe efficacy of propofol on emergence agitation - a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Emergence agitation (EA) is a common, post-anesthetic complication in pediatric patients following sevoflurane and desflurane anesthesia. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the effects of an adjunctive dose of propofol to reduce the incidence of EA in pediatric patients. ⋯ Future studies on the benefits of adjunct propofol in reducing the incidence of EA are required.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Nov 2015
Effect-site concentration of remifentanil for attenuating QTc interval prolongation following intubation in hypertensive female patients.
Haemodynamic changes after sympathetic stimuli like tracheal intubation are more pronounced in hypertensive patients than in normotensive patients. Heart rate (HR)-corrected QT (QTc) interval changes related to intubation may also be more prominent in hypertensive patients. We hypothesised that there would be a difference in the effect-site concentration (Ce) of remifentanil to attenuate QTc interval prolongation in normotensive and hypertensive patients following intubation. ⋯ The Ce of remifentanil required to attenuate QTc interval prolongation following intubation was significantly higher in hypertensive patients than it was in normotensive patients. Thus, more caution should be taken related to QTc interval prolongation when intubating hypertensive patients.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Nov 2015
ReviewEnhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) for gastrointestinal surgery, part 1: pathophysiological considerations.
The present article has been written to convey concepts of anaesthetic care within the context of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programme, thus aligning the practice of anaesthesia with the care delivered by the surgical team before, during and after surgery. ⋯ Evidence-based strategies aimed at controlling the disruption of homoeostasis need to be evaluated in the context of ERAS programmes. Anaesthesiologists could, therefore, play a crucial role in facilitating the recovery process.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Nov 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialEpinephrine adjuvant reduced epidural blood vessel penetration incidence in a randomized, double-blinded trial.
Accidental intravascular injection is a significant and potentially devastating risk of epidural block, particularly in parturients whose epidural veins are engorged and hence more easily pierced. This prospective randomized, double-blinded study determined whether the addition of epinephrine to epidural ropivacaine administered by gravity before catheter insertion was associated with fewer epidural catheter blood vessel penetrations. ⋯ The addition of epinephrine to ropivacaine improves the safety and quality of epidural anesthesia when administered by gravity flow via the Hustead needle for cesarean sections.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Nov 2015
ReviewMicrocirculatory dysfunction and tissue oxygenation in critical illness.
Severe sepsis is defined by organ failure, often of the kidneys, heart, and brain. It has been proposed that inadequate delivery of oxygen, or insufficient extraction of oxygen in tissue, may explain organ failure. Despite adequate maintenance of systemic oxygen delivery in septic patients, their morbidity and mortality remain high. ⋯ We review how capillary flow patterns affect oxygen extraction efficacy in tissue, and how the regulation of tissue blood flow must be adjusted to meet the metabolic needs of the tissue as capillary flows become disturbed as observed in critical illness. Using the brain, heart, and kidney as examples, we discuss whether disturbed capillary flow patterns might explain the apparent mismatch between organ blood flow and organ function in sepsis. Finally, we discuss diagnostic means of detecting capillary flow disturbance in animal models and in critically ill patients, and address therapeutic strategies that might improve tissue oxygenation by modifying capillary flow patterns.