Anaesthesia
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Transferring critically ill patients between intensive care units (ICU) is often required in the UK, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is a paucity of data examining clinical outcomes following transfer of patients with COVID-19 and whether this strategy affects their acute physiology or outcome. We investigated all transfers of critically ill patients with COVID-19 between three different hospital ICUs, between March 2020 and March 2021. ⋯ We also found no meaningful difference in pH; PaCO2 ;, base excess; bicarbonate; or norepinephrine requirements. Our data demonstrate that patients with COVID-19 undergoing mechanical ventilation of the lungs may have short-term physiological deterioration when transferred between nearby hospitals but this resolves within 24 h. This finding is relevant to the UK critical care strategy in the face of unprecedented demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Analgesia for major laparoscopic abdominal surgery: a randomised feasibility trial using intrathecal morphine.
Effective pain control enhances patient recovery after surgery. Laparoscopic techniques for major abdominal surgery are increasingly utilised to reduce surgical trauma. Intrathecal morphine is an attractive analgesic option that is gaining popularity. ⋯ For secondary endpoints, fewer patients in the intrathecal morphine group required opioids in the post-anaesthesia care unit, their postoperative pain scores at rest were lower across the four time-points measured (p = 0.007), but not dynamic pain scores (p = 0.061), and pruritus was more common following intrathecal morphine (p = 0.007). Total oral morphine equivalents until postoperative day 3 were less in the intrathecal morphine group (median (95%CI) difference 82 (-13 to 168) mg), but this reduction was not statistically significant (p = 0.10). These findings support conducting a definitive clinical trial.
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Mortality and morbidity for high-risk surgical patients are often high, especially in low-resource settings. Enhanced peri-operative care has the potential to reduce preventable deaths but must be designed to meet local needs. This before-and-after cohort study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a postoperative 48-hour enhanced care pathway for high-risk surgical patients ('high-risk surgical bundle') who did not meet the criteria for elective admission to intensive care. ⋯ After adjustment, the intervention effect remained significant (RR 0.46 (95%CI 0.30-0.72). The high-risk surgical bundle group received more rapid response team calls (24% vs. 12.6%; RR 0.63 [95%CI 0.49-0.80]) and surgical re-interventions (18.9 vs. 7.5%; RR 0.41 [95%CI 0.30-0.59]). These data suggest that a clinical pathway based on enhanced surveillance for high-risk surgical patients in a resource-constrained setting could reduce in-hospital mortality.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
'Dear Doctor': a randomised controlled trial of a text message intervention to reduce burnout in trainee anaesthetists.
One in four doctors in training in the UK reports feeling 'burnt out' due to their work and similar figures are reported in other countries. This two-group non-blinded randomised controlled trial aimed to determine if a novel text message intervention could reduce burnout and increase well-being in UK trainee anaesthetists. A total of 279 trainee anaesthetists (Core Training Year 2, Specialty Training Years 3 or 4) were included. ⋯ Exploratory post-hoc analysis found the intervention was associated with reduced burnout in participants reporting personal or work-related difficulties during the trial period (-9.56, -17.35 to -1.77, p = 0.02) and in participants reporting that the COVID-19 pandemic had a big negative impact on their well-being (-10.38, -20.57 to -0.19, p = 0.05). Overall, this trial found the intervention had no impact. However, given this intervention is low cost and requires minimal time commitment from recipients, it may warrant adaptation and further evaluation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of pre-operative oral paracetamol on gastric residual volume and pH in young children in the context of a 1-hour clear fluid fast: a randomised controlled trial.
High gastric residual volume and low pH are associated with increased mortality following pulmonary aspiration in animal studies. The use of pre-operative oral paracetamol has not been investigated in younger children and infants in the context of a prescriptive 1-h clear fluid fast aimed at reducing the risk of pulmonary aspiration while improving patient experience. Children aged 1 month up to a weight of 25 kg and scheduled for elective surgery were randomly allocated to receive a prescribed 3.6 ml.kg-1 drink of water alone (water group) or 3 ml.kg-1 water and oral Infant Calpol® syrup (24 mg.ml-1 concentration, equivalent volume 0.6 ml.kg-1 , paracetamol group) 1 h before the induction of anaesthesia. ⋯ There was no significant difference in gastric residual volume (p = 1) or pH (p = 0.99) between the water and the paracetamol groups. Sub-group analysis revealed no significant difference in gastric residual volume or pH for 29 children who weighed < 10 kg compared with > 10 kg. Using a prescriptive fluid regime of 3 ml.kg-1 of water, the addition of oral paracetamol syrup did not significantly alter gastric residual volume or pH in the context of a 1-h fast in infants and young children.