Anaesthesia
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Review Meta Analysis
Prophylactic intravenous tranexamic acid and thromboembolism in non-cardiac surgery: a systematic review, meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.
Tranexamic acid is an antifibrinolytic drug that is widely used during surgery, but there are concerns about its thromboembolic effects. We aimed to investigate the effect of prophylactic intravenous tranexamic acid on thromboembolic outcomes in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. The MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched. ⋯ Intravenous tranexamic acid was associated with a reduced blood transfusion rate compared with control (9.9% vs. 19.4%, risk ratio 0.46, 95%CI 0.41-0.51, p < 0.0001). It was encouraging to see the evidence that the administration of intravenous tranexamic in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery was not associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic outcomes. However, our trial sequential analysis demonstrated that currently available evidence is not yet sufficient to reach a firm conclusion.
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Guidance for the timing of surgery following SARS-CoV-2 infection needed reassessment given widespread vaccination, less virulent variants, contemporary evidence and a need to increase access to safe surgery. We, therefore, updated previous recommendations to assist policymakers, administrative staff, clinicians and, most importantly, patients. Patients who develop symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection within 7 weeks of planned surgery, including on the day of surgery, should be screened for SARS-CoV-2. ⋯ This assessment should include the use of an objective and validated risk prediction tool and shared decision-making, taking into account the patient's own attitude to risk. In most circumstances, surgery should proceed unless risk assessment indicates that the risk of proceeding exceeds the risk of delay. There is currently no evidence to support delaying surgery beyond 7 weeks for patients who have fully recovered from or have had mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Children with difficult tracheal intubation are at increased risk of severe complications, including hypoxaemia and cardiac arrest. Increasing experience with the simultaneous use of videolaryngoscopy and flexible bronchoscopy (hybrid) in adults led us to hypothesise that this hybrid technique could be used safely and effectively in children under general anaesthesia. We reviewed observational data from the international Pediatric Difficult Intubation Registry from 2017 to 2021 to assess the safety and efficacy of hybrid tracheal intubation approaches in paediatric patients. ⋯ Complication rates were similar in both groups (15% (28 complications in 182 attempts) hybrid; 13% (102 complications in 800 attempts) flexible bronchoscope, p = 0.3). The hybrid technique was more likely than flexible bronchoscopy to be used as a rescue technique following the failure of another technique (39% (55/140) vs. 25% (138/560), 2.1 (1.4-3.2) p < 0.001). While technically challenging, the hybrid technique has success rates similar to other advanced airway techniques, few complications and may be considered an alternative technique when developing an airway plan for paediatric patients whose tracheas are difficult to intubate under general anaesthesia.