British journal of anaesthesia
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Neurogenic stress cardiomyopathy (NSC) is a well-known syndrome complicating the early phase after an acute brain injury, potentially affecting outcomes. This article is a review of recent data on the putative role of localization and lateralization of brain lesions in NSC, cardiac innervation abnormalities, and new polymorphisms and other genetic causes of the sympathetic nervous system over-activity. Concerns regarding the management of stress-related cardiomyopathy syndromes during the perioperative period are also discussed. Future clinical research should explore whether specific factors explain different patient susceptibilities to the disease and should be directed towards early identification and stratification of patients at risk, so that such patients can be more carefully monitored and appropriately managed in critical care and during the perioperative period.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Opioid-free total intravenous anaesthesia reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting in bariatric surgery beyond triple prophylaxis.
Patients undergoing bariatric surgery are at high risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Despite triple PONV prophylaxis, up to 42.7% of patients require antiemetic rescue medication (AERM). ⋯ This prospective randomized study demonstrates that opioid-free TIVA is associated with a large reduction in relative risk of PONV compared with balanced anaesthesia. Clinical trial registration NCT 01449708 (ClinicalTrials.gov).
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Practice Guideline
Initial assessment and management of pain: a pathway for care developed by the British Pain Society.
There is wide variation in how pain is managed in the UK. Patients often find themselves caught in a sea of referrals while continuing to suffer with poorly relieved symptoms. The British Pain Society's (BPS) Initial Assessment and Management of Pain care pathway (one of the five new BPS care pathways published by the Map of Medicine(®)) sets out how best to initially manage persistent pain. ⋯ Early identification of people at high risk of chronic disability may allow more intensive management, better use of resources, and reduction in disability. Implementation poses significant challenges; more research is needed to determine the most effective interventions. This article highlights practice points for the non-specialist, discusses areas of controversy, and examines the challenges of implementation.
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Clinical Trial
Preoperative fasting does not affect haemodynamic status: a prospective, non-inferiority, echocardiography study.
The link between preoperative fasting and hypovolaemia remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that preoperative fasting does not significantly increase the proportion of patients with hypovolaemia according to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) criteria. ⋯ Preoperative fasting did not alter TTE dynamic and static preload indices in ASA I-III adult patients. These results suggest that preoperative fasting does not induce significant hypovolaemia. Clinical trial registration NCT 01258361.
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We report the case of a patient who underwent third time revision of double heart valve replacement. Mediastinal dissection for right atrium cannulation was complicated by laceration of the superior vena cava; this required temporary rescue clamping of the vessel. The patient suffered complete visual loss related to bilateral retrobulbar haematoma. Acute elevation of superior vena cava pressure due to vascular clamping and administration of large amounts of fluid through the central venous jugular catheter could have caused the postoperative visual loss.