British journal of anaesthesia
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Sedation for medical procedures is provided in a variety of clinical settings by medical personnel with differing levels of education and training. Although generally a safe practice, there is a degree of morbidity and mortality associated with sedation practice. Monitoring standards continue to be refined by professional societies with the goal of improving care. ⋯ Patient-controlled sedation pumps and target-controlled infusion devices have been developed to improve patient care and satisfaction. A computer-assisted propofol sedation device to be used by non-anaesthesiologists has been approved in the USA by the Food and Drug Administration. More computer-assisted sedation delivery devices are likely to be developed, but their clinical utility is unclear.
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Observational Study
Interrater reliability of qualitative ultrasound assessment of gastric content in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents in pregnant women undergoing general anaesthesia is one of the most feared complications in obstetric anaesthesia. Bedside gastric ultrasonography is a feasible imaging tool to assess the gastric content. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of qualitative bedside assessment of the gastric content performed by anaesthesiologists on third trimester pregnant women. ⋯ ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01564030.
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Morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) is a strong µ-receptor agonist with higher affinity than morphine itself. It has been suggested that M6G contributes to the analgesic effect after administration of morphine, but the extent of its contribution remains unclear. ⋯ When administering morphine to patients, the analgesic effect is mainly caused by M6G instead of morphine itself, irrespective of the route of administration. Therefore, the patient's kidney function plays a key role in determining the optimal daily dose of morphine.
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Paediatric sedation has expanded in volume and demand over the past decade. In parallel with the increasing demand for and delivery of sedation by multi-specialty providers, conflicting political agendas have surfaced. ⋯ This review highlights the important contributions to paediatric sedation over the past century. Considerations include the barriers and politics that impede progress and also future advances and contributions that may lie ahead.
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Intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating cause of stroke. Although the total incidence of ICH has remained stable worldwide, the proportion associated with the use of anticoagulant medications is increasing. Innovative interventions developed to improve patient outcomes often require peri-procedure anaesthetic management. This non-systematic review examines the pathophysiology of ICH at a clinical level, reports on novel therapeutic interventions, many of which are currently in clinical trials, and reviews the current published recommendations for the management of patients with ICH.