British journal of anaesthesia
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Review Meta Analysis
Aspirin and coronary artery surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Aspirin administration before cardiac surgery represents a balance between preventing perioperative thrombotic events and promoting surgical bleeding. Clear evidence to guide the preoperative use of aspirin in patients undergoing cardiac surgery is lacking.This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of preoperative aspirin, in patients undergoing coronary artery surgery. ⋯ In patients undergoing coronary artery surgery, preoperative aspirin reduces perioperative MI, but at a cost of increased bleeding, blood transfusion, and surgical re-exploration.
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Advances in computer technology, patient monitoring systems, and electronic health record systems have enabled rapid accumulation of patient data in electronic form (i.e. big data). Organizations such as the Anesthesia Quality Institute and Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group have spearheaded large-scale efforts to collect anaesthesia big data for outcomes research and quality improvement. ⋯ Visual analytics is the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces, and it can facilitate performance of cognitive activities involving big data. Ongoing integration of big data and analytics within anaesthesia and health care will increase demand for anaesthesia professionals who are well versed in both the medical and the information sciences.
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Cardiovascular resuscitation is a cornerstone of critical care practice. Experimental advances have increased our understanding of the role of the microcirculation in shock states and the development of multi-organ failure. Strategies that target the microcirculation in such conditions, while theoretically appealing, have not yet been shown to impact upon clinical outcomes. This review outlines the current understanding of microcirculatory dysfunction in septic, cardiogenic, and hypovolaemic shock and outlines available treatments and strategies with reference to their effects upon the microcirculation.
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Tissue oxygen tension is the partial pressure of oxygen within the interstitial space of an organ bed. As it represents the balance between local oxygen delivery and consumption at any given time, it offers a ready monitoring capability to assess the adequacy of tissue perfusion relative to local demands. This review covers the various methodologies used to measure tissue oxygen tension, describes the underlying physiological and pathophysiological principles, and summarizes human and laboratory data published to date.