British journal of anaesthesia
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The 7th National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (NAP7) recommended that an emergency call system be immediately accessible in all anaesthesia locations. It is essential that all theatre team members can rapidly call for help to reduce the risk of patient harm. However, the ability of staff to activate this system in a timely manner can be affected by cluttered or unfamiliar environments and cognitive overload. One proposed strategy to enable rapid identification and activation of emergency call systems is to install a red vertical painted stripe on the wall from the ceiling to the activation button. We investigated the effect of introducing this vertical red line on activation times in operating theatres in the UK and Australia. ⋯ This simple, safe, and inexpensive design intervention should be considered as a design standard in all operating theatres to minimise delays in calling for help.
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Preoperative anaemia is common in patient undergoing colorectal surgery. Understanding the population-level costs of preoperative anaemia will inform development and evaluation of anaemia management at health system levels. ⋯ Approximately $2671 CAD per person in 30-day health system costs are attributable to preoperative anaemia after colorectal surgery in Ontario, Canada.
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Observational Study
Mortality following noncardiac surgery assessed by the Saint Louis University Score (SLUScore) for hypotension: a retrospective observational cohort study.
The Saint Louis University Score (SLUScore) was developed to quantify intraoperative blood pressure trajectories and their associated risk for adverse outcomes. This study examines the prevalence and severity of intraoperative hypotension described by the SLUScore and its relationship with 30-day mortality in surgical subtypes. ⋯ The SLUScore was independently, but variably, associated with 30-day mortality after noncardiac surgery.
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Letter Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of intravenous dexamethasone and perineural ropivacaine on axillary block duration: analysis of two single-centre randomised trials.