British journal of anaesthesia
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Frailty is an established risk factor for morbidity and mortality in older patients undergoing surgery. In people with critical illness before surgery, few data describe patient-centred outcomes. Our objective was to estimate the association of frailty with postoperative days alive at home in older critically ill patients requiring emergency general surgery. ⋯ In patients with critical illness requiring emergency general surgery, frailty is associated with fewer days alive at home. This information should be discussed with critically ill patients before emergent surgical intervention to better inform decision-making.
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Hypoxaemia during general anaesthesia can cause harm. Apnoeic oxygenation extends safe apnoea time, reducing risk during airway management. We hypothesised that low-flow nasal oxygenation (LFNO) would extend safe apnoea time similarly to high-flow nasal oxygenation (HFNO), whilst allowing face-mask preoxygenation and rescue. ⋯ There is likely to be clinical benefit to using LFNO, given that LFNO and HFNO extend safe apnoea time similarly, particularly when BMI ≥40 kg m-2. Additional benefits to LFNO include the facilitation of rescue face-mask ventilation and ability to monitor FE'O2 during preoxygenation.