Journal of clinical monitoring and computing
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J Clin Monit Comput · May 2021
Association between intraoperative nociception and surgical invasiveness in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia: a retrospective cohort study.
There are several indexes of intraoperative nociception during surgery under general anesthesia. Although a higher degree of surgical invasiveness increases intraoperative nociception, an association between the index of intraoperative nociception and severity of surgical invasiveness has not been reported. We hypothesized that there is associations between averaged values of nociceptive response (NR) throughout surgery (mean NR), as the index of intraoperative nociception, and surgical severity codes in the Surgical outcome risk tool (SORT) or procedure risk codes in the Surgical mortality probability model (S-MPM). ⋯ There were significant increases in the three categories of procedure risk in the S-MPM corresponding to the increase in mean NR values in 5090 patients. In the SORT, the highest intensity in the four categories of surgical severity also significantly correlated with the increase in mean NR values. Increasing intensity of intraoperative nociception is likely associated with higher severity codes of surgical invasiveness in prediction models for postoperative morbidity and mortality.
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J Clin Monit Comput · May 2021
Development of an aviation-style computerized checklist displayed on a tablet computer for improving handoff communication in the post-anesthesia care unit.
Critical patient care information is often omitted or misunderstood during handoffs, which can lead to inefficiencies, delays, and sometimes patient harm. We implemented an aviation-style post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) handoff checklist displayed on a tablet computer to improve PACU handoff communication. We developed an aviation-style computerized checklist system for use in procedural rooms and adapted it for tablet computers to facilitate the performance of PACU handoffs. ⋯ A total of 209 PACU handoffs were observed before and 210 after the implementation of the tablet-based PACU handoff checklist. The average proportion of PACU handoff items communicated increased from 49.3% (95% CI 47.7-51.0%) before checklist implementation to 72.0% (95% CI 69.2-74.9%) after checklist implementation (p < 0.001). A tablet-based aviation-style handoff checklist resulted in an increase in PACU handoff items communicated, but did not have an effect on patient outcomes.
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J Clin Monit Comput · May 2021
A comparison of the quality of image acquisition between two different sidestream dark field video-microscopes.
Sidestream dark field (SDF) imaging enables direct visualisation of the microvasculature from which quantification of key variables is possible. The new MicroScan USB3 (MS-U) video-microscope is a hand-held SDF device that has undergone significant technical upgrades from its predecessor, the MicroScan Analogue (MS-A). The MS-U claims superior quality of sublingual microcirculatory image acquisition over the MS-A, however, this has yet to be robustly confirmed. ⋯ MS-U showed superior image quality over MS-A in three of out six MIQS traits; MS-U had significantly more optimal images by illumination (MS-U 95% optimal images, MS-A 70% optimal images (p-value 0.003)), by focus (MS-U 70% optimal images, MS-A 35% optimal images (p-value 0.002)) and by pressure (MS-U 72.5% optimal images, MS-A 47.5% optimal images (p-value 0.02)). For each trait, there was at least 85% agreement between the raters, and all the scores for each trait were independent of the rater (all p-values > 0.05). These results show that the new MS-U provides a superior quality of sublingual microcirculatory image acquisition when compared to old MS-A.
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J Clin Monit Comput · May 2021
A new photoplethysmographic device for continuous assessment of urethral mucosa perfusion: evaluation in a porcine model.
This study proposes to evaluate an innovative device consisting of an indwelling urinary catheter equipped with a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor in contact with the urethral mucosa that provides a continuous index called urethral perfusion index (uPI). The goal of this study was to determine if the uPI could bring out tissue perfusion modifications induced by hypotension and vasopressors in a porcine model. Twelve piglets were equipped for heart rate, MAP, cardiac index, stroke volume index, systemic vascular resistance index and uPI monitoring. ⋯ This relationship, assessed with the GLMM, yielded a significant positive fixed effect coefficient (+ 0.2, P < 0.00001) below the DT and a significant negative fixed effect (- 0.14, P < 0.00001) above DT. In an experimental setting, the PPG device and its index uPI permitted the detection of urethral mucosa perfusion alterations associated with hypotension or excessive doses of vasopressors. Further studies are needed to evaluate this device in a clinical context.
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J Clin Monit Comput · May 2021
Patterns in continuous pulse oximetry data prior to pulseless electrical activity arrest in the general care setting.
The study objective was to understand if features derived from continuous pulse oximetry data can provide advanced warning of pulseless electrical activity arrest in the general care inpatient setting. Retrospective analysis of SpO2 and pulse rate data derived from continuous pulse oximetry was performed for pulseless electrical activity (n = 38) and control (n = 42) patient cohorts. Measures of central tendency and variation over time intervals ranging from 1 min to 1 h were used for inter- and intra-group comparisons. ⋯ Similar results were found for SpO2 features 10 min before the event (> 4% difference in mean, > 60% difference in range). There is a significant difference in SpO2 and pulse rate features derived from continuous pulse oximetry between pulseless electrical activity and control groups. Integration of automated feature calculation and clinician notification into clinical monitoring and information systems may increase patient safety by supporting early detection of such events.