Minerva anestesiologica
-
Minerva anestesiologica · Jan 2018
Perioperative ultrasound applied to diagnosis and decision making in anesthesia.
Ultrasound is a portable and safe technology that is increasingly used to assist anesthetic procedures and has been integrated into the routine practice of a wide range of invasive procedures. As a complementary diagnostic tool, publications related to perioperative support other than vascular access and nerve blocks are currently lacking. ⋯ Since most of the articles included in this review are observational studies with inherent design concerns, there is an urgent requirement for randomized controlled trials in this area. As anesthesiologists become more comfortable and knowledgeable in ultrasound applied to the perioperative support, emergence of protocols with multidisciplinary ultrasound exploration is expected to allow an improvement in perioperative safety.
-
Minerva anestesiologica · Jan 2018
Perioperative management of obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the leading sleep disordered breathing condition, with a prevalence rate of moderate to severe OSA of approximately 10-17% in the general population. ⋯ Preoperative screening of OSA patients is of relevance given the increased perioperative morbidity of these patients. Further studies are needed to provide conclusive data on which perioperative interventions are most effective at reducing this risk.
-
Minerva anestesiologica · Dec 2017
ReviewThe surgical stress response and the potential role of preoperative glucocorticoids on post-anesthesia care unit recovery.
The immediate postoperative course in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) remains a challenge across surgical procedures. Postoperative pain, sedation/cognitive dysfunction, nausea and vomiting (PONV), circulatory and respiratory problems and orthostatic intolerance constitute the bulk of the difficulties that may delay the postoperative recovery. ⋯ The main finding is that current evidence suggests inflammation to potentially impair on almost all organ dysfunctions observed in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), but with a scarcity of intervention studies using glucocorticoids to control inflammation. We, therefore, suggest a future research focus on the role of inflammation and effect of glucocorticoids in the PACU setting to improve patient recovery.
-
Minerva anestesiologica · Dec 2017
ReviewDexmedetomidine and general anesthesia: a narrative literature review of its major indications for use in adults undergoing non-cardiac surgery.
In Europe, dexmedetomidine has marketing approval only for sedation in intensive care units. However, its use during general anesthesia has been widely reported. The aim of this narrative review is to draw a picture of potential indications in anesthesia. ⋯ The properties of dexmedetomidine lead to its use for elective indications such as awake fiberoptic intubation and neurosurgical anesthesia. New topics are under debate. These subjects must be studied thoroughly because of their implication in the patients' surgical course. These advantages must be weighed against the major drawback of dexmedetomidine administration which is the potential for hemodynamic abnormalities.
-
Minerva anestesiologica · Dec 2017
Meta AnalysisRisk of spontaneous fungal peritonitis (SFP) in hospitalized cirrhotic patients with ascites: a systematic review of observational studies and meta-analysis.
Spontaneous fungal peritonitis (SFP) is an infection of ascitic fluid occurring in cirrhotic patients. SFP prevalence varies from 0% to 41% of patients with spontaneous peritonitis (SP) and a positive ascitic fluid culture. Cirrhotic patients with SFP who fail to show improvement with empirical antibiotic therapy, before the identification of the fungal pathogen, have high mortality (89.5-100%). Although the weight of the disease is so dramatic, more recent guidelines on infections in cirrhosis do not consider SFP management. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the association between hospitalization (at least 48-72 hours after admission) and risk of SFP. ⋯ This meta-analysis suggests that hospitalization is related to a significant increase of SFP risk.