Minerva anestesiologica
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jul 2011
ReviewPerioperative management of proximal hip fractures in the elderly: the surgeon and the anesthesiologist.
The comprehensive management of proximal hip fractures in elderly patients requires dedicated and responsive teamwork. Elderly patients often present with several comorbidities and the immediate treatment of a fracture has to optimize both medical therapy and analgesic control in order to reduce surgical and anesthetic complications and to preserve as much cognitive functioning as possible. The elderly are uniquely exposed to complications related to bed rest, delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), which appear to be independent factors of morbidity. ⋯ The best choice of surgical treatment depends on the type of fracture as well as the patient's age and medical condition. However, the type of anesthesia management, which includes neuraxial blocks, peripheral nerve blocks and/or general anesthesia, has to be tailored towards generated the best outcome. We present a review from a surgical and anesthetic perspective on the most common perioperative issues in proximal fracture repair.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jul 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialCombination of propofol and remifentanil target-controlled infusion for laryngeal mask airway insertion in children.
The addition of remifentanil to propofol administration can improve the conditions for insertion of laryngeal mask airways (LMAs). However, the extent to which remifentanil reduces propofol requirements when both drugs are administered concomitantly via target-controlled infusion (TCI) in pediatric patients has not been adequately demonstrated. The purpose of this study was to determine the target concentration of propofol that is required for LMA insertion at three different remifentanil target concentrations (0, 2.5, and 5 ng kg(-1) min(-1)) during TCI in children. ⋯ A higher target concentration of remifentanil significantly reduced the propofol target concentration for LMA insertion during TCI of both drugs in children, but low concentrations of remifentanil failed to reduce the propofol requirement.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jul 2011
Case ReportsChest ultrasounds to guide manual reexpansion of a postoperative pulmonary atelectasis: a case report.
Reexpansion of a pulmonary atelectasis is often difficult, even after removing possible causes of bronchial obstruction. Chest ultrasounds, inexpensive and readily available at the patient bedside, may offer valuable support to guide recruitment maneuvers. We report the case of a 57-year-old woman that developed a complete collapse of the left lung seven days after undergoing an intestinal resection for perforation. ⋯ Manual reexpansion was then attempted, and ventilatory pressures as well as the duration of forced inspirations were based on real-time ultrasound images. Complete reexpansion was achieved within a few minutes and confirmed by chest X-ray. The patient was weaned from mechanical ventilation on the same day and discharged from ICU three days later.