Minerva anestesiologica
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jan 2016
How to advance prediction of postoperative delirium? A secondary analysis comparing three methods for very early assessment of elderly patients after surgery and early prediction of delirium.
Postoperative impairment of the cerebral function can appear immediately after general anesthesia and may be predictive for a postoperative delirium. We compared three tools assessing patients on recovery room admission in order to detect early signs of postoperative brain dysfunction: the Postanesthetic Recovery Score (PARS), the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) and the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (Nu-DESC). ⋯ The RASS and Nu-DESC were independent predictors for a delirium within seven postoperative days. Very early assessment of the cerebral function may help to advance detection, prevention and treatment of postoperative delirium in elderly patients.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jan 2016
ReviewDynamic airway pressure-time curve profile (stress index): a systematic review.
The assessment of respiratory mechanics at the bedside is necessary in order to identify the most protective ventilatory strategy. Indeed in the last 20 years, adverse effects of positive ventilation to the lung structures have led to a reappraisal of the objectives of mechanical ventilation. ⋯ Among the different methods that have been proposed and validated, the analysis of dynamic P-t curve (named Stress Index, SI) represents an adequate tool available at the bedside, repeatable and, therefore, able to identify the amount of overdistension occurring in the daily clinical practice, when modifying positive end-expiratory pressure. In this review we will analyze the evidence that supports respiratory mechanics assessment at the bedside and the application of the dynamic P/t curve profile (SI) to optimize protective ventilation in patients with acute respiratory failure.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jan 2016
Review Meta AnalysisBedside predictors of difficult intubation: a systematic review.
Unanticipated difficult intubation is associated with unwanted patient outcomes. The capability of predicting difficult airways may contribute to patient safety, efficient patient flow and rational use of limited resources. We evaluated current literature on performance of bedside airway tests in predicting difficult tracheal intubation. ⋯ Current bedside tests have limited and inconsistent capacity to discriminate between patients with difficult and easy airways. Most studies are characterized by high risk of bias and concerns of applicability. Reliable bedside criteria to predict difficult intubation remain elusive.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jan 2016
ReviewOpioids for chronic non-cancer pain: A critical view from the other side of the pond.
Opioid analgesics are important therapeutic options for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), recognized as a major public health issue with high social and economic burden. The increasing therapeutic opioid use for CNCP, misuse and abuse of prescription opioids have become matters of severe concern in USA. The recent position paper of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) about the use of opioids in USA expresses growing alarms about opioid misuse/abuse, and has alerted physicians worldwide to rethink about their prescription practice. ⋯ In this position paper it is explained that any change in clinical behavior should not be based on an uncritical generalization of the US data that do not reflect the European situation. The primary objective of pain physicians remains to adequately treat chronic pain. Opioids are and will continue to remain an essential part of the "armamentarium against pain"; physicians should use them in the best way, i.e. after thorough diagnosis, assessment of alternative therapeutic options in the context of a multimodal treatment concept, and with repeated careful re-evaluations of the proper indication by a close long-term follow-up of any chronic opioid patient.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jan 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyRandomized controlled trial comparing the McGrath MAC video laryngoscope with the King Vision video laryngoscope in adult patients.
This study compares the performance of the McGrath MAC and King Vision laryngoscope systems for endotracheal intubation in adult patients with predicted normal airways when used by experienced laryngoscopists with limited prior video laryngoscopy experience. ⋯ The McGrath MAC video laryngoscope allowed for significantly shorter times to endotracheal intubation, higher success rates on first attempt, and fewer desaturations compared to the King Vision video laryngoscope when used by experienced laryngoscopists with limited prior video laryngoscopy experience.