Revista española de anestesiología y reanimación
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Postoperative anemia is a common finding in patients who undergo major surgery, and it can affect early rehabilitation and the return to daily activities. Allogeneic blood transfusion is still the most widely used method for restoring hemoglobin levels rapidly and effectively. ⋯ What is not clear is whether this treatment heavily influences rehabilitation and quality of life. There is a lack of well-designed, sufficiently large, randomized prospective studies to determine whether postoperative or perioperative intravenous iron treatment, with or without recombinant erythropoietin, has a role in the recovery from postoperative anemia, in reducing transfusions and morbidity rates and in improving exercise capacity and quality of life.
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Jun 2015
Comparative Study Observational StudyComparison between transthoracic lung ultrasound and a clinical method in confirming the position of double-lumen tube in thoracic anaesthesia. A pilot study.
To compare the ability of lung ultrasound and a clinical method in the confirmation of a selective bronchial intubation by left double-lumen tube in elective thoracic surgery. ⋯ Lung ultrasound was superior to the clinical method in confirming the adequate position of the left double-lumen tube. On the other hand, in confirming the misplacement of the tube, differences between both methods could not be ensured.
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Jun 2015
Multicenter Study[Implementation of blood sparing programs in Spain: results of a survey of departments of anesthesiology and resuscitation].
The objective of this article is to determine the availability of a perioperative transfusion management program (Patient Blood Management [PBM]) in various hospitals through a survey that included a description of the preanesthesia visit, the availability and use of the various blood-sparing techniques and the factors limiting their implementation in elective surgery. The survey included 42 questions, directed at the representative departments of anesthesiology of hospitals in Spain (n=91). The survey was conducted from September to November 2012. ⋯ The absence of a well-established circuit and the lack of involvement and collaboration with the surgical team were the main limiting factors in implementing PBM. Currently, the implementation of PBM in Spain could be considered acceptable, but it could also be improved, especially in the treatment of preoperative anemia. The implementation of PBM requires multidisciplinary collaboration among all personnel responsible for perioperative care, including the health authorities.
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Jun 2015
[Optimization of preoperative hemoglobin levels in patients without anemia and/or patients who undergo surgery with high blood loss].
To minimize allogeneic blood transfusions (ABTs) during complex surgery and surgery with considerable blood loss risk, various blood-sparing techniques are needed (multimodal approach). All surgical patients should be assessed with sufficient time to optimize hemoglobin levels and iron reserves so that the established perioperative transfusion strategy is appropriate. Even if the patient does not have anemia, improving hemoglobin levels to reduce the risk of ABT is justified in some cases, especially those in which the patient refuses a transfusion. Treatment with iron and/or erythropoietic agents might also be justified for cases that need a significant autologous blood reserve to minimize ABT during surgery with considerable blood loss.
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Jun 2015
Case Reports[Inadequate management of a difficult airway. Case SENSAR of the trimester].
A clinical case reported to SENSAR is presented (www.sensar.org). A patient came to the operating room for surgery for parathyroidectomy. She had several predictors of difficult airway management, including a story of difficulties in previous intubations in other hospitals, as the patient reported. ⋯ Finally, tracheal intubation was achieved after several attempts. Analysis of the incident revealed the active error due to lack of experience of the professional who performed intubation maneuvers, favored by latent factors or contributors as were the complex pathology of the patient and the absence of protocols to difficult airway management in the hospital. Communication and analysis of this incident served to highlight the importance of the security protocols in Anesthesia, and as a result a working group that conducted the current algorithm approach to a difficult airway management was formed, established guidelines for further information patient and deals since clinical training and professional practice for the management of airway devices availables in the hospital.