Best practice & research. Clinical anaesthesiology
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Mar 2020
ReviewMeasuring and monitoring cognition in the postoperative period.
It is common for patients of all ages to experience some degree of cognitive disturbance following surgery. In most cases, impairment appears mild and is restricted to the acute post-operative period, resolving steadily and speedily. ⋯ This review explores practical and methodological issues that may confound this process, examining how best to obtain reliable and meaningful measures of cognition before and after surgery. It considers neuropsychological test selection, administration, analysis and interpretation and offers evidence-based practice points for clinicians and researchers.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Mar 2020
ReviewCoagulation, hemostasis, and transfusion during liver transplantation.
Liver disease is associated with complex disturbances of hemostasis that affect both the pro- and anticoagulant systems. This results in a "rebalanced" coagulation system that may result in bleeding diathesis or increased clot formation. ⋯ Specific recommendations for transfusion of platelets, fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate, and fibrinogen as well as factor concentrates are discussed. In general transfusion should not only be guided by laboratory values but it also includes a clinical assessment of clot formation.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Mar 2020
ReviewEconomic considerations in abdominal transplantation.
Care for end-stage organ failure through transplant is one of the landmark accomplishments of the modern medicine. At the same time, organ transplant is a resource-intensive service that has been under increasing scrutiny in this era of cost containment. A detailed understanding of the economic implications of organ quality, recipient characteristics, and allocation policy is vital for the transplant professionals. ⋯ Liver transplantation economics are also more challenging because of organ allocation based on the severity of illness. Furthermore, the broader use of marginal organs has been demonstrated to increase costs. Novel strategies are vital to reduce the financial burden faced by the centers that perform transplantations on elevated risk patients and utilize lower quality organs.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Mar 2020
ReviewPerioperative considerations for kidney and pancreas-kidney transplantation.
Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice in patients with end-stage renal disease, as it improves survival and quality of life. Living donor kidney transplant prior to pancreas transplantation, or simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation are discussed. Patients usually present comorbidities and extensive preoperative workups are recommended, especially cardiac assessment, though type and frequency of surveillance is not established. ⋯ Notably, transplantation in the obese population has increased in recent decades. Strict preoperative evaluation and pulmonary considerations must be kept in mind. Finally, robotic kidney transplant is a recent approach that presents anesthetic challenges, mainly related to steep Trendelenburg position and fluid restriction.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2019
ReviewFascia iliaca block, history, technique, and efficacy in clinical practice.
The facsia iliaca block (FIB) is a relatively new regional technique where local anesthetic is delivered within the fascia iliaca region. Indications for a FIB include surgical anesthesia to the lower extremity after knee, femoral shaft, hip surgery, management of cancer pain or pain secondary to inflammatory conditions of the lumbar plexus, as well as treatment of acute pain in the setting of trauma, fracture, or burns. ⋯ The main targets of the FIB are the predominant nerves contained in the fascia iliaca compartment (FIC), namely the femoral nerve and the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. The FIB US guided technique is beneficial to patients and the possibility to perform FIB should be discussed and coordinated with surgical staff appropriately, considering its superiority to general or epidural anesthesia.