Best practice & research. Clinical anaesthesiology
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Sep 2016
ReviewThe role of transesophageal echocardiography in aortic surgery.
Aortic disease, when left untreated, is still associated with major morbidity and mortality. Aortic dissection and aortic aneurysm are the main reasons for performing aortic surgery procedures in the adult. Imaging techniques such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging play a key role in the preoperative evaluation. ⋯ Especially during endovascular aortic repair, TEE is more sensitive than other imaging modalities in diagnosing complications such as graft endoleaks. Newer echocardiographic techniques such as three-dimensional (3D) TEE and contrast-enhanced TEE are emerging and seem to have a valuable role especially in aortic dissection repair and endovascular aortic stent procedures. In the absence of contraindications, TEE should generally be performed during aortic surgery and endovascular aortic procedures.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2016
ReviewDo ultrasound-guided regional blocks signify a new paradigm in high-risk patients?
It has been suggested for many years that regional anaesthesia is advantageous in high-risk patients, either as the sole anaesthetic or in combination with general anaesthesia. Regional techniques are safe and even more so when guided by ultrasound. ⋯ Nevertheless, complications do still occur and benefits of a specific regional nerve blockade need to be weighed against potential risks on an individual basis. The emergence of reasonably priced, easy-to-use ultrasound machines facilitates regional anaesthesia, and this kind of anaesthesia may become the standard of care in high-risk patients.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2016
ReviewPreparing the patient for surgery to improve outcomes.
The time between contemplation of surgery and the procedure offers a window of opportunity to optimize patients' nutritional, functional and psychological state prior to surgery. Traditionally, preoperative pathways have focused on the underlying disease process and 'fitness for surgery' with physical pre-assessment and risk counselling late in the pathway when little time is available to intervene. With an increasingly elderly and co-morbid surgical population, early physiological assessment and multidisciplinary collaborative decision-making is increasingly important. ⋯ Patient education and engagement is important if compliance with behavioural change is to be achieved and maintained. To date, there has been evidence supporting preoperative exercise training, smoking cessation, reduction in alcohol intake, anaemia management and psychosocial support. Further research is needed to identify the most effective elements of these complex preoperative interventions, as well as their optimum timing and duration.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Mar 2016
ReviewEnhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) and its applicability for major spine surgery.
This article examines the relevance of applying the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) approach to patients undergoing major spinal surgery. The history of ERAS, details of the components of the approach and the underlying rationale are explained. Evidence on outcomes achieved by using the ERAS approach in other orthopaedic and complex surgical procedures is then outlined. ⋯ A thorough literature search is then undertaken to examine the use of ERAS pathways in major spinal surgery, and the results are presented. The article then reviews the evidence to support the application of individual ERAS components such as patient education, multimodal pain management, surgical approach, blood loss, nutrition and physiotherapy in major spinal surgery, and discusses the need for further robust research to be undertaken. The article concludes that given the rising costs of surgery and levels of patient dissatisfaction, an ERAS pathway that focuses on optimising clinical procedures by adopting evidence-based practice and improving logistics should enable major spinal surgery patients to recover more quickly with lower rates of morbidity and improved longer-term outcomes.
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A variety of surgical approaches are available for the treatment of spine diseases. Complications can arise intraoperatively, in the immediate postoperative period, or in a delayed fashion. ⋯ Here we review a range of complications in the early postoperative period from more benign complications such as postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) to more feared complications leading to permanent loss of neurological function or death [5]. Perioperative pain management is covered in a separate review (Chapter 8).