Articles: general-anesthesia.
-
To determine the incidence and duration of hypoxemia in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), 200 patients were investigated in a single-blind observer study. The number of unrecognized hypoxemic episodes, as well as risk factors and possible association between hypoxemia and postoperative morbidity, were studied. Oxygenation was monitored continuously with a pulse oximeter. ⋯ Patients who had undergone regional anesthesia had a lower risk of hypoxemia (P less than 0.0002). The occurrence of hypoxemia in the PACU could not be correlated to postoperative morbidity. We conclude that hypoxemic episodes in our PACU are common and that the routine use of supplemental oxygen combined with normal clinical surveillance did not prevent hypoxemic episodes.
-
We investigated the occurrence of gas embolism during Caesarean section using a Doppler ultrasound probe and found that it occurs between uterine incision and delivery. Embolism is less common during general anaesthesia than has been reported during regional anaesthesia. Both ruptured membranes and a protracted uterine incision to delivery interval predispose to embolism.
-
It is important to involve the patient's general dentist in the preoperative management, since routine dental examinations are performed more frequently than surgery. If the dentist learns from the patient that he or she will be undergoing surgery, the dentist should stress the importance of stabilizing or removing any loose teeth or prostheses prior to surgery. In most medical centers today, patients undergoing elective surgery are seen by the anesthesiologist prior to their date of surgery for preadmission testing. ⋯ One review of anesthesia-related claims reports that 17 percent of the claims are due to damage to the teeth or dental prosthesis. Several authors had advocated the use of devices to help protect the dentition during the surgery. Most of these devices temporarily splint or protect the teeth from trauma during intubation and extubation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)