Anesthesiology
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The ProSeal laryngeal mask airway: A randomized, crossover study with the standard laryngeal mask airway in paralyzed, anesthetized patients.
The ProSeal laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) is a new laryngeal mask device with a modified cuff to improve seal and a drainage tube to provide a channel for regurgitated fluid and gastric tube placement. In the present randomized, crossover study, the authors tested the hypothesis that ease of insertion, airway sealing pressure, and fiberoptic position differ between the PLMA and the standard laryngeal mask airway (LMA). For the PLMA, we also assess ease of gastric tube placement and the efficacy of an introducer tool. ⋯ The PLMA is capable of achieving a more effective seal than the LMA and facilitates gastric tube placement, but it is more difficult to insert unless an introducer tool is used. When correctly positioned, the PLMA isolates the glottis from the upper esophagus with possible implications for airway protection.
-
Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Correlation properties and complexity of perioperative RR-interval dynamics in coronary artery bypass surgery patients.
Dynamic measures of heart rate variability (HRV) may uncover abnormalities that are not easily detectable with traditional time and frequency domain measures. The purpose of this study was to characterize changes in RR-interval dynamics in the immediate postoperative phase of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery using traditional and selected newer dynamic measures of HRV. ⋯ In the selected group of patients studied, a decrease in overall HRV was associated with altered nonlinear heart rate dynamics after CABG surgery. Current results suggest that a more random short-term heart rate behavior may be associated with a complicated clinical course. Analysis of fractal-like dynamics of heart rate may provide new perspectives in detecting abnormal cardiovascular function after CABG.
-
Previous data suggest that systemic hypertension (HTN) is a risk factor for postcraniotomy intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). The authors examined the relation between perioperative blood pressure elevation and postoperative ICH using a retrospective case control design. ⋯ ICH after craniotomy is associated with severely prolonged hospital stay and mortality. Acute blood pressure elevations occur frequently prior to postcraniotomy ICH. Patients who develop postcraniotomy ICH are more likely to be hypertensive in the intraoperative and early postoperative periods.
-
The Pediatric Perioperative Cardiac Arrest (POCA) Registry was formed in 1994 in an attempt to determine the clinical factors and outcomes associated with cardiac arrest in anesthetized children. ⋯ Anesthesia-related cardiac arrest occurred most often in patients younger than 1 yr of age and in patients with severe underlying disease. Patients in the latter group, as well as patients having emergency surgery, were most likely to have a fatal outcome. The identification of medication-related problems as the most frequent cause of anesthesia-related cardiac arrest has important implications for preventive strategies.