Anesthesiology
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Patient satisfaction is an important measure of the quality of health care and is used as an outcome measure in interventional and quality improvement studies. Previous studies have found that there are few appropriately developed and validated questionnaires available. ⋯ This can lead to biased and inaccurate results. Researchers in this field should be encouraged to use available validated tools, to ensure that patient satisfaction is measured and reported fairly and accurately.
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Intraoperative high inspired oxygen fraction (FIO2) is thought to reduce the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) and postoperative nausea and vomiting, and to promote postoperative atelectasis. ⋯ Intraoperative high FIO2 further decreases the risk of SSI in surgical patients receiving prophylactic antibiotics, has a weak beneficial effect on nausea, and does not increase the risk of postoperative atelectasis.
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The decline in voluntary muscle contraction during low-frequency nerve stimulation is used clinically to assess the type and degree of neuromuscular block. The mechanism underlying this depression is unknown. ⋯ The results demonstrate that neuromuscular depression during train-of-four monitoring is due to a decline in nerve terminal Ca currents, hence reducing the release of acetylcholine. As similar processes may come into play at higher stimulation frequencies, agents that antagonize the decline in Ca currents could be used to treat conditions in which neuromuscular depression can be debilitating.