Anesthesiology
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WHAT THIS ARTICLE TELLS US THAT IS NEW: BACKGROUND:: Postoperative delirium is associated with poor long-term outcomes and increased mortality. General anesthetic drugs may contribute to delirium because they increase cell-surface expression and function of α5 subunit-containing γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors, an effect that persists long after the drugs have been eliminated. Dexmedetomidine, an α2 adrenergic receptor agonist, prevents delirium in patients and reduces cognitive deficits in animals. Thus, it was postulated that dexmedetomidine prevents excessive function of α5 γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors. ⋯ Dexmedetomidine prevented excessive α5 γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor function after anesthesia. This novel α2 adrenergic receptor- and brain-derived neurotrophic factor-dependent pathway may be targeted to prevent delirium.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effectiveness of Lumbar Facet Joint Blocks and Predictive Value before Radiofrequency Denervation: The Facet Treatment Study (FACTS), a Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial.
WHAT THIS ARTICLE TELLS US THAT IS NEW: BACKGROUND:: With facet interventions under scrutiny, the authors' objectives were to determine the effectiveness of different lumbar facet blocks and their ability to predict radiofrequency ablation outcomes. ⋯ This study establishes that facet blocks are not therapeutic. The higher responder rates in the treatment groups suggest a hypothesis that facet blocks might provide prognostic value before radiofrequency ablation.
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Meta Analysis
Processed Electroencephalogram Monitoring and Postoperative Delirium: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Use of processed-EEG monitoring to guide anaesthesia depth is associated with a 38% odds reduction of developing postoperative delirium.
pearl -
An interesting exploration of the surgeon-anesthesiologist relationship, framed in terms of it being the critical dyad of the operating theatre team.
Cooper explores the positives and negatives, the stereotypes that each craftgroup holds of the other, and the ways in which these translate to team performance.
Most significantly, Cooper makes the point that when highly functional this relationship can lead to the highest quality patient care, but at its worst, dysfunction can lead to extreme harm and compromise patient safety.
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Observational Study
Cognitive Decline after Delirium in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.
Cardiac surgery is associated with cognitive decline and postoperative delirium. The relationship between postoperative delirium and cognitive decline after cardiac surgery is unclear ⋯ Patients who developed delirium had greater decline in a composite measure of cognition and in visuoconstruction and processing speed domains at 1 month. The differences in cognitive change by delirium were not significant at 1 yr, with the exception of processing speed.