Anesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
General Anesthesia versus Sedation, Both with Hemodynamic Control, during Intraarterial Treatment for Stroke: The GASS Randomized Trial.
It is speculated that the anesthetic strategy during endovascular therapy for stroke may have an impact on the outcome of the patients. The authors hypothesized that conscious sedation is associated with a better functional outcome 3 months after endovascular therapy for the treatment of stroke compared with general anesthesia. ⋯ The functional outcomes 3 months after endovascular treatment for stroke were similar with general anesthesia and sedation. Our results, therefore, suggest that clinicians can use either approach.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Evaluation of Diaphragmatic Function after Interscalene Block with Liposomal Bupivacaine: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Interscalene blocks provide analgesia for shoulder surgery but also cause phrenic nerve paralysis. Liposomal bupivacaine is approved for use in interscalene blocks with the potential to provide longer pain control. However, the impact of liposomal bupivacaine on the phrenic nerve has not been evaluated. It was hypothesized that patients who received an interscalene block with both bupivacaine and liposomal bupivacaine would have a decreased diaphragmatic excursion when compared to bupivacaine alone at 24 h. ⋯ The addition of liposomal bupivacaine to bupivacaine in an interscalene block results in statistically significant reductions in diaphragm excursion and pulmonary function testing 24 h after block placement when compared to bupivacaine alone. This reduction, however, falls within the range of normal diaphragmatic function.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Prophylactic Penehyclidine Inhalation for Prevention of Postoperative Pulmonary Complications in High-risk Patients: A Double-blind Randomized Trial.
Postoperative pulmonary complications are common. Aging and respiratory disease provoke airway hyperresponsiveness, high-risk surgery induces diaphragmatic dysfunction, and general anesthesia contributes to atelectasis and peripheral airway injury. This study therefore tested the hypothesis that inhalation of penehyclidine, a long-acting muscarinic antagonist, reduces the incidence of pulmonary complications in high-risk patients over the initial 30 postoperative days. ⋯ In high-risk patients having major upper-abdominal or noncardiac thoracic surgery, prophylactic penehyclidine inhalation reduced the incidence of pulmonary complications without provoking complications.
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The management of infective endocarditis is complex and inherently requires multidisciplinary cooperation. About half of all patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis will meet the criteria to undergo cardiac surgery, which regularly takes place in urgent or emergency settings. ⋯ In this narrative review article, the authors summarize the current knowledge on infective endocarditis relevant for the clinical anesthesiologist in perioperative management of respective patients. Furthermore, the authors advocate for the anesthesiologist to become a structural member of the endocarditis team.