Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2004
Clinical TrialThe influence of anthracycline therapy on cardiac function during anesthesia.
Cardiotoxicity is a well recognized complication of anthracycline (AC) therapy. Subtle abnormalities in myocardial function that become apparent only after exercise may exist in survivors of childhood cancer who have previously received AC, yet have normal resting cardiac function. To evaluate if anesthesia-induced changes in cardiac function differ in pediatric patients with previous AC therapy from healthy children and adolescents, we evaluated in a prospective study 43 patients, of whom 42 were analyzed. Twenty-one patients (AC-group), mean age 9.6 yr (range, 3-16 yr), who had received 193 (30-490) mg/m(2) of AC as a mean cumulative dose with normal resting cardiac function (shortening fraction [SF] 0.34, normal value > 0.30) underwent removal of a Hickman catheter under general anesthesia. Twenty-one patients, mean age 10.9 yr (range, 4-17 yr), who underwent placement of a Hickman catheter before chemotherapy served as the control. All children were premedicated with midazolam 0.5 mg/kg orally. Anesthesia was induced by sodium thiopental (5 mg/kg), fentanyl (3 micro g/kg), and rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg) and maintained with isoflurane (1 MAC) in N(2)O/O(2) (70/30). Before induction (baseline), 5 and 20 min after intubation (T1 and T2), and 20 min after extubation (control), cardiac function was assessed by transthoracic (baseline, control) and transesophageal (T1, T2) echocardiography. Compared with baseline (SF: 34.9 +/- 3.7 [AC], 34.1 +/- 3.7 [C] [not significant]; stroke volume index [SVI] 36 +/- 6 mL/m(2)[AC], 35 +/- 4 mL/m(2)[C] [not significant]; cardiac index [CI] 3.6 +/- 0.6 L/min/m(2)[AC], 3.2 +/- 0.5 L/min/m(2)[C] [not significant]), we found a significant decrease in SF and SVI in both groups at T1 (SF: 26.2 +/- 3.6 [AC] versus 28.6 +/- 3.6 [C] [P < 0.05]; SVI: 26 +/- 4 mL/m(2) [AC] versus 30 +/- 46 mL/m(2) [C] [P < 0.05]) and T2 (SF: 24.1 +/- 3.2 [AC] versus 28.2 +/- 2.5 [C] [P < 0.01], SVI: 26 +/- 6 mL/m(2) [AC] versus 31 +/- 5 mL/m(2) [C] [P < 0.01]), which was significantly greater in the AC group. There were no significant changes of variables of diastolic function (E/A ratio, isovolumetric relaxation time) between both groups. Previous treatment with AC may enhance the myocardial depressive effect of anesthetics even in patients with normal resting cardiac function. ⋯ Previous treatment with anthracylines, a group of chemotherapeutic drugs in use for childhood cancer, may enhance the myocardial depressive effect of anesthetics even in children and adolescents with normal resting cardiac function.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2004
Historical ArticleCardiac anesthesiology, professionalism and ethics: a microcosm of anesthesiology and medicine.
The granting of professional status to medicine by society at large entails obligations by physicians. Those physicians in the young subspecialty of cardiac anesthesiology have fulfilled these obligations by developing a body of scientific and clinical knowledge and the technical bases to increase survival and decrease morbidity of patients with heart disease undergoing either cardiac or noncardiac surgery. Furthermore, they have contributed effectively to the broad practice of medicine. However, a strong argument can be made that these contributions, though benefiting many individual patients, do not by themselves completely fulfill our obligations. The concept of Civic Professionalism states that our moral responsibilities as physicians must be expanded beyond our immediate patients. Physicians have the obligation to use their knowledge and influence to promote the common good. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights includes access to health care as a basic tenet. The present health care system of the United States excludes many people. Thus, cardiac anesthesiologists have a moral obligation to actively advocate for universal access to health care until it is achieved. Doing so will make the specialty of cardiac anesthesiology an example to the entire profession of medicine. ⋯ Cardiac anesthesiologists have contributed to enhanced survival and decreased morbidity of patients with heart disease undergoing surgery. These achievements do not by themselves fulfill the moral obligations incurred by the concept of Civic Professionalism, however. Cardiac anesthesiologists, in common with all physicians, must share the obligation to advocate for the human right of universal access to health care.
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Postoperative nausea and vomiting are common after general anesthesia but rarely produce life-threatening conditions. We report a case of postoperative vomiting complicated by esophageal rupture (Boerhaave's syndrome). As this complication is quite rare and can have varied and atypical presentations, anesthesiologists may fail to consider this diagnosis. ⋯ We report a case of postoperative vomiting complicated by esophageal rupture (Boerhaave's syndrome). As this complication is quite rare, anesthesiologists may fail to consider this diagnosis.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2004
Are patients comfortable consenting to clinical anesthesia research trials on the day of surgery?
Consent for clinical anesthesia research trials is often sought on the day of surgery when patients are most anxious and have little privacy or time for reflection. We conducted a retrospective survey of patients' perceptions and concerns regarding consent for clinical anesthesia trials on the day of surgery. Questionnaires were mailed to 175 patients who had participated in 1 of 6 negligible- or minimal-risk clinical anesthesia trials within the preceding year. Seventy-six patients responded (43%). Most patients (80%) reported that they understood the purpose of their trial, did not feel obligated (61%) or pressured (67%) to participate, and were satisfied (mean visual analog scale: 71 mm) with the recruitment and consent process on the day of surgery. Few patients (7%) believed that their well-being was put at risk because of their participation in the trial. ⋯ This retrospective survey suggests that patient recruitment and consent for negligible- or minimal-risk clinical anesthesia research trials is appropriate when performed on the day of surgery.