Anesthesia and analgesia
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2018
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparison of DNA Damage and Oxidative Stress in Patients Anesthetized With Desflurane Associated or Not With Nitrous Oxide: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial.
Little is known about the effects of desflurane associated or not with nitrous oxide (N2O) on oxidative stress and patient genetic material. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of anesthesia maintained with desflurane associated or not with N2O on DNA damage (as a primary outcome) and oxidative stress (as a secondary outcome) in patients who underwent an elective minimally invasive surgery. ⋯ The coadministration of 60% N2O with desflurane did not seem to impair the effects on DNA or the redox status compared with desflurane anesthesia, suggesting that both studied anesthetic techniques can be suitable options for healthy individuals who undergo minimally invasive surgery lasting at least 1.5 hours. However, due to the low power of the study, more research is necessary to confirm our findings.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2018
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyHigher Operating Table for Optimal Needle-Entry Angle and Less Discomfort During Spinal Anesthesia.
The aim of this study was to find the optimal table height to facilitate insertion of the spinal needle at a 90° angle and to reduce the anesthesiologist's discomfort. Sixty patients were randomly allocated according to landmarks on the anesthesiologist's body: umbilicus (group U), lowest rib margin (R), xiphoid process (X), and nipple (N). The coronal insertion angle between the patient's skin and the spinal needle was obtuse in groups U and R, and 90° in group X. We demonstrated that high operating tables at the xiphoid and nipple level facilitate more optimal needle entry angles while reducing the discomfort and joint flexion of anesthesiologists during spinal anesthesia.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2018
Multicenter Study Observational StudyNew Modalities for the Administration of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Intensive Care Units After Cardiac Surgery or for Neonatal Indications: A Prospective Observational Study.
Nitric oxide (NO) has a well-known efficacy in pulmonary hypertension (PH), with wide use for 20 years in many countries. The objective of this study was to describe the current use of NO in real life and the gap with the guidelines. ⋯ This study confirms the safety of NO therapy in the 3 populations with a low rate of rebound effect. Gradual withdrawal of NO combined with pulmonary vasodilators are current practices in this population. The use of last-generation NO devices allowed good compliance with recommendations.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialHeating and Cooling Rates With an Esophageal Heat Exchange System.
The Esophageal Cooling Device circulates warm or cool water through an esophageal heat exchanger, but warming and cooling efficacy in patients remains unknown. We therefore determined heat exchange rates during warming and cooling. ⋯ Esophageal warming transferred 18 W which is considerably less than the 80 W reported with lower or upper body forced-air covers. However, esophageal warming can be used to supplement surface warming or provide warming in cases not amenable to surface warming. Esophageal cooling transferred more than twice as much heat as warming, consequent to the much larger difference between core and circulating fluid temperature with cooling (29°C) than warming (6°C). Esophageal cooling extracts less heat than endovascular catheters but can be used to supplement catheter-based cooling or possibly replace them in appropriate patients.
-
There is an urgent need to train more anesthesia providers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). There is also a need to provide more educational opportunities in subspecialty areas of anesthetic practice such as trauma management, pain management, obstetric anesthesia, and pediatric anesthesia. Together, these subspecialty areas make up a large proportion of the clinical workload in LMICs. ⋯ There is an emphasis on local ownership of the educational process that helps to promote sustainability. After an initial financial outlay to purchase equipment, the costs are relatively low. Short subspecialty courses appear to be part of the educational answer in LMICs, but there is a need for research to validate their role.