Anesthesia and analgesia
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2019
ReviewAssessing Long-term Neurodevelopmental Outcome Following General Anesthesia in Early Childhood: Challenges and Opportunities.
Neurodegeneration has been reported in young animals after exposure to all commonly used general anesthetic agents. The brain may be particularly vulnerable to anesthetic toxicity during peak synaptogenesis (in gestation and infancy). Human studies of long-term neurodevelopmental outcome following general anesthesia in early childhood report contradictory findings. ⋯ We discuss potential solutions to these challenges. Further adequately powered, multicenter, prospective randomized controlled trials of anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity in children are required. However, we believe that the inherent methodological challenges of studying anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity necessitate the parallel use of well-designed observational cohort studies.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2019
Systematic Review of the Efficacy and Safety of Gabapentin and Pregabalin for Pain in Children and Adolescents.
The barriers to opioid use in some countries necessitate the need to identify suitable alternatives or adjuncts for pain relief. The gabapentinoids (gabapentin and pregabalin) are approved for the management of persistent pain in adults, but not in children. Searches were conducted in Embase, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science up until November 2017, for randomized controlled trials that investigated the analgesic effects of gabapentin or pregabalin in children and adolescents <18 years of age. ⋯ Two of the identified clinical trials (conducted by the same first author) on the efficacy of gabapentin for prophylactic postadenotonsillectomy pain relief were omitted from narrative synthesis due to clear evidence of fabricated data. Overall, this review identified a paucity of evidence for the analgesic effect and safety of gabapentinoids in children. We also suggest audit of any current evidence-based practice and clinical guidelines that have cited the research studies with fabricated data.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2019
Review Meta AnalysisAnesthetic Management of Emergency Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke, Part 2: Integrating and Applying Observational Reports and Randomized Clinical Trials.
The 2018 American Heart Association stroke care guidelines consider endovascular thrombectomy to be the standard of care for patients who have acute ischemic stroke in the anterior circulation when arterial puncture can be made: (1) within 6 h of symptom onset; or (2) within 6-24 h of symptom onset when specific eligibility criteria are satisfied. The aim of this 2-part review is to provide practical perspective on the clinical literature regarding anesthesia care of endovascular thrombectomy patients. In the preceding companion article (part 1), the rationale for rapid workflow and maintenance of blood pressure before reperfusion were reviewed. ⋯ A meta-analysis of functional outcomes from these 3 trials show, when managed according to trial protocols, sedation and general anesthesia result in outcomes that are not significantly different. Details regarding anesthesia and hemodynamic management from these 3 trials are provided. This article concludes with a pragmatic approach to real-time anesthesia decision-making (sedation versus general anesthesia) and the goals and methods of acute phase anesthesia management of endovascular thrombectomy patients.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2019
ReviewGlymphatic System Function in Relation to Anesthesia and Sleep States.
The brain is one of the most metabolically active organs in the body. The brain's high energy demand associated with wakefulness persists during rapid eye movement sleep, and even during non-rapid eye movement sleep, cerebral oxygen consumption is only reduced by 20%. The active bioenergetic state parallels metabolic waste production at a higher rate than in other organs, and the lack of lymphatic vasculature in brain parenchyma is therefore a conundrum. ⋯ Over the past 5 years, emerging data have begun to shed new light on these processes in the form of the "glymphatic system," a novel brain-wide perivascular transit passageway dedicated to CSF transport and metabolic waste drainage from the brain. Here, we review the key anatomical components and operational drivers of the brain's glymphatic system, with a focus on its unique functional dependence on the state of arousal and anesthetic regimens. We also discuss evidence for why clinical exploration of this novel system may in the future provide valuable insight into new strategies for preventing delirium and cognitive dysfunction in perioperative and critical care settings.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2019
Multicenter StudyEvaluation of Job Stress and Burnout Among Anesthesiologists Working in Academic Institutions in 2 Major Cities in Pakistan.
Work stress is an integral part of anesthetic practice and has been a subject of many studies. Persistent stress can lead to burnout. There is limited published literature from lower- and middle-income countries where job stressors may be different from high-income countries. ⋯ In conclusion, a high rate of burnout was identified in anesthesiologists working in 2 major cities in Pakistan. Some new associated factors such as initial choice of specialty and city of work were highlighted. Based on these findings, preventive and coping strategies need to be introduced at institutional and national levels.