Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2022
The First Derivative of the Electroencephalogram Facilitates Tracking of Electroencephalographic Alpha Band Activity During General Anesthesia.
Intraoperative neuromonitoring can help to navigate anesthesia. Pronounced alpha oscillations in the frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) appear to predict favorable perioperative neurocognitive outcomes and may also provide a measure of intraoperative antinociception. Monitoring the presence and strength of these alpha oscillations can be challenging, especially in elderly patients, because the EEG in these patients may be dominated by oscillations in other frequencies. Hence, the information regarding alpha oscillatory activity may be hidden and hard to visualize on a screen. Therefore, we developed an effective approach to improve the detection and presentation of alpha activity in the perioperative setting. ⋯ We demonstrated that the calculation of the diffPSD from the time-discrete derivative of the intraoperative frontal EEG is a straightforward approach to improve the detection of alpha activity by eliminating the broadband background noise. This improvement in alpha peak detection and visualization could facilitate the guidance of general anesthesia and improve patient outcome.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2022
Meta AnalysisAntifibrinolytic Drugs for the Prevention of Bleeding in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery on Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Bleeding is one of the commonest complications affecting children undergoing cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass. Antifibrinolytic drugs are part of a multifaceted approach aimed at reducing bleeding, though sufficiently sized pediatric studies are sparse, and dosing algorithms are heterogeneous. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of antifibrinolytic agents as well as the effectiveness of different dosing regimens in pediatric cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass. ⋯ The available data demonstrate efficacy for all 3 antifibrinolytic drugs. Therefore, the agent with the most favorable safety profile should be used. As sufficient data are lacking, large comparative trials are warranted to assess the relative safety and appropriate dosing regimens in pediatrics.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2022
Meta AnalysisEffectiveness of Perioperative Opioid Educational Initiatives: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Opioids are the most commonly prescribed analgesics in the United States. Current guidelines have proposed education initiatives to reduce the risk of chronic opioid consumption, yet there is lack of efficacy data on such interventions. Our study evaluates the impact of perioperative opioid education on postoperative opioid consumption patterns including opioid cessation, number of pills consumed, and opioid prescription refills. ⋯ Perioperative educational interventions reduced the number of opioid pills consumed at 15 days but did not demonstrate a significant effect on opioid cessation or opioid refills at 15 days, 6 weeks, and 3 months. Further randomized trials should focus on evidence-based educational interventions with strict homogeneity of material to draw a more definitive recommendation.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2022
Sugammadex Versus Neostigmine for Reversal of Residual Neuromuscular Blocks After Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis of Postoperative Side Effects.
Sugammadex and neostigmine given to reverse residual neuromuscular blockade can cause side effects including bradycardia, anaphylaxis, bronchospasm, and even cardiac arrest. We tested the hypothesis that sugammadex is noninferior to neostigmine on a composite of clinically meaningful side effects, or vice versa. ⋯ The composite incidence was less with neostigmine than with sugammadex, but only by 0.4% (a negligible clinical effect). Since 250 patients would need to be given neostigmine rather than sugammadex to avoid 1 episode of a minor complication such as bradycardia or bronchospasm, we conclude that sugammadex and neostigmine are comparably safe.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2022
Randomized Controlled TrialControl of Postoperative Hypotension Using a Closed-Loop System for Norepinephrine Infusion in Patients After Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Trial.
Vasopressors are a cornerstone for the management of vasodilatory hypotension. Vasopressor infusions are currently adjusted manually to achieve a predefined arterial pressure target. We have developed a closed-loop vasopressor (CLV) controller to help correct hypotension more efficiently during the perioperative period. We tested the hypothesis that patients managed using such a system postcardiac surgery would present less hypotension compared to patients receiving standard management. ⋯ Closed-loop control of norepinephrine infusion significantly decreases postoperative hypotension compared to manual control in patients admitted to the ICU after cardiac surgery.