Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jan 2024
Meta AnalysisAnalgesic Effects of Regional Analgesic Techniques in Pediatric Inguinal Surgeries: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Various regional analgesic techniques have been used in pediatric inguinal surgery to facilitate postoperative recovery. However, each technique's relative performance was undetermined owing to the lack of quantitative analysis. ⋯ The quadratus lumborum and transversus abdominis plane blocks had the longest time to the first rescue analgesic and the least rescue analgesic requirement for pediatric inguinal surgeries. Specifically, the quadratus lumborum block had the longest analgesic duration in inguinal hernia repair, and the caudal block was found to be the only regional analgesia that extended the time to the first rescue analgesic in pediatric orchidopexy. Most included randomized controlled trials had some concern or a high risk of bias, and future studies should focus on providing high-quality evidence to further clarify the analgesic effects of regional analgesia for pediatric inguinal surgeries.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jan 2024
Comment ReviewThoughtfully Integrating Cannabis Products Into Chronic Pain Treatment.
Cannabis products (CPs) and cannabis-based medicines (CBMs) are becoming increasingly available and are commonly used for pain management. The growing societal acceptance of cannabis and liberalization of cannabis laws allows patients to access CPs with minimal clinical oversight. While there is mechanistic plausibility that CPs and CBMs may be useful for pain management, the clinical trial literature is limited and does not refute or support the use of CBMs for pain management. ⋯ In this review, we narratively synthesize the evidence to enable a clear view of current landscape and provide pragmatic advice for clinicians to use when working with patients. This advice revolves around 3 principles: (1) maintaining the therapeutic alliance; (2) harm reduction and benefit maximization; and (3) pragmatism, principles of patient-centered care, and use of best clinical judgment in the face of uncertainty. Despite the lack of certainty CPs and chronic pain management use, we believe that following these principles can make most of the clinical opportunity presented by discussions around CPs and also enhance the likelihood of clinical benefit from CPs.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jan 2024
Secondary Neurologic Deterioration After Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury: Development of a Multivariable Prediction Model and Proposition of a Simple Triage Score.
Identifying patients at risk of secondary neurologic deterioration (SND) after moderate traumatic brain injury (moTBI) is a challenge, as such patients will need specific care. No simple scoring system has been evaluated to date. This study aimed to determine clinical and radiological factors associated with SND after moTBI and to propose a triage score. ⋯ In this study, we demonstrate that moTBI patients have a significant risk of SND. A simple weighted score at hospital admission could be able to detect patients at risk of SND. The use of the score may enable optimization of care resources for these patients.
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Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most interesting constituents of cannabis, garnering significant attention in the medical community in recent years due to its proven benefit for reducing refractory seizures in pediatric patients. Recent legislative changes in the United States have made CBD readily available to the general public, with up to 14% of adults in the United States having tried it in 2019. CBD is used to manage a myriad of symptoms, including anxiety, pain, and sleep disturbances, although rigorous evidence for these indications is lacking. A significant advantage of CBD over the other more well-known cannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydroncannabinol (THC) is that CBD does not produce a "high." As patients increasingly self-report its use to manage their medical conditions, and as the opioid epidemic continues to drive the quest for alternative pain management approaches, the aims of this narrative review are to provide a broad overview of the discovery, pharmacology, and molecular targets of CBD, its purported and approved neurologic indications, evidence for its analgesic potential, regulatory implications for patients and providers, and future research needs.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jan 2024
Mechanism-Based Modeling of Perioperative Variations in Hemoglobin Concentration in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Surgery.
Hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) in the perioperative setting should be interpreted in the context of the variables and processes that may affect it to differentiate the dilution effects caused by changes in intravascular volume. However, it is unclear what variables and processes affect [Hb]. Here, we modeled the perioperative variations in [Hb] to identify the variables and processes that govern [Hb] and to describe their effects. ⋯ Our model provides a mechanistic and quantitative understanding of the causes underlying the perioperative [Hb] variations.