European journal of anaesthesiology
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Using the Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS) more than 5 as a standardized definition of difficult intubation, we propose a new score to predict difficult intubation: the Simplified Predictive Intubation Difficulty Score (SPIDS). ⋯ The SPIDS seems easy to perform, and by weighting risk factors of difficult intubation, it could help anaesthesiologists to plan a difficult airway management strategy. A value of SPIDS strictly above 10 could encourage the anaesthesiologists to plan for the beginning of the anaesthetic induction with 'alternative' airway devices ready in the operating theatre.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Retrograde autologous priming of the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit reduces blood transfusion in small adults: a prospective, randomized trial.
Extreme haemodilution occurring with cardiopulmonary bypass imposes a primary risk factor for blood transfusion in small adult cardiac surgical patients. Priming of the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit with patients' own blood [retrograde autologous priming (RAP)] is a technique used to limit haemodilution and reduce transfusion requirements. We designed this study to evaluate the effects of RAP on reducing perioperative blood transfusion in small adults. ⋯ RAP resulted in a significant decrease in intraoperative haemodilution and conserved the use of blood. This technique should be considered for patients with a small body surface area (<1.5 m) undergoing open heart surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Hepatocellular integrity after parenteral nutrition: comparison of a fish-oil-containing lipid emulsion with an olive-soybean oil-based lipid emulsion.
Parenteral nutrition including lipids might be associated with liver disease. The cause leading to parenteral nutrition-related liver dysfunction remains largely unknown but is likely to be multifactorial. The study was performed to assess the effects of a lipid emulsion based on soybean oil, medium-chain triglycerides, olive and fish oil (SMOFlipid20%) compared with a lipid emulsion based on olive and soybean oil on hepatic integrity. ⋯ Hepatic integrity was well retained with the administration of SMOFlipid whereas in patients receiving a lipid emulsion based on olive and soybean oil liver enzymes were elevated indicating a lower liver tolerability.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Could a single standardized ultrasonographic measurement of antral area be of interest for assessing gastric contents? A preliminary report.
The aim of this preliminary study performed on volunteers was to assess whether a standardized ultrasonographic measurement of the gastric antral cross-sectional area in a single section of the stomach could discriminate between gastric contents after 12 h fasting (fasting stomach) and gastric contents 2 h after ingestion of nonclear liquids or a solid meal. ⋯ Results of this preliminary study should be corroborated in further trials. However, one can suppose that ultrasonographic measurement of the antral cross-section area could be of interest for the diagnosis of preoperative gastric vacuity.