European journal of anaesthesiology
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The single-use Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA) Supreme is a new supraglottic airway device. It has been reported to be reliable and easy-to-use in clinical practice; however, the anaesthetic techniques for its insertion are not standardised. ⋯ Sevoflurane alone can provide acceptable conditions for insertion of the LMA Supreme in adults, at an estimated minimum alveolar anaesthetic concentration of 3% with minimal adverse effects.
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Practice Guideline
Pre-interventional haemostatic assessment: Guidelines from the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care.
Recently the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care (Société Française d'Anesthésie et de Réanimation [SFAR]) issued recommendations for the prescription of routine preoperative testing before a surgical or non-surgical procedure, requiring any type of anaesthesia. Thirty clinical specialists performed a systematic analysis of the literature, and recommendations were then developed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system. One part of these guidelines is dedicated to haemostatic assessment. ⋯ Standard tests (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet count) have a low positive predictive value for bleeding risk in the general population. Patients with no history of haemorrhagic diathesis and no conditions liable to interfere with haemostasis should not undergo pre-interventional haemostasis testing. Conversely, the existence of a positive history or a disease that could interfere with haemostasis should be an indication for clinically appropriate testing.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison of the Airtraq and the Macintosh laryngoscope for double-lumen tube intubation: a randomised clinical trial.
The Airtraq is a disposable optical laryngoscope that is available in a double-lumen tube version. Inserting a double-lumen tube is generally more difficult compared to conventional endotracheal intubation, mainly due to its configuration. ⋯ There was no significant difference between the Airtraq and the Macintosh laryngoscopes regarding the time needed to insert a double-lumen tube during elective thoracic surgery. Only subtle enhancement of visualisation and a higher incidence of hoarseness were observed in the Airtraq group. The Airtraq device did not result in superior patient safety in this setting.