Anaesthesia and intensive care
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The cost-effectiveness of the Intensive Care Unit after three decades of development has yet to be demonstrated. Accurate ICU resource allocation is limited by our inability to measure cost-effectiveness. ⋯ Methodology to examine long-term outcome and quality of life after intensive care is still in its infancy. Measurement of ICU cost is limited by a lack of cost-accounting models that not only reflect true cost but that are clinically applicable.
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All Fellows of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (now Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists) were surveyed by mail regarding their use of prophylactic atropine. They were asked whether their usual practice was to give atropine for the following indications: premedication, induction of anaesthesia, intubation of the trachea, one dose of suxamethonium, a second dose of suxamethonium, halothane anaesthesia, oropharyngeal surgery, bronchoscopy and eye surgery. For each indication they were asked for details regarding their practice concerning neonates, infants, children and adults. ⋯ The only indication for which a convincing majority (> 80%) of anaesthetists agreed that prophylactic atropine should be given was when a repeated dose of suxamethonium was to be given to neonates, infants or children. A large proportion of anaesthetists (> 80%) agreed that atropine is not necessary prior to halothane anaesthesia in all age groups, nor as premedication, at induction, at intubation, prior to oropharyngeal surgery or prior to eye surgery in adults. These results were compared with the practice at a major paediatric hospital where the practice is not to use routine prophylactic atropine.