Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Nov 2012
Comparative StudyA prospective, observational study comparing postoperative residual curarisation and early adverse respiratory events in patients reversed with neostigmine or sugammadex or after apparent spontaneous recovery.
Six years ago, a study performed in our department reported that the incidence of postoperative residual curarisation (PORC) was 39%. The reassessment of neuromuscular monitoring and reversal of neuromuscular block in routine anaesthetic practice is relevant now that sugammadex has become available. The incidence of PORC, defined by a train-of-four (TOF) <90%, was evaluated at post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) arrival in patients whose neuromuscular block had been reversed with neostigmine or sugammadex and those in whom reversal was felt unnecessary (adequate spontaneous recovery). ⋯ Body mass index was the only independent predictor of SpO(2) <90% during the stay in the PACU. These findings indicate that in recent years, the incidence of PORC, defined by a TOF <90%, has dramatically decreased in our institution. The differences in PORC were not statistically significant between patients who received sugammadex for reversal and patients with spontaneous recovery or neostigmine reversal.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Nov 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyEffects of a 1:1 inspiratory to expiratory ratio on respiratory mechanics and oxygenation during one-lung ventilation in the lateral decubitus position.
Prolonged inspiratory to expiratory (I:E) ratio ventilation may have both positive and negative effects on respiratory mechanics and oxygenation during one-lung ventilation (OLV), but definitive information is currently lacking. We therefore compared the effects of volume-controlled ventilation with I:E ratios of 1:1 and 1:2 on respiratory mechanics and oxygenation during OLV. Fifty-six patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy were randomly assigned volume-controlled ventilation with an I:E ratio of 1:1 (group 1:1, n=28) or 1:2 (group 1:2, n=28) during OLV. ⋯ There were no significant differences in PaO2 during OLV between the two groups (OLV30, P=0.856; OLV60, P=0.473). In summary, volume-controlled ventilation with an I:E ratio of 1:1 reduced peak and plateau airway pressures improved dynamic compliance and efficiency of alveolar ventilation, but it did not improve arterial oxygenation in a substantial manner. Furthermore, the associated increase in mean airway pressure might have reduced cardiac output, resulting in a lower central venous oxygen saturation.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Nov 2012
Patterns of patient-ventilator asynchrony as predictors of prolonged mechanical ventilation.
Patient-ventilator asynchrony has been associated with adverse outcomes. The largest body of investigation has focused on ineffective ventilator triggering. Nevertheless, the effect of other patterns of asynchrony on patient outcomes is unknown. ⋯ AUC for the dish-out index was 0.88±0.09. AUC for overshoot, delay termination and composite indexes were 0.55±0.12, 0.62±0.12 and 0.70±0.10 respectively. Dish-out index is the best predictor of prolonged mechanical ventilation, compared with other patterns of patient-ventilator asynchrony.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Nov 2012
Uptake of guidelines in the management of patients taking anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents presenting for elective surgery.
Management guidelines for patients on antithrombotic agents presenting for surgery have long been disseminated. Clinical practice, however, does not always follow published guidelines in a timely manner, despite their dissemination. This project is an audit of the management of patients on anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents presenting for elective surgery in a large metropolitan teaching hospital. ⋯ Data was collected for the 102 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria: 55.4% of decisions by surgeons and 51.4% of decisions by anaesthetists made in this study matched guidelines; 31.4% of decisions made by anaesthetists were fully compliant with guidelines; 20% of anaesthetic decisions were unintentionally compliant and 48.6% of anaesthetic decisions were noncompliant. A variety of reasons were cited for decisions made without the use of guidelines such as other clinical imperatives, lack of guideline awareness and a belief that it is not the role of the anaesthetist to manage perioperative antithrombotic therapy, amongst others. It is evident from this audit that compliance with guidelines remains an area where there is an opportunity for further practice improvement.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Nov 2012
An audit of level two and level three checks of anaesthesia delivery systems performed at three hospitals in South Australia.
Anaesthetists may subject patients to unnecessary risk by not checking anaesthetic equipment thoroughly before use. Numerous adverse events have been associated with failure to check equipment. The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and anaesthetic delivery system manufactures have made recommendations on how anaesthetic equipment should be maintained and checked before use and for the training required for staff who use such equipment. ⋯ Structured interviews with staff who check the anaesthetic machine were carried out to determine the training they had received. The results indicated poor compliance with recommendations: significantly, the backup oxygen cylinders' pressure/contents were not checked in 45% of observations; the emergency ventilation device was not checked in 67% of observations; the breathing circuit was not tested between patients in 79% of observations; no documentation of the checks performed was done in any cases; and no assessment or accreditation of the staff who performed these checks was performed. It was concluded that the poor compliance was a system failing and that patient safety might be increased with training and accrediting staff responsible for checking equipment, documenting the checks performed, and the formulation and use of a checklist.