Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Awake craniotomy (AC), defined as the performance of at least part of an open cranial procedure with the patient awake, has been tied to beneficial outcomes compared with similar surgery under general anesthesia. Improved anesthetic techniques have made a major contribution to the increasing popularity of AC. However, the heterogeneity of practice among institutions doing large numbers of ACs raises questions (often among those who only occasionally perform AC - i.e., practitioners in low-volume AC institutions) as to the ideal anesthetic technique for AC. ⋯ In this narrative review, the technical nuances of 13 aspects of anesthetic care for AC are discussed based on institutional preferences and available evidence, and the various controversies and research priorities are discussed. The skills, experience, and commitment of both the surgeon and the anesthesiologist are large variables that are likely more important than what the literature suggests about "best" techniques for AC. Optimizing patient outcome is the fundamental goal of the anesthesiologist.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Optimal propofol induction dose in morbidly obese patients: A randomized controlled trial comparing the bispectral index and lean body weight scalar.
Propofol dosing based on total body weight (TBW) can lead to overdosing in morbidly obese (MO) patients. Our aim was to determine whether an induction dose of propofol based on a bispectral index (BIS) target is better for achieving loss of consciousness in MO patients than dosing based on lean body weight (LBW). ⋯ The induction dose of propofol based on the BIS index was different from the induction dose based on LBW in MO patients. Patients in the LBW group required additional propofol to achieve an OAA/S of 0.
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Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a novel technique for treating esophageal achalasia. During POEM, carbon dioxide (CO2) is insufflated to aid surgical dissection, but it may inadvertently track into surrounding tissues, causing systemic CO2uptake and tension capnoperitoneum. This in turn may affect cardiorespiratory function. This study quantified these cardiorespiratory effects and treatment by hyperventilation and percutaneous abdominal needle decompression (PND). ⋯ Carbon dioxide insufflation during POEM produces systemic CO2uptake and increased intra-abdominal pressure. Changes in cardiorespiratory parameters include increased pmax, etCO2, MAP, and HR. Hyperventilation and PND help mitigate some of these changes. Subcutaneous emphysema is common and may delay extubation and prolong PACU stay.
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Anesthesiology departments need an instrument with which to assess practicing anesthesiologists' professionalism. The purpose of this retrospective analysis of the content of a cohort of resident evaluations of faculty anesthesiologists was to investigate the relationship between a clinical supervision scale and the multiple attributes of professionalism. ⋯ The de Oliveira Filho clinical supervision scale includes some attributes of anesthesiologists' professionalism. The core competency of professionalism, however, is multidimensional, and the supervision scale and/or residents' comments did not address many of the other established attributes of professionalism.