Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Essential tremor (ET) is a common movement disorder with disability in voluntary actions such as eating and writing. First-line treatment involves pharmacological agents, although efficacy is limited by side effects. In these patients, functional neurosurgery can be considered. Magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy offers a non-invasive solution for treatment. This paper examines an original cohort of ET patients undergoing MRgFUS thalamotomy and discusses the anesthetic management of these cases. ⋯ The use of MRgFUS for thalamotomy provides a non-invasive and well-tolerated method for treating ET, which usually only requires monitored anesthesia care sedation. Nevertheless, there are several predictable side effects that require contingency planning including the personnel and means to resolve them.
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Observational Study
Ultrasound assessment of gastric content in fasted patients before elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective observational single-cohort study.
Patients with symptomatic gallbladder diseases exhibit delayed gastric emptying. We evaluated the residual gastric content in fasted patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy because of symptomatic gallbladder disease using ultrasonography. ⋯ The gastric ultrasound assessment revealed that 13% of patients scheduled for elective cholecystectomy because of symptomatic gallbladder disease had a full stomach despite following the fasting guidelines. This was higher than the reported incidence of a full stomach among the general surgical population. Further studies are required to delineate the clinical implications of our findings.