Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
-
The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a simple and valid test for assessing cardiopulmonary fitness. Nevertheless, the relationship between preoperative 6MWT distance and postoperative complications is uncertain. We conducted a secondary analysis of the 6MWT nested cohort substudy of the Measurement of Exercise Tolerance before Surgery study to determine if 6MWT distance predicts postoperative complications or death. ⋯ Preoperative 6MWT distance had a modest association with moderate or severe complications after inpatient non-cardiac surgery. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal role of the 6MWT as an objective exercise test for informing preoperative risk stratification.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of aerosol box on intubation during COVID-19: a simulation study of normal and difficult airways.
Patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are at risk of requiring mechanical ventilation, and concerns of protecting healthcare workers during aerosol-generating medical procedures has led to the design of the aerosol box. ⋯ In this mannequin-based simulation study, the use of the aerosol box increased the time to intubation in some contexts but not others. Further studies in a clinical setting should be conducted to make appropriate modifications to the aerosol box to fully elicit its efficacy and safety prior to implementation in airway guidelines for managing patients with COVID-19.
-
Review
Prone positioning for ARDS patients-tips for preparation and use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) will develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Prone positioning is an important non-pharmacologic strategy that should be considered for all invasively ventilated patients with moderate to severe ARDS (including those with COVID-19). ⋯ In this review, we offer ten tips, based on the Alberta provincial prone positioning strategy during COVID-19, to safely implement and improve the appropriate use of prone positioning. We provide special considerations for its use during the COVID-19 pandemic or future respiratory pandemics.