Journal of clinical anesthesia
-
The use of direct oral anticoagulants including apixaban, rivaroxaban, and dabigatran, which are approved for several therapeutic indications, can simplify perioperative and postoperative management of anticoagulation. Utilization of regional neuraxial anesthesia in patients receiving anticoagulants carries a relatively small risk of hematoma, the serious complications of which must be acknowledged. Given the extensive use of regional anesthesia in surgery and the increasing number of patients receiving direct oral anticoagulants, it is crucial to understand the current clinical data on the risk of hemorrhagic complications in this setting, particularly for anesthesiologists. We discuss current data, guideline recommendations, and best practice advice on effective management of the direct oral anticoagulants and regional anesthesia, including in specific clinical situations, such as patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery at high risk of a thromboembolic event, or patients with renal impairment at an increased risk of bleeding.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
The intraoperative therapeutic equivalence of balanced vs saline-based 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 and their influence on perioperative acid-base status and renal functions.
This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic equivalence of balanced 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.4 (Tetraspan) vs saline-based 6% HES 130/0.4 (Voluven) regarding the volume effect and the effect on acid-base status and renal functions in patients undergoing major urologic procedures. ⋯ Both balanced 6% HES 130/0.4 (Tetraspan) and saline-based 6% HES 130/0.4 (Voluven) were equally effective for hemodynamic stabilization of patients undergoing major urologic procedures without any significant impact on acid-base status or renal functions.
-
To understand the decisional practices of anesthesia providers in managing intraoperative glucose levels. ⋯ Low compliance and considerable variability in initiating and following institutional glucose management protocol were observed.
-
There is evidence that very obese patients (body mass index [BMI] >40 kg/m(2)) undergoing hip replacement have longer average hospital stays, as well as higher rates of complications and readmission compared with patients with normal BMI. However, there are sparse data describing how overweight and obese patients fare in the period immediately after hip replacement surgery compared with patients with low or normal BMI. In this study, we sought to explore the association of BMI with the rate of early postoperative complications in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. ⋯ In this retrospective review of hip replacement surgery patients, BMI classification was a predictor of early postoperative complications. Although the exact underlying mechanisms are still not clear, these results are consistent with the obesity paradox, in which obesity or its correlates provide some form of protection.
-
Case Reports
Use of a video laryngoscope to facilitate removal of a long, sharp-pointed blade from the esophagus.
Initial management of ingested esophageal foreign bodies involves airway assessment, determination of the requirement for and timing of therapeutic intervention, risk mitigation during removal, and identification of all indicated equipment for retrieval. Long, sharp-pointed objects lodged in the esophagus require emergent attention and should be retrieved endoscopically, if perforation has not occurred. ⋯ Video laryngoscopy provides improved recognition of anatomical structures in both normal and difficult airways, enabling assessment for hypopharyngeal and glottic trauma resulting from foreign body ingestion. The indirect view of video laryngoscopy also facilitates the coordinated manipulation of the airway by both the anesthesiologist and the surgeon as they visualize the anatomy together while securing the airway and removing the foreign body.