Journal of clinical anesthesia
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Virtual reality (VR) is a novel tool with demonstrated applications within healthcare; however its integration within clinical practice has been slow. Adoption patterns can be evaluated using a technology acceptance model (TAM). The primary study aim was to use VR TAM to assess factors that influence anesthesiologists' acceptance of VR for preoperative anxiolysis. The secondary aim assessed the model's reliability. ⋯ All confirmatory factor analysis testing for construct validity had good fit. Perceptions of usefulness and enjoyment predicted an anesthesiologist's attitude toward using and intention to purchase, while perceived ease of use predicted perceived usefulness and enjoyment, attitude toward purchasing and using, and intention to use. Past use and price willing to pay did not influence perceptions of usefulness. Lower age predicted greater perceived ease of use. All scales in the model demonstrated acceptable reliability. With good validity and reliability, the VR-TAM model demonstrated factors predictive of anesthesiologist's intentions to integrate VR into clinical settings.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A new video laryngoscope combined with flexible laryngeal mask insertion: A prospective randomized study.
The video laryngoscope (VLS) has been proven to be an effective insertion device for airway management. However, no laryngoscope has been specifically designed for the placement of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA). We improved the current VLS and developed a novel VLS method. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of an improved VLS for inserting a flexible laryngeal mask airway (F-LMA) compared with the standard blind method. ⋯ The new VLS-guided insertion technology has a high success rate, achieves greater OLP, and provides an ideal anatomical position with minimal adjustment, without increasing the risk of hemodynamic stress or adverse events.
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Although a prolonged heart rate-corrected QT interval (QTcI) is associated with an increased risk of mortality in the general population, its prognostic value in surgical patients remains unclear. We aimed to examine whether preoperative QTcI prolongation predicts short-term postoperative outcomes in elderly patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. ⋯ Preoperative QTcI screening effectively risk-stratifies elderly surgical patients, with a QTcI≥500 ms being strongly predictive of short-term postoperative mortality and other complications. Incorporating QTcI assessment into the preoperative evaluation may guide perioperative monitoring and management.
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ChatGPT4 is a leading large language model (LLM) chatbot released by OpenAI in 2023. ChatGPT4 can respond to free-text queries, answer questions and make suggestions regarding virtually any topic. ChatGPT4 has successfully answered anesthesia and even obstetric anesthesia knowledge-based questions with reasonable accuracy. However, ChatGPT4 has yet to be challenged in obstetric anesthesia clinical decision-making. ⋯ In summary, approximately one quarter of all responses by ChatGPT4 were deemed unsafe by expert obstetric anesthesiologists. These findings may suggest the need for more fine-tuning and training of LLMs such as ChatGPT4 specifically for clinical decision making in obstetric anesthesia or other specialized medical fields. These LLMs may come to play an important future role in assisting obstetric anesthesiologists in clinical decision making and enhancing overall patient care.
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Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women. Mastectomies remain a key component of the treatment of non-metastatic breast cancer, and strategies to treat acute postoperative pain, a complication affecting nearly all patients undergoing surgery, continues to be an important clinical challenge. This study aimed to determine the impact of intraoperative methadone administration compared to conventional short-acting opioids on pain-related perioperative outcomes in women undergoing a mastectomy. ⋯ Our study suggests that the unique pharmacological properties of methadone, including a short onset of action when given intravenously, long-acting pharmacokinetics, and multimodal effects, are associated with better acute pain management after a total mastectomy.