Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2020
ReviewPreoperative considerations for Jehovah's Witness patients: a clinical guide.
Jehovah's Witnesses have religious beliefs that preclude transfusion of blood products and certain medical interventions. This presents a unique dilemma and ethical challenge to healthcare providers, especially in a surgical setting. ⋯ Anticipating the challenges associated with managing and optimizing patients who refuse blood products allows for more favorable outcomes in the preoperative period.
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The objective of this review is to identify the potential of peripheral nerve blocks established over the last years for perioperative pain management in breast surgery. These new blocks will be discussed with respect to their clinical effect and necessity. ⋯ Taking the pain levels after breast surgery into account, the request of additional nerve blocks has to be pondered against the potential risks and resource requirement. To reduce or avoid intraoperative or postoperative opioids, an ultrasound-guided Pecs II block proves to be the best option for perioperative pain relief.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2020
ReviewUpdates in periprocedural management of direct oral anticoagulants.
As the prevalence of patients on antithrombotics is increasing, anesthesiologists must have a firm understanding of these medications and considerations for their periprocedural management. This review details up-to-date periprocedural management of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). ⋯ With the exception of no clinically relevant bleeding risk or certain electrophysiology procedures, DOACs should be discontinued periprocedurally in accordance with bleeding risks and drug's half-life. Bridging is generally not recommended for DOACs.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2020
ReviewAugmented intelligence in pediatric anesthesia and pediatric critical care.
Acute care technologies, including novel monitoring devices, big data, increased computing capabilities, machine-learning algorithms and automation, are converging. This enables the application of augmented intelligence for improved outcome predictions, clinical decision-making, and offers unprecedented opportunities to improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and improve clinician workflow. This article briefly explores recent work in the areas of automation, artificial intelligence and outcome prediction models in pediatric anesthesia and pediatric critical care. ⋯ Most studies focusing on artificial intelligence demonstrate good performance on prediction or classification, whether they use traditional statistical tools or novel machine-learning approaches. Yet the challenges of implementation, user acceptance, ethics and regulation cannot be underestimated. Areas in which there is easy access to routinely labeled data and robust outcomes, such as those collected through national networks and quality improvement programs, are likely to be at the forefront of the adoption of these advances.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2020
ReviewPractice horizons in pediatric nonoperating room anesthesia.
Anesthesia outside the operating room is rapidly expanding for adult and pediatric patients. Anesthesia clinicians practicing in this area need a good understanding of the challenges of the NORA environment and the anesthetic risks and perioperative implications of practice so that they can deliver safe care to their patients. ⋯ With appropriate attention to organizational concerns (i.e. team environment, safety protocols) and unrelenting focus on patient safety, anesthesiologists can assist in safely providing the benefit of cutting-edge technical advancements to pediatric patients in these challenging environments.