Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Aug 2017
ReviewOpioid-induced hyperalgesia in clinical anesthesia practice: what has remained from theoretical concepts and experimental studies?
This article reviews the phenomenon of opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) and its implications for clinical anesthesia. The goal of this review is to give an update on perioperative prevention and treatment strategies, based on findings in preclinical and clinical research. ⋯ Since the immediate postoperative period is not ideal to initiate long-term treatment for OIH, the best strategy is to prevent its occurrence. A multimodal approach, including choice of opioid, dose limitations and addition of nonopioid analgesics, is recommended.
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Perioperative coagulation management is becoming increasingly frequent in the daily routine of the anesthesiologist and with the plethora of new substances on the market also increasingly complex. The perioperative setting poses unique challenges requiring an individualized evaluation and management of antithrombotic therapy. This review shall summarize the newest developments in this domain. ⋯ With the new evidence and treatment options available, perioperative coagulation management is experiencing a Renaissance, opening many interesting new doors, but also presenting the clinician with new challenges.
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The care administered on air ambulances has become increasing complex. This has led to a discussion among experts as to whether air ambulance travel should be manned by physicians. This review provides evidence in support of anaesthesiologists being the physician-leaders in air ambulance medicine, because of their training in advanced airway management, critical care, and resuscitation. ⋯ There are few studies investigating the specific benefit of anaesthesiologists in air ambulance medicine. However, current evidence indicates that their presence does improve patient care and safety. Future studies on this topic should use evidence-based quality indicators and standardized data sets to seek answers to optimal staffing of air ambulance teams.
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This article reviews the most recently published evidence that investigated anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity in both animals and humans, especially as it pertains to the perinatal period. ⋯ Despite a growing body of preclinical studies that have demonstrated anesthesia-induced neurotoxic effects in the developing and aging brain, their effects on the human brain remains to be determined. The performance of large-scale human studies is limited by several important factors, and noninvasive biomarkers and neuroimaging modalities should be employed to define the injury phenotypes that reflect anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity. Ultimately, the use of these modalities may provide new insights into whether the concerns of anesthetics are justified in humans.