Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2014
ReviewValue of expert systems, quick reference guides and other cognitive aids.
Cognitive aids and other methods of decision support are receiving increased interest by the anesthesia community. These tools have significant safety implications because of the possibility to decrease variability in human performance. ⋯ The early work in this field of decision support is encouraging but there are many questions regarding the optimal design, presentation and use.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2014
ReviewCurrent recommendations for monitoring depth of neuromuscular blockade.
Residual neuromuscular block is a relatively frequent occurrence and is associated with postoperative pulmonary complications, including aspiration, pneumonia and hypoxia, impaired hypoxic ventilatory drive and decreased patient satisfaction. Although adequate recovery of neuromuscular function has been defined as a train-of-four ratio of at least 0.9, monitoring with a qualitative peripheral nerve stimulator makes it impossible to determine the actual train-of-four ratio. ⋯ Use of peripheral nerve stimulators allows clinicians to administer neuromuscular blocking and reversal agents in a rational manner. Routine use of quantitative monitors of depth of neuromuscular blockade is the best guarantee of the adequacy of recovery of postoperative muscle strength.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2014
ReviewPatient safety challenges in low-income and middle-income countries.
The global burden of surgical disease is significant and growing. As a result, the vital role of essential surgical care and safe anesthesia in low-income and middle-income countries is gaining increasing attention. Importantly, vast disparities in access to essential surgery and safe anesthesia exist. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge surrounding the global crisis of inadequate anesthesia capacity and barriers to patient safety in low-income and middle-income countries. ⋯ Explicit mention of essential surgery and safe anesthesia in the Post-2015 Development Agenda is a critical step forward in advancing the cause of global perioperative care. Tracking surgical and anesthesia outcomes with a metric, such as the perioperative mortality rate, must be required at the hospital, country, and global level to guide improvement of surgical and anesthetic interventions aimed at the burden of surgical disease.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Dec 2014
ReviewManagement of neuromuscular blockade in ambulatory patients.
The use of neuromuscular blocking agents in ambulatory surgery has been described as a double-edged sword. Muscle relaxants may improve the outcome following endotracheal intubation and could be helpful for the surgeon to some extent. However, these agents might increase the risk of postoperative complications because of residual paralysis. This review should summarize recent developments in neuromuscular blockade, neuromuscular monitoring, and reversal with a special reference to day case surgery. ⋯ The management of neuromuscular blocks in day case surgery requests a comprehensive approach that should include an adequate dosing of the muscle relaxant, quantitative objective monitoring, and a sufficient and appropriate reversal.
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There has been a renewed interest in the short-acting local anesthetics articaine, chloroprocaine, and prilocaine for ambulatory spinal anesthesia because of numerous potentially beneficial factors both clinically and economically speaking. This review covers the current advances of the past 1 to 2 years. ⋯ Intrathecal articaine (off-label use for the time being), chloroprocaine, and prilocaine (the latter two officially approval in several European countries) remain a very appealing option in the ambulatory setting. Chloroprocaine may have a slight edge as regards ultra-short and short surgery, whereas articaine and prilocaine may suit well for somewhat longer procedures. Future follow-up investigations should establish possible differences between these local anesthetics, also with respect to other anesthetic techniques and to economical aspects.