Anaesthesia
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Qualitative research methods are a group of techniques designed to allow the researcher to understand phenomena in their natural setting. A wide range is used, including focus groups, interviews, observation, and discourse analysis techniques, which may be used within research approaches such as grounded theory or ethnography. ⋯ Meticulous social scientific methods, transparency, reproducibility and reflexivity are markers of quality in qualitative research. Tools such as the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research checklist and the critical appraisal skills programme are available to help authors, reviewers and readers unfamiliar with qualitative research assess its merits.
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Observational Study
HIV, vascular surgery and cardiovascular outcomes: a South African cohort study.
Risk factors for peri-operative cardiac morbidity are poorly described in HIV-positive patients. This prospective observational study describes cardiovascular risk factors in a cohort of vascular surgical patients of known HIV status. We recruited 225 patients with 73 (32%) being HIV-positive. ⋯ HIV-positive and -negative patients had similar outcomes in: 30-day mortality (p = 0.78); three-day postoperative troponin leak (p = 0.66); and a composite outcome of mortality and troponin release (p = 0.69). We conclude that although HIV-positive patients have fewer cardiovascular risk factors, they have similar peri-operative major adverse cardiac events to HIV-negative patients. Research should focus on why this is the case, and if alternative clinical risk predictors can be developed for HIV patients.
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Observational Study
Outcome by mode of anaesthesia for hip fracture surgery. An observational audit of 65 535 patients in a national dataset.
Large observational studies of accurate data can provide similar results to more arduous and expensive randomised controlled trials. In 2012, the National Hip Fracture Database extended its dataset to include 'type of anaesthesia' data fields. We analysed 65 535 patient record sets to determine differences in outcome. ⋯ Mortality within 24 hours after surgery was significantly higher among patients receiving cemented compared with uncemented hemiarthroplasty (1.6% vs 1.2%, p = 0.030), suggesting excess early mortality related to bone cement implantation syndrome. If these data are accurate, then either there is no difference in 30-day mortality between general and spinal anaesthesia after hip fracture surgery per se, and therefore future research should focus on how to make both types of anaesthesia safer, or there is a difference, but mortality is not the correct outcome to measure after anaesthesia, and therefore future research should focus on differences between general and spinal anaesthesia. These could include more anaesthesia-sensitive outcomes, such as hypotension, pain, postoperative confusion, respiratory infection and mobilisation.
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Review Meta Analysis
The efficacy of peri-operative interventions to decrease postoperative delirium in non-cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy of peri-operative interventions in decreasing the incidence of postoperative delirium. An electronic search of four databases was conducted. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were adhered to. ⋯ Meta-analysis revealed that peri-operative geriatric consultation (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.32-0.67) and lighter anaesthesia (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.27-5.56) were associated with a decreased incidence of postoperative delirium. For the other interventions, the point estimate suggested possible protection with prophylactic haloperidol (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.36-1.05), bright light therapy (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.03-1.19) and general as opposed to regional anaesthesia (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.47-1.23). This meta-analysis has shown that peri-operative geriatric consultations with multicomponent interventions and lighter anaesthesia are potentially effective in decreasing the incidence of postoperative delirium.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of ropivacaine concentration on the spread of sensory block produced by continuous thoracic paravertebral block: a prospective, randomised, controlled, double-blind study.
Factors affecting the distribution of continuous thoracic paravertebral block have never been examined. We designed this prospective, double-blind study to check whether continuous thoracic paravertebral block with a higher ropivacaine concentration would provide a wider segmental sensory block spread. Sixty consecutive patients undergoing pulmonary lobectomy or segmentectomy were randomly allocated to receive continuous paravertebral infusion of either 0.2% or 0.5% ropivacaine (6 ml.h(-1) ). ⋯ Twenty-seven patients per group were included in the final analysis. The median (IQR [range]) number of anaesthetised dermatomes 24 h after surgery was 4 (3-6 [1-9]) with ropivacaine 0.2% and 4 (3-6 [2-11]) with ropivacaine 0.5% (p = 0.66). Contrary to our expectation, the segmental spread of sensory block produced by continuous thoracic paravertebral block does not depend on ropivacaine concentration.