British journal of anaesthesia
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Advances in computer technology, patient monitoring systems, and electronic health record systems have enabled rapid accumulation of patient data in electronic form (i.e. big data). Organizations such as the Anesthesia Quality Institute and Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group have spearheaded large-scale efforts to collect anaesthesia big data for outcomes research and quality improvement. ⋯ Visual analytics is the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces, and it can facilitate performance of cognitive activities involving big data. Ongoing integration of big data and analytics within anaesthesia and health care will increase demand for anaesthesia professionals who are well versed in both the medical and the information sciences.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Observational Study
Intraoperative hypotension and delirium after on-pump cardiac surgery†.
Delirium is a common complication after cardiac surgery and may be as a result of inadequate cerebral perfusion. We studied delirium after cardiac surgery in relation to intraoperative hypotension (IOH). ⋯ Independent of the applied definition, IOH was not associated with the occurrence of delirium after cardiac surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effects of supplemental oxygen and dexamethasone on surgical site infection: a factorial randomised trial.
Tissue oxygenation is a strong predictor of surgical site infection. Improving tissue oxygenation should thus reduce wound infection risk. Supplemental inspired oxygen can improve tissue oxygenation, but whether it reduces infection risk remains controversial. Low-dose dexamethasone is often given to reduce the risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting, but steroid-induced immunosuppression can increase infection risk. We therefore tested the hypotheses that supplemental perioperative oxygen reduces infection risk and that dexamethasone increases it. ⋯ ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT00273377.
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Postoperative throat complications, such as sore throat and hoarseness, are frequent complications of tracheal intubation. To assess whether severity of throat complications is related to the experience of physicians performing tracheal intubation, we compared the incidence and duration of postoperative sore throat and hoarseness and patient satisfaction between tracheal intubation performed by trainees and experienced consultant anaesthetists. ⋯ Tracheal intubation by trainees under the supervision of consultant anaesthetists did not worsen the postoperative airway outcomes, such as sore throat and hoarseness.