British journal of anaesthesia
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Observational Study
Cerebral oxygen saturation and cardiac output during anaesthesia in sitting position for neurosurgical procedures: a prospective observational study.
Neurosurgical operations in the dorsal cranium often require the patient to be positioned in a sitting position. This can be associated with decreased cardiac output and cerebral hypoperfusion, and possibly, inadequate cerebral oxygenation. In the present study, cerebral oxygen saturation was measured during neurosurgery in the sitting position and correlated with cardiac output. ⋯ NCT01275898.
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Lactate, acetate, and gluconate are anions used in balanced resuscitation fluids, of which lactate and acetate are considered bicarbonate precursors. This study investigated the role of the liver in the ability of balanced and unbalanced solutions to correct acid-base alterations and renal haemodynamics and microvascular oxygenation in a rat model of resuscitated haemorrhagic shock. ⋯ Acetate-buffered balanced fluids show superior buffering effects compared with Ringer's lactate or saline. Gluconate is partially metabolized by the liver, although it does not contribute to acid-base control because of its excretion in urine. Acetate is metabolized regardless of liver function and may be the most efficient bicarbonate precursor. Lactate infusion tends to overwhelm the metabolism capacity of the residual liver.
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The role of transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) in anaesthetic practice is expanding. We evaluated the effect of a TOE perceptual and adaptive learning module (PALM) on first-yr anaesthesiology residents' performance, in diagnosing cardiac pathology by TOE. ⋯ In this pilot study, exposure to a PALM significantly improved accuracy and fluency in diagnosing TOE cardiac pathology, in a group of first-year anaesthesiology residents. PALMs can significantly improve learning and pattern recognition in medical education.