British journal of anaesthesia
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Review Meta Analysis
Outcomes following perioperative red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Perioperative red blood cell transfusion is a double-edged sword for surgical patients. While transfusion of red cells can increase oxygen delivery by increasing haemoglobin levels, its impact on short- and long-term postoperative outcomes, particularly in patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery, is unclear. ⋯ Perioperative blood transfusion in patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery is associated with poorer short- and long-term postoperative outcomes. This highlights the need to implement patient blood management strategies to manage and preserve the patient's own blood and reduce the need for red blood cell transfusion.
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The potential neurotoxic impact of anaesthetic agents has been the subject of sustained debate and continuing research. White matter, which comprises more than half of the brain volume and largely consists of myelinated axonal bundles, is critical for communication between diverse brain regions and for supporting neurobehavioural function. ⋯ This review summarises the neuropathological and neuroimaging findings related to anaesthesia-induced white matter alterations in the developing brain. Future research is required to understand the effects of anaesthesia exposure on white matter development.
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Cancer is a growing global burden; there were an estimated 18 million new cancer diagnoses worldwide in 2020. Excisional surgery remains one of the main treatments for solid organ tumours in cancer patients and is potentially curative. ⋯ However, it has been hypothesised that anaesthetic and analgesic techniques during surgery might influence the risk of cancer recurrence. This narrative review aims to provide an updated summary of recent observational studies and new randomised controlled clinical trials on whether certain specific anaesthetic and analgesic techniques or perioperative interventions during tumour resection surgery of curative intent materially affect long-term oncologic outcomes.
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Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and perioperative respiratory adverse events are significant risks for anaesthesia in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy. Upper airway collapse is a crucial feature of OSA that contributes to respiratory adverse events. A measure of upper airway collapsibility to identify undiagnosed OSA can help guide perioperative management. We investigated the utility of pharyngeal closing pressure (PCLOSE) for predicting OSA and respiratory adverse events. ⋯ ANZCTR ACTRN 12617001503314.
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Standardised and universal perioperative endpoint reporting are the cornerstone for outcomes assessment, reliable clinical trials, and health services research. The Outcome4medicine initiative recently reported consensus recommendations on how to assess the quality of surgical interventions, proposing a framework for surgical outcome assessment and quality improvement after medical interventions. In the same field, the Standardised Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine - Core Outcome Measures for Perioperative and Anaesthetic Care (StEP-COMPAC) group recently proposed standardised and valid measures of mortality and morbidity, derived from a three-stage Delphi process. Here a core group of the Outcome4medicine conference discusses how these two initiatives are aligned and emphasises the importance of standardised outcome assessment by integrating the perspectives of different stakeholders.