British journal of anaesthesia
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Despite recent high-quality international studies, the optimal sum and sequence of subjective and objective assessments that build the complex picture of fitness for surgery remains to be defined. Physicians' subjective assessment of patient fitness after a typical unstructured interview has poor prognostic accuracy in predicting the risk of major cardiovascular events after noncardiac surgery. How does self-reported fitness assessed by structured questionnaire compare as an indicator of perioperative cardiovascular risk? Here we discuss the latest evidence in this evolving and fundamental aspect of perioperative care.
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In the eyes-closed, awake condition, EEG oscillatory power in the alpha band (7-13 Hz) dominates human spectral activity. With eyes open, however, EEG alpha power substantially decreases. Less alpha attenuation with eyes opening has been associated with inattention; thus, we analysed whether reduced preoperative alpha attenuation with eyes opening is associated with postoperative inattention, a delirium-defining feature. ⋯ Preoperative awake, resting, EEG alpha attenuation with eyes opening might represent a neural biomarker for risk of postoperative attentional impairment. Further, eyes-opening alpha attenuation could provide insight into the neural mechanisms underlying postoperative inattention risk.
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Neonatal airway management comes with exclusive anatomical, physiological, and environmental complexities, and probably higher incidences of accidents and complications. No dedicated airway management guidelines were available until the recently published first joint guideline released by a task force supported by the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and the British Journal of Anaesthesia and focused on airway management in children under 1 yr of age. The guideline offers a series of recommendations based on meticulous methodology including multiple Delphi rounds to complement the sparse and scarce available evidence. Getting back from Brobdingnag, the land of giants with many guidelines available, this guideline represents a foundational cornerstone in the land of Lilliput.