AANA journal
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The purposes of this integrative literature review were to (1) present a synopsis of current literature describing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the amygdalocentric neurocircuitry, emergence delirium, reactive aggression, and the interaction of general anesthetics and the amygdalocentric neurocircuitry; (2) synthesize this evidence; and (3) develop a new theoretical model that can be tested in future research studies. Over the past decade, a dramatic rise in PTSD among veterans has been reported because of recent combat deployments. Modern anesthetics alter the function of the amygdalocentric neurocircuitry to produce amnesia and sedation. ⋯ To date, there have been no scientific studies conducted to identify the cause of emergence delirium in combat veterans with PTSD. This new theoretical model may explain why noxious stimuli at the time of emergence may stimulate the thalamus, leading to activation of an uninhibited amygdalocentric neurocircuitry. Because of the loss of top-down inhibition, the hyperactive amygdala then stimulates the hypothalamus, which is responsible for creating an increase in excitatory activity in the unconscious patient, resulting in emergence delirium.
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Review
A review of the evidence for active preoperative warming of adults undergoing general anesthesia.
Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia, a common occurrence in the operating suite, is associated with many adverse outcomes. It is the nurse anesthetist's goal to attenuate the incidence of this problem. Although active intraoperative warming is a widely accepted practice, active preoperative warming may be a less explored option for temperature maintenance. ⋯ Most of the studies support the implementation of active preoperative warming by demonstrating that subjects were warmer during the perioperative period. Overall, these differences were statistically significant and likely clinically significant. Future clinical trials should examine shorter warming times and lower warming unit settings, should include appropriate sample sizes, and should consistently employ trained staff using calibrated biometric instruments to measure temperature.
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The anesthesiology field has recently embraced the use of checklists to obviate the need for long-term memory, improve safety, and achieve goals and tasks. These checklists serve to increase safety, improve consumer satisfaction, and reduce mortality and morbidity. Spinal surgery with the patient lying prone is associated with complex morbidities when there is inattention to proper positioning technique. ⋯ The purpose of this research project was to examine the use of a checklist for nurse anesthetists who provide care for patients undergoing spinal surgery. The checklist addressed specific positioning needs as a means of decreasing mortality and morbidity. It is theorized that the use of a checklist will serve as a systematic aid to memory and enable the anesthetist to adhere to proper positioning techniques in this patient population and thereby improve outcomes.