AANA journal
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Nearly one-fourth of all trauma admissions present in varying degrees of coagulopathy. According to a US study, 40% of trauma fatalities are due to hemorrhage and hemorrhagic shock, and nearly all patients who are alive when they reach the hospital are coagulopathic when they die. ⋯ Because of the clinical significance of trauma-induced coagulopathy, management strategies to reduce the morbidity and mortality have recently become of interest. This article will review the pathology of trauma-induced coagulopathy and current trends in management, as well as closely examine the data surrounding the use of recombinant factor VII for the treatment of trauma-induced coagulopathy.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Biphasic dosing regimen of meclizine for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in a high-risk population.
The purpose of this study was to determine if giving 50 mg of meclizine the night before and on the day of surgery would effectively reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) for the entire 24 hours after surgery in patients identified as being at high risk for PONV Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 50 mg of oral meclizine (experimental group) or a placebo (control group) the night before and the day of surgery. All subjects were intravenously administered 4 mg of ondansetron before the conclusion of surgery. ⋯ No difference in sedation or side effects was noted between groups. Based on these results, we recommend that the administration of 50 mg of oral meclizine the night before and on the day of surgery be considered effective antiemetic prophylaxis in patients identified as having a high risk for PONV.
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Awake craniotomy is becoming more popular as a neurosurgical technique that allows for increased tumor resection and decreased postoperative neurologic morbidity. This technique, however, presents many challenges to both the neurosurgeon and anesthetist. An ASA class II, 37-year-old man with recurrent oligodendroglioma presented for repeated craniotomy. ⋯ The patient was awake, alert, oriented, and able to move all extremities but had residual weakness in the right forearm. Awake craniotomy requires appropriate patient selection, knowledge of the surgeon's skill, and a thorough anesthesia plan. This case report discusses the clinical and anesthetic management for awake craniotomy and reviews the literature.
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Aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition with a 50% mortality rate in the first 48 hours and a 3-month mortality rate of 90% in untreated patients. Aortic dissection is a rare complication of pregnancy, but there is significant morbidity and mortality for the mother and infant. A 43-year-old woman with a 37-week intrauterine pregnancy was admitted to the emergency department 6 hours after the onset of tightness in her throat and neck pain. ⋯ An emergency aortic repair and cesarean section were successfully performed. Recognition of aortic dissection and an evidence-based, collaborative approach to optimize treatment and recovery are vital to the patient's survival. The purpose of this article is to highlight successful management of aortic dissection in a parturient and to broaden the body of literature on the topic.
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Inadvertent deflation of the endotracheal tube cuff during a tracheotomy can complicate the surgical procedure, especially in a morbidly obese patient. Also, the anesthesia provider may lose control of the airway, with the inability to reintubate in case of airway edema, airway secretions, or airway fire. The use of the GlideScope video laryngoscope (Verathon Inc, Bothell, Washington) in the morbidly obese patient undergoing a tracheotomy has clinical benefits. This device allowed the visualization of the airway anatomy in 2 patients and the manipulation of the punctured endotracheal tube cuff in one case.