Best practice & research. Clinical anaesthesiology
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2020
ReviewPreoperative management of anticoagulation in the surgical patient: Highlights of the latest guidelines.
Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are a class of medications commonly used in the long-term management of patients at risk of thrombosis. They include warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). The aging of the population and improvements in perioperative care have led to an increase in the number of patients on OACs and presenting for different types of elective and emergency surgery. ⋯ It is based on the quantification of a patient's individual hemorrhagic and thrombotic risk together with the intrinsic surgical bleeding risk. We reviewed current guidelines to define effective discontinuation of OACs, the need for bridging with different anticoagulants, and post-surgery OACs re-initiation. We also discussed the option for acute reversal of anticoagulation.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2020
ReviewGenomics testing and personalized medicine in the preoperative setting: Can it change outcomes in postoperative pain management?
Postoperative pain and opioid use are major challenges in perioperative medicine. Pain perception and its response to opioid use are multi-faceted and include pharmacological, psychological, and genetic components. Precision medicine is a unique approach to individualized health care in which decisions in management are based on genetics, lifestyle, and environment of each person. ⋯ Although there is currently not enough evidence for making recommendations about genetic testing to guide pain management in the acute care setting, there are some known polymorphisms that play a role in surgical pain and opioid-related postoperative adverse outcomes. In this review, we describe the potential use of pharmacogenomics (PGx) for improving perioperative pain management. We first review a number of genotypes that have shown correlations with pain and opioid use and then describe the importance of PGx-guided analgesic protocols and implementation of screening in a preoperative evaluation clinical setting.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2020
ReviewPoint-of-care ultrasound in the preoperative setting.
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a widely used diagnostic tool, especially in emergency and critical care medicine, and it is increasingly being used in the perioperative setting. Its specific role in preoperative assessment of patients, however, has not yet been defined. While some data show innovative use of the technique in the preoperative setting, higher-level evidence to underscore potential advantages is still limited. We review and discuss a range of POCUS examinations which can potentially help anaesthesiologists in the preoperative clinic decide whether to perform additional testing, can assist in selecting the best anaesthetic approach, and can support perioperative and postoperative monitoring.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2020
ReviewCognitive impairment assessment and interventions to optimize surgical patient outcomes.
For elderly patients undergoing elective surgical procedures, preoperative evaluation of cognition is often overlooked. Patients may experience postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive decline (POCD), especially those with certain risk factors, including advanced age. Preoperative cognitive impairment is a leading risk factor for both POD and POCD, and studies have noted that identifying these deficiencies is critical during the preoperative period so that appropriate preventive strategies can be implemented. ⋯ Various screening tools are available for preoperatively identifying patients with cognitive impairment. The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have been discussed in the context of prehabilitation as an effort to optimize a patient's physical status prior to surgery and decrease the risk of POD and POCD. Evidence-based protocols are warranted to standardize care in efforts to effectively meet the needs of these patients.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2020
ReviewPerioperative acute kidney injury: Stratification and risk reduction strategies.
Perioperative acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Patient comorbidities, the type of surgery, timing of surgery, and exposure to nephrotoxins are important contributors for developing acute kidney injury. ⋯ A history of preoperative chronic kidney disease is the main risk factor for developing AKI, conferring as much as a 10-fold risk. However, beyond the preoperative renal function, the development of AKI is a complex phenomenon that involves a combination of patient-related and surgery-related factors.