Articles: postoperative.
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We report persistent postoperative paraplegia on recovery from anesthesia after emergent exploratory laparotomy for large bowel obstruction in a cachectic patient with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Postoperative cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging revealed only cervical spinal stenosis. We hypothesize that intraoperative embolization possibly caused by manipulation of an atherosclerotic aorta, and a brief episode of intraoperative hypotension resulted in spinal cord ischemia. This report highlights the importance of maintaining intraoperative hemodynamic stability and careful handling of the abdominal aorta, especially in underweight patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jun 2018
Achieving Milestones as a Prerequisite for Proceeding With a Clinical Trial.
Although the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invests $30 billion in research annually, many funded studies fail to generate results that can inform practice. The National Institutes of Health introduced a phased funding mechanism as one potential solution. Study-specific milestones are established for an initial pilot phase. We assess the utility of this phased approach through the ongoing Electroencephalography (EEG) Guidance of Anesthesia to Alleviate Geriatric Syndromes (ENGAGES) pragmatic clinical trial. The hypothesis of the trial is that EEG guidance of general anesthesia, through prevention of EEG suppression, can decrease postoperative delirium and its downstream negative sequelae. ⋯ With the ENGAGES trial, we demonstrated that key milestones can be identified and progressively assessed during a pilot phase. Success in attaining appropriate milestones hypothetically predicts meaningful completion of a study, and can provide justification for proceeding beyond a pilot phase. The impact of this phased approach on return on investment and scientific yield requires additional study.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jun 2018
Is Compliance With Surgical Care Improvement Project Cardiac (SCIP-Card-2) Measures for Perioperative β-Blockers Associated With Reduced Incidence of Mortality and Cardiovascular-Related Critical Quality Indicators After Noncardiac Surgery?
While continuation of β-blockers (BBs) perioperatively has become a national quality improvement measure, the relationship between BB withdrawal and mortality and cardiovascular-related critical quality indicators has not been studied in a contemporary cohort of patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. ⋯ Perioperative withdrawal of BBs was associated with increased risk for mortality within 48 hours after noncardiac surgery and with decreased risk for need of vasopressor during the early postoperative period and a shorter stay in the postanesthesia care unit.
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Intrathecal patient-controlled analgesia (IT-PCA) through implanted intrathecal infusion pumps has been increasingly utilized for severe cancer and chronic noncancer pain management. However, its application for acute postoperative pain management has not been reported to date. ⋯ The IT-PCA functionality of her intrathecal pump was successfully integrated into her postoperative multimodal pain regimen. Hence, IT-PCA can be safely incorporated into acute postoperative pain management with vigilant monitoring and close multidisciplinary collaboration.
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Observational Study
The use of point-of-care ultrasound to diagnose patent foramen ovale in elective hip and knee arthroplasty patients and its association with postoperative delirium.
Hip and knee arthroplasty surgeries are associated with embolism of materials such as air, cement, and fat. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a common congenital cardiac condition that has been reported to lead to paradoxical embolism. This observational study aimed to investigate if the presence of a PFO was associated with an increased risk of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing primary elective hip or knee arthroplasties. ⋯ Given the very low incidence of PFO and postoperative delirium in this study, we could not form any conclusions regarding the impact of a PFO on important outcomes including delirium or other major adverse events. No recommendation can be made regarding screening for PFO in patients scheduled for lower extremity arthroplasty surgery.