Articles: postoperative.
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Ischaemia of the extremity from the use of a tourniquet and the subsequent reperfusion contribute to the release of reactive oxygen species. This release may result in injury to remote organs. We performed a qualitative systematic review exploring the interventions used to prevent tourniquet-related oxidative damage in adults undergoing orthopaedic surgery, and the possible relationship between biochemical oxidative stress markers and postoperative clinical outcomes. ⋯ Nine studies tested anaesthetics (propofol, dexmedetomidine, ketamine, and spinal anaesthesia); four studies tested antioxidants (N-acetyl-cysteine, vitamin C, and mannitol); and four studies tested ischaemic pre-conditioning. Fifteen studies showed a significant reduction in biochemical oxidative stress markers. We conclude that propofol and ischaemic pre-conditioning, in particular, appear to show some benefit at reducing oxidative stress following operations under tourniquet; the correlation between a reduction in oxidative stress and postoperative clinical outcomes should be further investigated in the future.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2014
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudyNeuraxial Anesthesia for the Prevention of Postoperative Mortality and Major Morbidity: An Overview of Cochrane Systematic Reviews.
Neuraxial anaesthesia when compared with general anaesthesia may reduce 30 day mortality in patients with intermediate-to-high cardiac risk.
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This review evaluates trials of antidepressants for acute and chronic postsurgical pain. ⋯ There is currently insufficient evidence to support the clinical use of antidepressants-beyond controlled investigations-for treatment of acute, or prevention of chronic, postoperative pain. Multiple positive trials suggest the therapeutic potential of antidepressants, which need to be replicated. Other nontrial evidence suggests potential safety concerns of perioperative antidepressant use. Future studies are needed to better define the risk-benefit ratio of antidepressants in postoperative pain management. Higher-quality trials should optimize dosing, timing and duration of antidepressant treatment, trial size, patient selection, safety evaluation and reporting, procedure specificity, and assessment of movement-evoked pain relevant to postoperative functional recovery.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Aug 2014
ReviewEvidence for the use of preoperative risk assessment scores in elective cranial neurosurgery: a systematic review of the literature.
Preoperative risk scores are designed to guide patient management by providing a means of predicting operative outcome. Several risk scores are used in neurosurgery, but studies on their clinical relevance are scarce. Therefore, it is not clear whether these risk scores are beneficial or helpful in predicting outcome after elective cranial neurosurgery. In this review, we summarize the current scientific evidence for using preoperative risk scores in elective cranial neurosurgery. ⋯ Large prospective studies are needed to validate the use of the reviewed risk scores in elective cranial neurosurgery. It appears, however, that the patient's preoperative physical and functional status can be used to predict the short- and long-term outcome in elective cranial neurosurgery.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Aug 2014
ReviewPerioperative haemodynamic management: is echocardiography the right tool?
This review analyses the application of perioperative echocardiography as an important tool in the management of haemodynamic impairment. ⋯ Echocardiography has recently gained popularity among anaesthesiologists and intensive care practitioners because it provides a pathophysiological picture of haemodynamic impairment, allowing a more detailed understanding of the static or dynamic parameters on which clinicians usually rely when making decisions.