Articles: operative.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2023
Challenges of Anesthetic Monitoring in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Availability of Equipment in Major Referral Hospitals in Kenya.
Anesthetic monitoring within standards defined by various professional anesthesia organizations has been shown to reduce perioperative mortality. Given the scarce resources for anesthesia and surgery in low- to middle-income countries, we sought to determine the availability of recommended monitoring devices in major referral hospitals in Kenya. ⋯ The availability of recommended monitoring devices in major referral hospitals in Kenya is inadequate. Thus, there are challenges to anesthetic monitoring in these hospitals, and perioperative patient safety is jeopardized. We recommend the universal provision of basic monitoring devices and suggest the use of the data collected in this study to affect policy change and safe anesthesia practice in our country.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2023
Sociodemographic Disparities in Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting.
Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) prophylaxis is consistently considered a key indicator of anesthesia care quality. PONV may disproportionately impact disadvantaged patients. The primary objectives of this study were to examine the associations between sociodemographic factors and the incidence of PONV and clinician adherence to a PONV prophylaxis protocol. ⋯ Racial and sociodemographic disparities exist in the incidence of PONV and clinician adherence to a PONV prophylaxis protocol. Awareness of such disparities in PONV prophylaxis could improve the quality of perioperative care.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2023
Pro-Con Debate: Should All General Anesthesia Be Done Using Target-Controlled Propofol Infusion Guided by Objective Monitoring of Depth of Anesthesia?
In this Pro-Con commentary article, we discuss whether all general anesthesia should be done using target-controlled propofol anesthesia guided by monitoring of depth of anesthesia. This is an ongoing debate since more than 25 years, representing a scientific, cultural as well as geographical divide in the anesthesia community. The Pro side argues that total intravenous anesthesia causes less postoperative nausea and higher patient satisfaction than anesthesia using volatile anesthetics. ⋯ A well-balanced choice based on the available literature is recommended. The authors recommend careful consideration of advantages and disadvantages of each technique when tailoring an anesthetic to meet patient needs. Where appropriate, anesthesia providers are encouraged to account for unique features of anesthetic drug behavior, patient-reported and observed postoperative outcomes, and economic and environmental considerations when choosing any of the 2 described techniques.
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Case Reports
Perioperative Autonomic Dysfunction in a Patient With Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease: A Case Report.
Autonomic dysfunction can lead to unexpected hemodynamic instability during surgery, and best practices for the perioperative care of patients with this condition are not well-defined. We report the case of a 63-year-old woman with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease who experienced perioperative autonomic dysfunction characterized by severe fluctuations in blood pressure while under spinal anesthesia. However, <1 month later, a second hip surgery performed under general anesthesia with special precautions resulted in an uncomplicated perioperative course, with only mild fluctuations in blood pressure.