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pearl
1
The incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting is about 30% lower following xenon anesthesia compared with traditional volatile anesthesia.
Schaefer MS, Apfel CC, Sachs HJ et al. Predictors for postoperative nausea and vomiting after xenon-based anaesthesia. Br J Anaesth. 2015 Jul 1;115(1):61-7.
  Daniel Jolley
pearl
1
Elective surgery can itself precipitate post-traumatic stress disorder even in the absence of intra-operative awareness.
Whitlock EL, Rodebaugh TL, Hassett AL et al. Psychological Sequelae of Surgery in a Prospective Cohort of Patients from Three Intraoperative Awareness Prevention Trials. Anesth. Analg. 2015 Jan 1; 120 (1): 87-95.
  Daniel Jolley
comment
1
Excellent review article on interactions between Regional anaesthesia and the newer oral anticoagulants
Benzon HT, Avram MJ, Green D et al. New oral anticoagulants and regional anaesthesia. Br J Anaesth. 2013 Dec 1;111 Suppl 1:i96-113.
  Allan Palmer
summary
1
Collection: Does intravenous lidocaine/lignocaine improve post-operative recovery?
There is some evidence supporting the benefit of perioperative intravenous lignocaine/lidocaine infusion in both laparoscopic and open abdominal surgery.
The strongest evidence supports both improved analgesia and reduction in nausea, with weaker evidence suggesting faster improvement in GIT function and earlier discharge from hospital.
Safety data is reassuring but far from conclusive due to the small size of most studies.
  Daniel Jolley
pearl
1
Perioperative lignocaine infusion reduces postoperative pain and nausea, and may improve GIT function and speed hospital discharge.
Kranke P, Jokinen J, Pace NL et al. Continuous intravenous perioperative lidocaine infusion for postoperative pain and recovery. Cochrane Db Syst Rev. 2015 Jan 1 (7): CD009642.
  Daniel Jolley
comment
1
"Xenopus is a genus of highly aquatic frogs native to sub-Saharan Africa. Twenty species are in the Xenopus genus" – interesting animal to use really.
Okura D, Horishita T, Ueno S et al. Lidocaine Preferentially Inhibits the Function of Purinergic P2X7 Receptors Expressed in Xenopus Oocytes. Anesth. Analg. 2015 Mar 1; 120 (3): 597-605.
  pdg.50
pearl
1
BIS monitoring significantly reduces the risk of awareness under general anesthesia in high-risk adult surgical patients.
Myles PS, Leslie K, McNeil J et al. Bispectral index monitoring to prevent awareness during anaesthesia: the B-Aware randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2004 May 29;363(9423):1757-63.
  Daniel Jolley
comment
1
Caveat - the Cochrane review noted low level evidence for changes in length of hospital stay or reduced complications, 2' to poor blinding in some studies. Safe as fasting though.
Nygren J, Thorell A, Ljungqvist O. Preoperative oral carbohydrate therapy. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2015 Jun 1;28(3):364-9.
  pdg.50
pearl
1
Reversal with sugammadex may reduce post-operative pulmonary complications in the elderly and ASA 3/4 patients.
Ledowski T, Falke L, Johnston F et al. Retrospective investigation of postoperative outcome after reversal of residual neuromuscular blockade: Sugammadex, neostigmine or no reversal. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2014 Aug 1;31(8):423-9.
  Daniel Jolley
pearl
1
Reversal with sugammadex reduces the incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting compared with neostigmine.
Ledowski T, Falke L, Johnston F et al. Retrospective investigation of postoperative outcome after reversal of residual neuromuscular blockade: Sugammadex, neostigmine or no reversal. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2014 Aug 1;31(8):423-9.
  Daniel Jolley