Perioperative neuromuscular blockade. 2020 update of the SEDAR (Sociedad Española de Anestesiología y Reanimación) recommendations.

We present an update of the 2020 Recommendations on neuromuscular blockade of the SEDAR. The previous ones dated 2009. A modified Delphi consensus analysis (experts, working group, and previous extensive bibliographic revision) 10 recommendations were produced1: neuromuscular blocking agents were recommended for endotracheal intubation and to avoid faringo-laryngeal and tracheal lesions, including critical care patients.2 We recommend not to use neuromuscular blocking agents for routine insertion of supraglotic airway devices, and to use it only in cases of airway obstruction or endotracheal intubation through the device.3 We recommend to use a rapid action neuromuscular blocking agent with an hypnotic in rapid sequence induction of anesthesia.4 We recommend profound neuromuscular block in laparoscopic surgery.5 We recommend quantitative monitoring of neuromuscular blockade during the whole surgical procedure, provided neuromuscular blocking agents have been used.6 We recommend quantitative monitoring through ulnar nerve stimulation and response evaluation of the adductor pollicis brevis, acceleromyography being the clinical standard.7 We recommend a recovery of neuromuscular block of at least TOFr ≥ 0.9 to avoid postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade.8 We recommend drug reversal of neuromuscular block at the end of general anesthetic, before extubation, provided a TOFr ≥ 0.9 has not been reached.9 We recommend to choose anticholinesterases for neuromuscular block reversal only if TOF≥2 and a TOFr ≥ 0.9 has not been attained.10 We recommend to choose sugammadex instead of anticholinesterases for reversal of neuromuscular blockade induced with rocuronium.

Recommendations on the use of deep neuromuscular blockade by anaesthesiologists and surgeons. AQUILES (Anestesia QUIrúrgica para Lograr Eficiencia y Seguridad) Consensus. / Recomendaciones sobre el uso de bloqueo neuromuscular profundo por parte de anestesiólogos y cirujanos. Consenso AQUILES (Anestesia QUIrúrgica para Lograr Eficiencia y Seguridad).

INTRODUCTION: Neuromuscular blockade enables airway management, ventilation and surgical procedures. However there is no national consensus on its routine clinical use. The objective was to establish the degree of agreement among anaesthesiologists and general surgeons on the clinical use of neuromuscular blockade in order to make recommendations to improve its use during surgical procedures. METHODS: Multidisciplinary consensus study in Spain. Anaesthesiologists experts in neuromuscular blockade management (n=65) and general surgeons (n=36) were included. Delphi methodology was selected. A survey with 17 final questions developed by a dedicated scientific committee was designed. The experts answered the successive questions in two waves. The survey included questions on: type of surgery, type of patient, benefits/harm during and after surgery, impact of objective neuromuscular monitoring and use of reversal drugs, viability of a multidisciplinary and efficient approach to the whole surgical procedure, focussing on the level of neuromuscular blockade. RESULTS: Five recommendations were agreed: 1) deep neuromuscular blockade is very appropriate for abdominal surgery (degree of agreement 94.1%), 2) and in obese patients (76.2%); 3) deep neuromuscular blockade maintenance until end of surgery might be beneficial in terms of clinical aspects, such as as immobility or better surgical access (86.1 to 72.3%); 4) quantitative monitoring and reversal drugs availability is recommended (89.1%); finally 5) anaesthesiologists/surgeons joint protocols are recommended. CONCLUSIONS: Collaboration among anaesthesiologists and surgeons has enabled some general recommendations to be established on deep neuromuscular blockade use during abdominal surgery.

[Effect of sub-anaesthetic doses of ketamine in the postoperative period in a patient with uncontrolled depression]. / Efecto antidepresivo de dosis subanestésicas de ketamina en el postoperatorio de una paciente con depresión no controlada.

Recent studies indicate that the intravenous infusion of ketamine hydrochloride (an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist) leads to a rapid reduction in depressive symptoms. A 42 year-old woman with breast cancer and major depression resistant to medical treatment received a 90 minute intravenous infusion of 0.3 mg/kg ketamine for 5 consecutive days. A significant reduction from 22 to 13 (-41%) was observed in the symptoms assessed using the Hamilton scale, with the effect maintained for 14 days. The possible therapeutic mechanism is discussed.