Changing the Culture: Increasing and Sustaining Anesthesiology Resident Physician Publication Rates.

Background: Academic inquiry is foundational to the advancement of medicine and resident training and must be demonstrated to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Past attempts at increasing publication rates have failed to identify educational best practice models. Our aim was to increase resident publication rates via culture and value changes that are universally implementable, affordable, effective, and sustainable. Methods: In 2018, a multifaceted initiative was implemented to shift departmental values and foster a culture of academic productivity. This culture change stressed the value of scientific publication through frequent, consistent messaging from department leaders. In addition, residents were provided the freedom to choose their scholarly activities. In this retrospective cohort innovation, resident authors were identified for 4 academic years before and after the intervention and publication rates were determined (2014-2018 vs 2018-2022). Resident authors and publications per resident per year were compared using descriptive statistics and Student t test. Results: The pre- and postintervention groups included 38 and 37 residents, respectively. Resident-authored publications increased from 7 preintervention to 24 postintervention, representing 343% of baseline. Mean ± SD publications per resident per year similarly increased 357% from 0.183 ± 0.16 to 0.654 ± 0.11 postintervention. Unpaired t test analysis demonstrated a significant difference in total publications per year (P = .002) and authorship rate (P = .003). Conclusions: A multifaceted academic initiative resulted in a threefold increase in resident publication rates. This initiative demonstrates that local advocacy by leaders, freedom of choice for authors, and supportive departmental culture are driving factors in publication rates.

Pharyngeal oxygen delivery device sustains manikin lung oxygenation longer than high-flow nasal cannula.

Purpose: Hypoxemia during a failed airway scenario is life threatening. A dual-lumen pharyngeal oxygen delivery device (PODD) was developed to fit inside a traditional oropharyngeal airway for undisrupted supraglottic oxygenation and gas analysis during laryngoscopy and intubation. We hypothesized that the PODD would provide oxygen as effectively as high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) while using lower oxygen flow rates. Methods: We compared oxygen delivery of the PODD to HFNC in a preoxygenated, apneic manikin lung that approximated an adult functional residual capacity. Four arms were studied: HFNC at 20 and 60 liters per minute (LPM) oxygen, PODD at 10 LPM oxygen, and a control arm with no oxygen flow after initial preoxygenation. Five randomized 20-minute trials were performed for each arm (20 trials total). Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were used with statistical significance of P < 0.05. Results: Mean oxygen concentrations were statistically different and decreased from 97% as follows: 41 ± 0% for the control, 90 ± 1% for HFNC at 20 LPM, 88 ± 2% for HFNC at 60 LPM, and 97 ± 1% (no change) for the PODD at 10 LPM. Conclusion: Oxygen delivery with the PODD maintained oxygen concentration longer than HFNC in this manikin model at lower flow rates than HFNC.

Late Airway Compromise Secondary to Dural Tear and Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak.

Background: While dysphagia after anterior cervical spine surgery is common, a dural tear is a rare complication. Airway compromise resulting from cerebrospinal fluid collection is an even rarer complication that has only been described to occur in the first few days postoperatively. Case Report: A 55-year-old male presented with progressive dysphagia and respiratory compromise 3 weeks after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion surgery at C3-C6. Imaging demonstrated extensive fluid collection in the retropharyngeal space and lateral neck, resulting in displacement of the cricoid cartilage rightward and anteriorly while also narrowing the pharyngeal space. After the patient's airway was secured by awake fiberoptic intubation, the fluid was determined to be cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a cervical dural tear. The tear was identified and repaired. The patient was extubated the next day, and a lumbar drain was placed to reduce the strain on the repair. After 11 days in the hospital, the patient made a full recovery. Conclusion: Dural tears following cervical disc surgery are rare and almost always identified in the immediate postoperative period; however, a dural tear should still be considered when a patient presents with a fluid collection at a later date. While techniques for securing the airway would not be different based on the type of fluid, knowing that the fluid collection is CSF could prompt the anesthesia team to place a lumbar drain.

A Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Update: Current information on New Drugs, Old Drugs, Rescue/Treatment, Combination Therapies and Nontraditional Modalities.

This article's objective is to present the latest evidence and information on the management of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). PONV continues to affect 30% of the surgical population causing patient dissatisfaction, extending length of stay, and increasing overall costs. This review includes the introduction of 2 new intravenous formulations of antiemetics (amisulpride, aprepitant), updates on nontraditional therapies, suggestions for combination prophylaxis, emerging data on rescue treatment, and considerations for special populations and settings. Both of the new antiemetics provide promising options for pharmacologic interventions for PONV with favorable safety profiles.

Full flexion of the hips and knees in the supine position to treat an episode of acute hypotension and pulseless electrical activity in a patient with severe aortic stenosis.

This is a case report of a 77-year-old man with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who underwent removal of an impacted ureteral stone under general anesthesia. During emergence from general anesthesia, his legs were lowered from lithotomy position, resulting in sudden hypotension with progression to pulseless electrical activity. The legs were raised and placed into full flexion of the hips and knees. This maneuver was temporally related to a return of spontaneous circulation and full recovery. Possible mechanisms for this effect are discussed.

Implications of endotracheal tube placement in a patient with a true tracheal bronchus.

We report a rare anatomic abnormality, a true tracheal bronchus, where the right upper bronchus originates directly from the supracarinal trachea. This unusual anatomic variant can be problematic for the anesthesiologist if it is unrecognized. It can lead to hypoventilation of the right upper bronchus or cause confusion in placement of a double-lumen endotracheal tube if the carina is misidentified, as demonstrated in our case report. Successful isolation of the right lung requires understanding and rapid recognition of the anomaly.

Lipid Emulsion Rescue of Amniotic Fluid Embolism-Induced Cardiac Arrest: A Case Report.

Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare and often fatal complication that occurs in the peripartum period. We present a patient with an AFE who developed disseminated intravascular coagulation and cardiovascular collapse who may have benefitted from intravascular lipid emulsion rescue. This is the first published case in which lipid emulsion was a part of the successful treatment of AFE.

Epidural analgesia complicated by dural ectasia in the Marfan syndrome.

Patients with the Marfan syndrome are considered to be high risk during pregnancy and warrant a complete multidisciplinary evaluation. One goal is to minimize hemodynamic fluctuations during labor since hypertensive episodes may result in aortic dissection or rupture. Although they may prevent these complications, neuraxial techniques may be complicated by dural ectasia. The case of a parturient with the Marfan syndrome and mild dural ectasia is presented. During attempted labor epidural placement, unintentional dural puncture occurred. A spinal catheter was used for adequate labor analgesia, and a resultant postdural puncture headache was alleviated by an epidural blood patch under fluoroscopic guidance.

Two loose screws: near-miss fall of a morbidly obese patient after an operating room table failure.

Operating room surgical table failure is a rare event but can lead to a dangerous situation when it does occur. The dangers can be compounded in the presence of obesity, especially in the anesthetized or sedated patient. We present a case of a near-miss fall of a morbidly obese patient while turning the patient in preparation to transfer from the operating room table to the hospital bed when 2 fractured bolts in the tilt cylinder mechanism led to an operating room table failure.

Table tipping and a near-miss fall after unlocking a surgical table holding a morbidly obese patient.

Presented is a case report of a morbidly obese patient who experienced a near-miss fall in the operating room due to several factors. We present the importance of recognizing the change in fulcrum location on a Steris 4085 operating table when the bed is in the unlocked versus the locked position. This small change, in the presence of morbid obesity and reverse orientation of the table, can lead to an unsafe situation in which the patient's weight can cause the table to tip. We present potential ways to avoid this complication.