[Clinicians' Practice and Opinions on Sedation Therapy in End-Stage Patients].

Objective To investigate clinicians' practice and opinions on sedation therapy in end-stage patients at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Methods From August,2022 to April,2023,an online questionnaire survey was conducted among clinicians involved in end-stage patient management. Results A total of 205 questionnaires were distributed,with an effective response rate of 56.1%.Among the clinicians,55.7% of them had experience of applying sedation therapy in end-stage patients;85.2% of clinicians believed that sedation could relieve the suffering of terminal patients from physical refractory symptoms;75.7% of clinicians considered that sedation therapy could be used to relieve agony from psycho-existential distress.Most clinicians had concerns about sedation therapy due to the lack of legal support(86.1%)and the lack of understanding of patients or families(59.1%).The majority (90.4%) of clinicians were willing to receive training on palliative sedation. Conclusions A majority of clinicians agree that sedation therapy could relieve the physical distress and psycho-existential distress in end-stage patients.However,most clinicians have concerns about the application of sedation therapy due to the lack of legal support.It is necessary to enhance the training on palliative sedation.

Intraoperative Blood Pressure Lability Acts as a Key Mediator in the Impacts of Goal-Directed Fluid Therapy on Postoperative Complications in Patients Undergoing Major Spine Surgery.

Objective Although goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) has been proven to be effective in reducing the incidence of postoperative complications, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the mediating role of intraoperative hemodynamic lability in the association between GDFT and the incidence of postoperative complications. We further tested the role of this mediation effect using mean arterial pressure, a hemodynamic indicator. Methods This secondary analysis used the dataset of a completed nonrandomized controlled study to investigate the effect of GDFT on the incidence of postoperative complications in patients undergoing posterior spine arthrodesis. We used a simple mediation model to test whether there was a mediation effect of average real variability between the association of GDFT and postoperative complications. We conducted mediation analysis using the mediation package in R (version 3.1.2), based on 5,000 bootstrapped samples, adjusting for covariates. Results Among the 300 patients in the study, 40% (120/300) developed postoperative complications within 30 days. GDFT was associated with fewer 30-day postoperative complications after adjustment for confounders (odds ratio: 0.460, 95% CI: 0.278, 0.761; P = 0.003). The total effect of GDFT on postoperative complications was -0.18 (95% CI: -0.28, -0.07; P < 0.01). The average causal mediation effect was -0.08 (95% CI: -0.15, -0.04; P < 0.01). The average direct effect was -0.09 (95% CI: -0.20, 0.03; P = 0.17). The proportion mediated was 49.9% (95% CI: 18.3%, 140.0%). Conclusions The intraoperative blood pressure lability mediates the relationship between GDFT and the incidence of postoperative complications. Future research is needed to clarify whether actively reducing intraoperative blood pressure lability can prevent postoperative complications.

[Standard Process for Palliative Sedation in Peking Union Medical College Hospital].

End-stage patients experience unbearable pain because of refractory symptoms.Palliative sedation is a form of palliative care which relieves patients' agony by lowering their consciousness.Standard palliative sedation can help patients die with dignity.It is distinct from euthanasia and does not alter the survival of patients.Sufficient palliative care is the premise of palliative sedation.Repeated and detailed clinical evaluation,as well as multidisciplinary involvement,is necessary for the standardized implementation of palliative sedation.Here,we proposed the standard process and specifications of palliative sedation in Peking Union Medical College Hospital.Furthermore,we reported a case of palliative sedation for an advanced cancer patient with refractory delirium and living pain to demonstrate its application in clinical practice.

Possible Risk Factors for Severe Complications Occurring after Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Objective Total knee arthroplasty is one of the most common orthopedic surgeries. Readmission due to severe complications after total knee arthroplasty is a grave concern to surgeons. In this study, we evaluated the risk factors for severe complications after primary total knee arthroplasty. Methods We retrospectively collected clinical data of 2,974 patients who underwent primary total knee arthroplasty from July 2013 to June 2019 in our hospital. Postoperative complication ≥ grade Ⅲ was defined as severe complication according to Clavien-Dindo classification system. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the predictive risk factors for severe complications. Results The complication rate after primary total knee arthroplasty was 6.8% and severe complication rate was 2.5%. Male (OR = 2.178, 95%CI: 1.324-3.585, P= 0.002), individuals above 75 years old (OR = 1.936, 95%CI: 1.155-3.244, P= 0.012), arrhythmia (OR = 2.913, 95%CI: 1.350-6.285, P= 0.006) and cerebrovascular disease (OR = 2.804, 95%CI: 1.432-5.489, P= 0.003) were predictive risk factors for severe complications after primary total knee arthroplasty. Conclusion Advanced age, male, arrhythmia, and cerebrovascular disease might be patients-related risk factors for postoperative severe complications after primary total knee arthroplasty. Special attention should be paid to patients with risk factors.

Risk Factors for Anesthesia-Related Airway Patient Safety Incidents: A Single-Center Retrospective Case-Control Analysis from 2009 to 2022.

Objective Airway-related patient safety incident (PSI) has always been the top concern of anesthesiologists because this type of incidents could severely threaten patient safety if not treated immediately and properly. This study intends to reveal the composition, prognosis, and to identify risk factors for airway related incidents reported by anesthesiologists. Methods All airway related PSIs reported by anesthesiologists in a Chinese academic hospital between September 2009 and May 2022 were collected from the PSI reporting system. Patients with airway incidents reported were matched 1:1 with controls based on sex and type of surgery. Univariable and multivariable analysis were performed to find risk factors associated with airway incident occurrence, and to evaluate influence of airway PSIs on patient prognosis. Results Among 1,038 PSIs voluntarily reported by anesthesiologists during the study period, 281 cases (27.1%) were airway-related incidents, with an overall reporting incidence of 4.74 per 10,000 among 592,884 anesthesia care episodes. Only ASA physical status was found to be significant independent predictor of these airway PSIs (P = 0.020). Patients with airway PSIs reported had longer extubation time (0.72 ± 1.56 d vs. 0.16 ± 0.77 d, 95%CI: 0.29 to 0.82, P < 0.001), longer ICU length of stay (LOS) (1.63 ± 5.71 d vs. 0.19 ± 0.84 d, 95%CI: 0.57 to 2.32, P= 0.001), longer post operative LOS (10.56 ± 13.09 d vs. 7.59 ± 10.76 d, 95%CI: 0.41 to 5.53, P = 0.023), and longer total in-hospital LOS (14.99 ± 15.18 d vs. 11.62 ± 11.88 d, 95%CI: 0.46 to 6.27,P = 0.024). Conclusions This single-center retrospective case-control study describes the composition of airway-related PSIs reported by anesthesiologists within thirteen years. Airway incidents might influence patient prognosis by elongating extubation time and LOS. Airway PSI data were worth analyzing to improve patient safety.

Ultrasound-Guided Continuous Thoracic Paravertebral Block Improves Patient's Quality of Recovery After Open Hepatectomy: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Background Ultrasound-guided continuous thoracic paravertebral block can provide pain-relieving and opioid-sparing effects in patients receiving open hepatectomy. We hypothesize that these effects may improve the quality of recovery (QoR) after open hepatectomy. Methods Seventy-six patients undergoing open hepatectomy were randomized to receive a continuous thoracic paravertebral block with ropivacaine (CTPVB group) or normal saline (control group). All patients received patient-controlled intravenous analgesia with morphine postoperatively for 48 hours. The primary outcome was the global Chinese 15-item Quality of Recovery score on postoperative day 7, which was statistically analyzed using Student's t-test. Results Thirty-six patients in the CTPVB group and 37 in the control group completed the study. Compared to the control group, the CTPVB group had significantly increased global Chinese 15-item Quality of Recovery scores (133.14 ± 12.97 vs. 122.62 ± 14.89, P = 0.002) on postoperative day 7. Postoperative pain scores and cumulative morphine consumption were significantly lower for up to 8 and 48 hours (P < 0.05; P = 0.002), respectively, in the CTPVB group. Conclusion Perioperative CTPVB markably promotes patient's QoR after open hepatectomy with a profound analgesic effect in the early postoperative period.

[Association of Perioperative Allogeneic Red Blood Cell Transfusion with Postoperative Infections].

Allogeneic red blood cell transfusion can induce transfusion-related immunomodulation while correcting anemia and improving oxygenation,and thus may be associated with the increased risk of postoperative infections.However,the available studies have conflicting conclusions.Preclinical studies demonstrate transfusion-related immunomodulation is associated with transfusion amounts.Stored red blood cells can cause more significant immunosuppression than fresh blood products,while leukoreduction alleviates the negative effect on immune system.However,clinical studies do not reach agreements on these issues.Recently,accumulating multi-center,large-sample-size,real-world studies have reported significant associations of all ogeneic red blood cell transfusion in cardiac,orthopedic,hepatic,pancreatic,gastrointestinal,and vesical surgeries with postoperative infections.Considering the limitations of previous studies,future research should focus on multiple operations,prolong the time interval between transfusion and surgery,include different infections into outcomes,and define the postoperative infections accurately in the premise of adequate samples.High-quality clinical evidence could help to optimize the utilization of blood products and improve the postoperative outcomes.

[Deep Learning-based Risk Prediction Model for Postoperative Healthcare-associated Infections].

Objective To develop a risk prediction model combining pre/intraoperative risk factors and intraoperative vital signs for postoperative healthcare-associated infection(HAI)based on deep learning. Methods We carried out a retrospective study based on two randomized controlled trials(NCT02715076,ChiCTR-IPR-17011099).The patients who underwent elective radical resection of advanced digestive system tumor were included in this study.The primary outcome was HAI within 30 days after surgery.Logistic regression analysis and long short-term memory(LSTM)model based on iteratively occluding sections of the input were used for feature selection.The risk prediction model for postoperative HAI was developed based on deep learning,combining the selected pre/intraoperative risk factors and intraoperative vital signs,and was evaluated by comparison with other models.Finally,we adopted the simulated annealing algorithm to simulatively adjust the vital signs during surgery,trying to explore the adjustment system that can reduce the risk of HAI. Results A total of 839 patients were included in this study,of which 112(13.3%)developed HAI within 30 days after surgery.The selected pre/intraoperative risk factors included neoadjuvant chemotherapy,parenteral nutrition,esophagectomy,gastrectomy,colorectal resection,pancreatoduodenectomy,hepatic resection,intraoperative blood loss>500 ml,and anesthesia time>4 h.The intraoperative vital signs significantly associated with HAI were in an order of heart rate>core body temperature>systolic blood pressure>diastolic blood pressure.Compared with multivariable Logistic regression model,random forest model,and LSTM model including vital signs only,this deep learning-based prediction model performed best(ACC=0.733,F1=0.237,AUC=0.728).The simulation via simulated annealing algorithm reduced the incidence of postoperative HAI.Moreover,the incidence decreased most in the case of reducing the initial annealing temperature and choosing the last 20% of surgery procedure. Conclusions This study developed a risk prediction model for postoperative HAI based on deep learning,which combined pre/intraoperative risk factors and intraoperative basic vital signs.Using simulated annealing algorithm to adjust intraoperative vital signs could reduce the incidence of postoperative HAI to some extent.

[Risk Factors of Bleeding-related Perioperative Cardiac Arrest].

Objective To reveal the incidence,mortality,and risk factors of bleeding-related perioperative cardiac arrest(POCA). Methods We carried out a single-center retrospective case-control study which enrolled all the POCA cases reported from January 2010 to September 2020 in the patient safety incident reporting system of Peking Union Medical College Hospital.For the screening of risk factors,the patients were respectively assigned into the POCA group and the control group at a ratio of 1∶3 according to the same sex,age,American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)physical status,and type of surgery in the same month.Potential risk factors for POCA were first selected by univariate analysis.The significant risk factors were then checked based on the clinical experience and further included in the multivariate Logistic regression model. Results Totally 16 bleeding-related POCA cases were collected from the patient safety incident reporting system among the study period,with an overall incidence of 0.36/10 000.The blood loss volume of POCA group and control group was(7 037.50±5 477.70)ml and(375.63±675.14)ml,respectively(P<0.001),and 14(87.5%)patients suffering from bleeding-related POCA died within three days after anesthesia.According to the univariate analysis,patients' body mass index[(21.79±3.57)kg/m2 vs.(24.26±3.91)kg/m2,P=0.043],hemoglobin level[(113.44±31.08)g/L vs.(131.75±19.70)g/L,P=0.039],and alanine aminotransferase level[(17.31±7.73)U/L vs.(26.91±24.73)U/L,P=0.022]were significantly lower in the POCA group than in the control group.Further Logistic regression analysis showed that smaller body mass index and lower preoperative hemoglobin level were independently associated with the occurrence of bleeding-related POCA. Conclusions Bleeding-related POCA rarely occurred but had high mortality.Adequate precautions should be taken for the patients who are to receive surgeries with high risk of intraoperative massive bleeding.Elevating preoperative hemoglobin level might decrease the incidence of bleeding-related POCA.

Remimazolam tosilate in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: A multicenter, randomized, non-inferiority, phase III trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Remimazolam tosilate (RT) is a new short-acting GABA(A) receptor agonist, having potential to be an effective option for procedural sedation. Here, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of RT with propofol in patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. METHODS: This positive-controlled, non-inferiority, phase III trial recruited patients at 17 centers, between September 2017 and November 2017. A total of 384 patients scheduled to undergo upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were randomly assigned to receive RT or propofol. Primary endpoint was the success rate of sedation. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded to evaluate safety. RESULTS: The success rate of sedation in the RT group was non-inferior to that in the propofol group (97.34% vs 100.00%; difference in rate -2.66%, 95% CI -4.96 to -0.36, meeting criteria for non-inferiority). Patients in the RT group had longer time to adequate sedation (P < 0.0001) but shorter time to fully alert (P < 0.0001) than that in the propofol group. The incidences of hypotension (13.04% vs 42.86%, P < 0.0001), treatment-related hypotension (0.54% vs 5.82%, P < 0.0001), and respiratory depression (1.09% vs 6.88%, P = 0.0064) were significantly lower in the RT group. AEs were reported in 74 (39.15%) patients in the RT group and 114 (60.32%) patients in the propofol group, with significant difference (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: This trial established non-inferior sedation success rate of RT compared with propofol. RT allows faster recovery from sedation compared with propofol. The safety profile is favorable and appears to be superior to propofol, indicating that it was feasible and well tolerated for patients.

Evaluation of Burnout Among Anesthesiologists Working in Tibet, China: Altitude and Attitude.

Objective Burnout is a triad of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment resulting from job stress. Although with distinct regional and cultural characteristics, burnout among anesthesiologists in the Tibet has not been described. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of burnout among anesthesiologists in Tibet and its associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Tibet, China, with an anonymous questionnaire. Social-demographic characteristics, work status, three dimensions of burnout assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey were collected and analyzed. Results A total of 133 individuals from 17 hospitals completed the survey from March to June 2018. The prevalence of moderate- to high-level of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and burnout in personal accomplishment was 65.4% (95%CI, 57.0%-72.9%), 66.9% (95%CI, 58.5%-74.3%), and 83.5% (95%CI, 76.2%-88.8%), respectively. An annual caseload ≥500, frequent overtime work and fair to poor sleep quality were significantly associated with a higher level of emotional exhaustion ( P<0.001,P=0.001, and P<0.0001, respectively). 5-9 years in anesthesiology experience was significantly associated with a high level of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (P=0.002 and P=0.003, respectively). Conclusions More than half of anesthesiologists working in Tibet experience a moderate- to high- level of burnout in at least one dimensional scale. Anesthesiologists having 5-9 years of experience are more prone to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Efforts to decrease burnout through reducing the working load and raising the social recognition of anesthesiologists in Tibet should be considered.

Assessing Empathy in Anesthesia Residents with the Chinese Version of the Consultation and Relational Empathy: A Pilot Standardized Patient Program.

Objectives To validate the reliability of the Chinese version of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) in physician-standardized patient (SP) encounter. We also tried to examine the agreement between video-based ratings and in-room ratings, as well as the agreement between the faculty ratings and SP ratings. Methods The CARE was translated into Chinese. Forty-eight anesthesia residents were recruited to make preoperative interview in SP-counter. Performance of each resident was graded by in-room raters, video raters and SP raters. Consistency between different raters was examined. Results The Chinese-CARE measure demonstrated high scale reliability with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.95 and high consistency in the in-room ratings in intraclass correlation (coefficient=0.888,P<0.001). Despite a good consistency in intraclass correlation, video ratings were significantly higher than in-room ratings (39.6±7.1vs. 24.0±10.0,P<0.001), and Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that the pass/fail rate was significantly higher based on video ratings than based on in-room ratings (45/48vs. 22/48, P<0.001). SP ratings had a moderate consistency with in-room faculty ratings (coefficient=0.568,P<0.001), and there was no significant difference between the pass/fail rates based on the in-room ratings and SP ratings (22/48vs. 28/48, P=0.12). Conclusions The Chinese-CARE measure is reliable in the assessment of empathy during preoperative anesthesia interview. In-room and video ratings are not equivalent, while SP may provide a feasible alternative for the faculty rater in the assessment of communication skills with an appropriate measure.

[Characteristics and Management of High-risk Maternal Patients in General Tertiary Hospital].

Objective To analyze the characteristics of high-risk maternal patients and evaluate the multidisciplinary medical care system we established correspondingly. Method We collected and analyzed the medical records of high-risk maternal patients who received medical care from January 1,2017 to December 31,2020 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Results Ninety-eight high-risk maternal patients were included in this study,and 84.7%(83/98)of them were combined with different severe systemic diseases.Under the multidisciplinary medical care system,91 patients showed improved conditions and were discharged,and the other 7 cases had poor prognosis. Conclusions General tertiary hospitals in Beijing are receiving maternal patients with more high-risk complications.Considering the high risk and diverse diseases of maternal patients admitted to our hospital,we established a medical care system composed of a multidisciplinary panel of experts for high-risk maternal patients to improve the medical care and prognosis of the patients with high efficiency.

[Head and Face Protection of the Health Care Workers in the Operating Room of Peking Union Medical College Hospital during the Corona Virus Disease-19 Pandemic].

Objective To investigate the understanding of the head and face protection of the health care workers in operating room of Peking Union Medical College Hospital during the corona virus disease-19(COVID-19) pandemic.Methods The knowledge of head and face protection of health care workers in the operating room was evaluated based on the non-registered questionnaires for protection measures collected on-line.Results The survey was conducted in two phases.In the first phase(COVID-19 outbreak),153 questionnaires were collected.In the second phase(when Beijing lowered the emergency response to level 3 and normalized the epidemic prevention and control),101 questionnaires were collected.The results showed that 98% of health care workers had used any form of protective devices during the pandemic and anesthesiologists had the highest usage rate(93.0%)of ear-loop face mask with eye shield.During the pandemic,health care workers mainly used goggles(71.2%)for protection to diagnose and treat the patients with fever and ear-loop face mask with eye shield(56.2%)for protection to diagnose and treat the non-fever patients.In the first-and second-phase survey,43% and 68% of health care workers still used protection,and they mainly used face shield(50.0% and 56.5%)and ear-loop face mask with eye shield(56.1% and 68.1%).Conclusions During the pandemic,more than 90% of the health care workers in the operating room of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were aware of head and face protection.Different healthcare workers in the operating room had different choices of head and face protection,and more than 40% of them would still keep such protection during the normalized stage of pandemic prevention and control.

[Risk Factors for Patients Using Intraoperative Vasopressor Infusions During Carotid Body Tumor Excision].

Objective To investigate the risk factors for patients using intraoperative vasopressor infusions during carotid body tumor(CBT)excision.Patients' mean arterial pressure(MAP)and heart rate(HR)fluctuations as well as their requirements for vasoactive agents during surgery were assessed. Methods The patients receiving CBT excision in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from May 1,2013 to July 31,2017 were included for a retrospective cohort study.The potential factors of intraoperative requirement for vasopressor infusions were investigated using univariate analysis and Logistic multivariate analysis.Furthermore,the relationships of Shamblin types of CBT with intraoperative MAP/HR fluctuations and requirements for vasoactive agents were analyzed. Results A total of 108 patients with 116 CBTs were included.Univariate analysis revealed that maximum tumor diameter >4 cm,intraoperative internal carotid artery injury,internal carotid artery reconstruction,malignant pathology,advanced Shamblin types(type Ⅱ and Ⅲ),estimated blood loss ≥400 ml,and operation duration >4 hours were associated with intraoperative requirements for vasopressor infusions.Logistic analysis showed that Shamblin type Ⅲ(OR=2.286,95% CI=1.324-14.926,P=0.016)and operation duration >4 hours(OR=3.874,95% CI=1.020-14.623,P=0.046)were risk factors for intraoperative requirements for vasopressor infusions during CBT surgery.In addition,Shamblin type Ⅲ was associated with intraoperative abnormal HR elevation and requirements for vasopressors.Conclusions Shamblin type Ⅲ and operation duration>4 hours are risk factors for intraoperative requirements of patients for using vasopressor infusions during CBT surgery.Shamblin type Ⅲ is associated with intraoperative abnormal HR elevation and requirements for vasopressors.

Phrenic Nerve Injury Is a Differential Diagnosis of Hypoxemia after Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Thymectomy: 2 Cases Report and Literature Review.

Hypoxemia after general anesthesia is not uncommon. For patients after thoracotomy, the differential diagnosis is usually difficult. Surgical, anesthetic, and patient-associated factors may contribute to postoperative hypoxemia. We described two patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy and developed hypoxemia immediately after extubation. Phrenic nerve injury was suspected in both patients. One case recovered spontaneously without intervention. The second case who had been demonstrated as bilateral phrenic nerve injury after the operation was continuously on ventilator after physical therapy and respiratory training for 2 months.

Infection Prevention Strategy in Operating Room during Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak.

A novel coronavirus that emerged in late 2019 rapidly spread around the world. Most severe cases need endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, and some mild cases may need emergent surgery under general anesthesia. The novel coronavirus was reported to transmit via droplets, contact and natural aerosols from human to human. Therefore, aerosol-producing procedures such as endotracheal intubation and airway suction may put the healthcare providers at high risk of nosocomial infection. Based on recently published articles, this review provides detailed feasible recommendations for primary anesthesiologists on infection prevention in operating room during COVID-19 outbreak.

Expert Recommendations for Tracheal Intubation in Critically ill Patients with Noval Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), is a highly contagious disease. It firstly appeared in Wuhan, Hubei province of China in December 2019. During the next two months, it moved rapidly throughout China and spread to multiple countries through infected persons travelling by air. Most of the infected patients have mild symptoms including fever, fatigue and cough. But in severe cases, patients can progress rapidly and develop to the acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, metabolic acidosis and coagulopathy. The new coronavirus was reported to spread via droplets, contact and natural aerosols from human-to-human. Therefore, high-risk aerosol-producing procedures such as endotracheal intubation may put the anesthesiologists at high risk of nosocomial infections. In fact, SARS-CoV-2 infection of anesthesiologists after endotracheal intubation for confirmed COVID-19 patients have been reported in hospitals in Wuhan. The expert panel of airway management in Chinese Society of Anaesthesiology has deliberated and drafted this recommendation, by which we hope to guide the performance of endotracheal intubation by frontline anesthesiologists and critical care physicians. During the airway management, enhanced droplet/airborne PPE should be applied to the health care providers. A good airway assessment before airway intervention is of vital importance. For patients with normal airway, awake intubation should be avoided and modified rapid sequence induction is strongly recommended. Sufficient muscle relaxant should be assured before intubation. For patients with difficult airway, good preparation of airway devices and detailed intubation plans should be made.

Ultrasound-Guided Transmuscular Quadratus Lumbar Block Reduces Opioid Consumption after Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy.

Objectives Transmuscular quadratus lumborum block (TQLB) may provide postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing intraperitoneal surgeries. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential efficacy of TQLB among patients undergoing retroperitoneal procedures, such as the laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN). Methods This prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted from August 2017 to November 2018 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Beijing, China). Patients who were scheduled for a LPN, aged 18-70 years old with an ASA physical status score of I - II were randomly assigned to receive either TQLB with 0.6 ml/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine plus general anesthesia (TQLB group) or general anesthesia alone (control group). Patient-controlled intravenous analgesia with morphine was initiated immediately upon surgery completion. The primary outcome was the cumulative consumption of morphine within 8 h after surgery. The secondary outcome included postoperative consumptions of morphine at other time points, pain score at rest and during activity, postoperative nausea and vomitting (PONV), and recovery related parameters. Results Totally 30 patients per group were recruited in the study. The 8 h consumption of morphine was lower in the TQLB group than in the control group (median, 0.023 mg/kg vs. 0.068 mg/kg, U=207.5, P<0.001). No significant differences were observed in postoperative pain scores between the two groups. Patients in the TQLB group had fewer episodes of PONV (20% vs. 47%, χ2=4.8, P=0.028) in the first 24 h after surgery and higher scores for quality of recovery (mean, 138.6 vs. 131.9, t=-2.164, P=0.035) 120 h after surgery than the controls. Conclusions TQLB resulted in an opioid-sparing effect during the early postoperative period following LPN, as well as a lower incidence of PONV and improved quality of recovery.

[Efficacy of Oxycodone Hydrochloride for Patient-controlled Intravenous Analgesia after General Surgery].

Objective To evaluate the value of oxycodone hydrochloride for postoperative pain management in patients undergoing patient-controlled intravenous analgesia(PCIA). Methods The medical records on postoperative pain management in our department from January 1 to June 30,2018,were retrospectively analyzed.Totally 136 patients were assigned into oxycodone,sufentanil,or morphine groups according to the opioid used in the PCIA.Patients were assessed for postoperative pain severity(scored with NRS)and adverse reactions 24,36,and 48 hours after surgery.The area under curve(AUC)was calculated. Results The score of pain at exercise was significantly lower in the oxycodone group(2.2±2.4)than in the sufentanil group(3.4±2.1)(t=0.305,P=0.0126)or the morphine group(3.4±1.7)(t=0.104,P=0.0277)36 hours after surgery.AUC at rest was significantly lower in the oxycodone and morphine groups than in the sufentanil group(29.00,27.00,and 40.01,respectively);in contrast,AUC at exercise was significantly lower in the oxycodone group(63.17)than in the sufentanil and morphine groups(82.00 and 80.93,respectively).The consumption of opioids was significantly higher in the sufentanil group[(37.2±16.1),(46.1±24.3),(64.4±33.4)mg]than in the oxycodone group[(20.4±14.8)(t=3.571,P=0.001),(24.2±16.1)(t=4.63,P<0.0001),(34.4±25.1)mg(t=6.409,P<0.0001)]or the morphine group[(16.6±11.7)(t=4.233,P<0.0001),(20.5±14.1)(t=5.250,P<0.0001),(28.8±19.0)mg(t=7.354,P<0.0001)]24,36,48 hours after surgery.The oxycodone group experienced less vomiting(χ 2=11.360,P=0.003)and early termination of PCIA(χ 2=7.914,P=0.019)compared with the other two groups. Conclusions Oxycodone can be used for postoperative PCIA.It can alleviate a variety of postoperative pain,with superior analgesic efficiency and safety to sufentanil and morphine.