Interscalene Block for Analgesia in Orthopedic Treatment of Shoulder Trauma: Single-Dose Liposomal Bupivacaine versus Perineural Catheter.

BACKGROUND: Interscalene brachial plexus block is frequently utilized to provide perioperative analgesia to patients undergoing shoulder surgery to optimize recovery, minimize opioid consumption, and decrease overall hospital length of stay. The use of an indwelling perineural interscalene catheter provides extended analgesia and is efficacious in managing severe postoperative pain following major shoulder surgery. Currently, the only alternative to perineural catheters for extended analgesia with interscalene block involves the perineural infiltration of liposomal bupivacaine. However, there is limited published data regarding the overall analgesic effectiveness of using interscalene liposomal bupivacaine in the setting of shoulder surgery. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 43 patients in the acute trauma setting who underwent major shoulder surgery and received extended analgesia via perioperative interscalene brachial plexus block with either an indwelling continuous catheter or single-dose liposomal bupivacaine to determine if comparable analgesia can be achieved. The primary outcomes of interest were postoperative pain scores and opioid consumption. Due to the ability to titrate and bolus local anesthetic infusions to a desired clinical effect, we hypothesized that opioid consumption and pain scores would be lower when using the continuous catheter technique. RESULTS: After statistical analysis, our results demonstrated no significant difference between the two techniques in regards to opioid consumption as well as numeric pain scores during the 48-hour postoperative period, but did note a higher rate of complications with patients who received perineural interscalene continuous catheters. Secondary outcomes showed an increase in time required to complete the regional block procedure with the use of indwelling catheters. CONCLUSION: Interscalene brachial plexus block with liposomal bupivacaine may be a viable alternative to indwelling continuous catheters for providing extended analgesia in patients undergoing major shoulder surgery.

The Difficult Airway.

Airway management is a cornerstone of anesthetic practice, and difficulty with airway management has potentially grave implications-failure to secure a patent airway can result in hypoxic brain injury or death in a matter of minutes. The difficult airway in otolaryngologic surgery requires careful planning and close communication between the anesthesiologist and ENT or head and neck surgeon. Knowledge of predictive factors and a detailed preoperative evaluation can be used to predict which airway strategies are likely to be successful and which are likely to fail.

Intraoperative Anesthesiology Management and Patient Outcomes for Surgical Revascularization for Moyamoya Disease: A Review and Clinical Experience.

BACKGROUND: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare cerebrovascular condition, often presenting as a headache or stroke in adults. Anesthetic management of this illness may challenge providers because it can affect the long-term neurologic outcome and hospital length of stay (LOS) in patients with MMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search was conducted to assess etiology and epidemiology, as well as existing reports of intraoperative management of MMD. Due to sparse findings, the search was expanded to include studies of the use of intraoperative anesthetic agents during other neurosurgical procedures. We also retrospectively reviewed all MMD cases from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2015, at Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, where intraoperative management involved craniotomy and surgical revascularization. Data were collected primarily on the use of several anesthetic agents. The LOS and any adverse events were also recorded for each case. The data were divided into two equivalent case cohorts: (1) January 1, 2009, to February 18, 2013, and (2) February 19, 2013, to December 31, 2015. RESULTS: Remifentanil use notably increased between the first and second time periods while fentanyl use decreased. Desflurane usage also demonstrated an observed increase when our two cohorts were compared. Additionally, there was a decrease in the mean LOS between the first and second periods of 3.9 and 3.3 days, respectively. CONCLUSION: Increasing use of remifentanil in MMD cases could be attributed to its ability to provide more stable hemodynamics during induction, maintenance, and emergence of anesthesia when compared with fentanyl. Lower systolic pressures, diastolic pressures, and heart rates were reported in patients receiving remifentanil over fentanyl.

Scheduled Intravenous Acetaminophen Improves Patient Satisfaction With Postcraniotomy Pain Management: A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Double-blind Study.

BACKGROUND: Postcraniotomy pain can be difficult to manage with opioids due to opioid-related side effects, including drowsiness, nausea/vomiting, confusion, and pupillary changes, potentially masking the signs of postoperative neurological deterioration. Intravenous (IV) acetaminophen, a nonopioid analgesic, has been reported to have opioid-sparing effects after abdominal and orthopedic surgeries. This study investigates whether IV acetaminophen has similar effects after craniotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial, 100 adult patients scheduled to undergo supratentorial craniotomy for excision of a brain mass were randomized to receive either IV acetaminophen or placebo preincision and then every 6 hours for a total of 24 hours after surgery. Total 24-hour opioid consumption, pain scores, satisfaction with overall pain management, time to meet postanesthesia care unit discharge criteria, and incidence of opioid-related side effects were compared. RESULTS: There was no difference in the 24-hour postoperative opioid consumption in morphine equivalents between the IV acetaminophen group (median, 11 mg; n=45) and the placebo group (median, 10.1 mg; n=41). No statistically significant difference of visual analog scale pain score was observed between 2 treatment groups. Patient satisfaction with overall postoperative pain management was significantly higher in the IV acetaminophen group than the placebo group on a 1 to 10 scale (8.1±0.4 vs. 6.9±0.4; P=0.03). There was no significant difference in secondary outcomes, including the incidence of opioid-related side effects. CONCLUSIONS: IV acetaminophen, as adjunctive therapy for craniotomy procedures, did not show an opioid-sparing effect in patients for the 24 hours after craniotomy; however, it was associated with improved patient satisfaction regarding overall pain control.

Flexible optical intubation via the Ambu Aura-i vs blind intubation via the single-use LMA Fastrach: a prospective randomized clinical trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to compare the Ambu Aura-i to the single-use LMA Fastrach regarding time to intubation, success rate, and airway morbidity in patients undergoing elective surgery requiring general anesthesia. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: Sixty-five adult patients scheduled for elective surgery requiring general anesthesia. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized into 2 groups. Group A (n=33) were intubated using Ambu Aura-i and the Ambu aScope 2, a disposable flexible intubating scope, whereas those in group B (n=33) were blindly intubated using the Intubating Laryngeal Mask Airway (ILMA). MEASUREMENTS: First-attempt intubation success rate, overall intubation success rate, time to intubation, incidence of airway morbidity. MAIN RESULTS: The data demonstrated that time for endotracheal intubation in the ILMA group was significantly shorter than in the Ambu Aura-i group (P<.05). There was no difference in the first-attempt intubation success rate (Aura-i=26/33, 78.8%; ILMA=27/33, 81.8%; P=.757) or the overall intubation success rate (Aura-i=29/33, 87.9%; ILMA=31/33, 93.9%; P=.392) between the groups. Four patients (12%) in the Ambu Aura-i group had a failed intubation; 1 was due to a failure of the aScope monitor, whereas 3 were due to inability to visualize the glottis. Two patients (7%) in the ILMA group had a failed intubation due to esophageal intubation. There was no statistically significant difference in airway morbidity between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that intubation with the ILMA is faster but that first-attempt and overall intubation success rates were comparable in both groups. The results suggest that although the flexible intubating scope-guided Aura-i does not outperform blind intubation via the ILMA, the technique is comparable in terms of first-attempt and overall intubation success rate.

Extubación del paciente perioperatorio con una vía aérea difícil / Extubation of the perioperative patient with a difficult airway

Existe un volumen importante de literatura dedicada al tema del manejo de la vía aérea difícil, y se han desarrollado una serie de algoritmos y recomendaciones para el manejo seguro de pacientes en riesgo de una intubación difícil. Sin embargo, solo recientemente se ha despertado una mayor conciencia acerca de la extubación de la vía aérea difícil, pues aun cuando sea un procedimiento programado, suele estar plagado de complicaciones. La importancia de desarrollar estrategias pre-programadas para la extubación de la vía aérea difícil a fin de aumentar la seguridad del paciente y sus desenlaces se hace evidente a partir de los datos del ASA Closed Claims Analysis y del reciente Cuarto Proyecto Nacional de Auditoría del Reino Unido sobre complicaciones mayores en el manejo de la vía aérea. La clave para un manejo exitoso de los pacientes en riesgo de extubación difícil es efectuar una evaluación precisa de riesgo, aplicar estrategias apropiadas y la preparación tanto del médico como de la institución.

A considerable amount of literature has been dedicated to the topic of difficult airway management and a number of algorithms and recommendations have been established to safely manage patients at risk for difficult intubation. Only recently, however, has extubation of the difficult airway gained more awareness since this procedure, although elective, is often fraught with complications. The importance of developing pre-planned strategies for extubation of the difficult airway to improve patient safety and outcomes is apparent from data from both the ASA Closed Claims Analysis and the UK's recent Fourth National Audit Project of major complications of airway management. The key to successful management of patients at risk for difficult extubation is accurate risk assessment, application of appropriate strategies, and preparedness by both the individual practitioner and the institution.

Endotrol-tracheal tube assisted endotracheal intubation during video laryngoscopy.

Video laryngoscopes allow indirect visualization of the glottis and provide superior views of the glottis compared to direct laryngoscopes in patients with both normal and difficult airways, but it may be difficult to advance the endotracheal tube (ETT) through the vocal cords into the trachea, unless a stylet is used. We propose that the Endotrol(®) ETT may be an effective tool to facilitate video laryngoscope-assisted orotracheal intubation without the use of a stylet. After obtaining written and oral informed consent, 60-adult patients scheduled for elective surgery requiring general anesthesia with orotracheal intubation were enrolled. Patients were randomized, respectively, to 1 of 4 groups: Group A(1), (15 patients): McGrath(®) with Endotrol(®) ETT; Group A(2), (15 patients): McGrath(®) with GlideRite(®)-styletted standard ETT; Group B(1), (15 patients): GlideScope(®) with Endotrol(®) ETT; Group B(2), (15 patients): GlideScope(®) with GlideRite(®)-styletted standard ETT. Statistical analysis was performed with Stata (Stata Corp v10, College Station). Mean time to intubation was longer in the Endotrol(®) groups compared to the GlideRite(®) groups: 60.1 (31.6) vs. 44.4 (27.6) s (p < 0.05). It was subjectively more difficult to intubate using the Endotrol(®) than with a GlideRite(®)-styletted ETT (difficulty score median [range] 2 [1-5] vs. 1 [1-3], respectively). Three intubations using the Endotrol(®) were characterized as difficult, whereas there were no difficult intubations with the GlideRite(®)stylet. The Endotrol(®) ETT, as compared to a standard ETT with a non-malleable stylet, is associated with longer intubation times and a subjective increase in difficulty of use. It may, however, still be a clinically viable alternative in video laryngoscope-assisted orotracheal intubation when use of a rigid stylet is undesirable.