Hospital-, Anesthesiologist-, Surgeon-, and Patient-Level Variations in Neuraxial Anesthesia Use for Lower Limb Revascularization Surgery: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Although neuraxial anesthesia may promote improved outcomes for patients undergoing lower limb revascularization surgery, its use is decreasing over time. Our objective was to estimate variation in neuraxial (versus general) anesthesia use for lower limb revascularization at the hospital, anesthesiologist, surgeon, and patient levels, which could inform strategies to increase uptake. METHODS: Following protocol registration, we conducted a historical cross-sectional analysis of population-based linked health administrative data in Ontario, Canada. All adults undergoing lower limb revascularization surgery between 2009 and 2018 were identified. Generalized linear models with binomial response distributions, logit links and random intercepts for hospitals, anesthesiologists, and surgeons were used to estimate the variation in neuraxial anesthesia use at the hospital, anesthesiologist, surgeon, and patient levels using variance partition coefficients and median odds ratios. Patient- and hospital-level predictors of neuraxial anesthesia use were identified. RESULTS: We identified 11,849 patients; 3489 (29.4%) received neuraxial anesthesia. The largest proportion of variation was attributable to the hospital level (50.3%), followed by the patient level (35.7%); anesthesiologists and surgeons had small attributable variation (11.3% and 2.8%, respectively). Mean odds ratio estimates suggested that 2 similar patients would experience a 5.7-fold difference in their odds of receiving a neuraxial anesthetic were they randomly sent to 2 different hospitals. Results were consistent in sensitivity analyses, including limiting analysis to patients with diagnosed peripheral artery disease and separately to those aged >66 years with complete prescription anticoagulant and antiplatelet usage data. CONCLUSIONS: Neuraxial anesthesia use primarily varies at the hospital level. Efforts to promote use of neuraxial anesthesia for lower limb revascularization should likely focus on the hospital context.

Effect of Intraoperative Handovers of Anesthesia Care on Mortality, Readmission, or Postoperative Complications Among Adults: The HandiCAP Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Intraoperative handovers of anesthesia care are common. Handovers might improve care by reducing physician fatigue, but there is also an inherent risk of losing critical information. Large observational analyses report associations between handover of anesthesia care and adverse events, including higher mortality. Objective: To determine the effect of handovers of anesthesia care on postoperative morbidity and mortality. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a parallel-group, randomized clinical trial conducted in 12 German centers with patients enrolled between June 2019 and June 2021 (final follow-up, July 31, 2021). Eligible participants had an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 3 or 4 and were scheduled for major inpatient surgery expected to last at least 2 hours. Interventions: A total of 1817 participants were randomized to receive either a complete handover to receive anesthesia care by another clinician (n = 908) or no handover of anesthesia care (n = 909). None of the participating institutions used a standardized handover protocol. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was a 30-day composite of all-cause mortality, hospital readmission, or serious postoperative complications. There were 19 secondary outcomes, including the components of the primary composite, along with intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay. Results: Among 1817 randomized patients, 1772 (98%; mean age, 66 [SD, 12] years; 997 men [56%]; and 1717 [97%] with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status of 3) completed the trial. The median total duration of anesthesia was 267 minutes (IQR, 206-351 minutes), and the median time from start of anesthesia to first handover was 144 minutes in the handover group (IQR, 105-213 minutes). The composite primary outcome occurred in 268 of 891 patients (30%) in the handover group and in 284 of 881 (33%) in the no handover group (absolute risk difference [RD], -2.5%; 95% CI, -6.8% to 1.9%; odds ratio [OR], 0.89; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.10; P = .27). Nineteen of 889 patients (2.1%) in the handover group and 30 of 873 (3.4%) in the no handover group experienced all-cause 30-day mortality (absolute RD, -1.3%; 95% CI, -2.8% to 0.2%; OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.34 to 1.10; P = .11); 115 of 888 (13%) vs 136 of 872 (16%) were readmitted to the hospital (absolute RD, -2.7%; 95% CI, -5.9% to 0.6%; OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.61 to 1.05; P = .12); and 195 of 890 (22%) vs 189 of 874 (22%) experienced serious postoperative complications (absolute RD, 0.3%; 95% CI, -3.6% to 4.1%; odds ratio, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.81 to 1.28; P = .91). None of the 19 prespecified secondary end points differed significantly. Conclusions and Relevance: Among adults undergoing extended surgical procedures, there was no significant difference between the patients randomized to receive handover of anesthesia care from one clinician to another, compared with the no handover group, in the composite primary outcome of mortality, readmission, or serious postoperative complications within 30 days. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04016454.

An atlas of dynamic peripheral blood mononuclear cell landscapes in human perioperative anaesthesia/surgery.

BACKGROUND: The number of patients receiving anaesthesia is increasing, but the impact of general anaesthesia on the patient's immune system remains unclear. The aim of the present study is to investigate dynamics of systemic immune cell responses to anaesthesia during perioperative period at a single-cell solution. METHODS: The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and clinical phenomes were harvested and recorded 1 day before anaesthesia and operation, just after anaesthesia (0 h), and 24 and 48 h after anaesthesia. Single-cell sequencing of PBMCs was performed with 10× genomics. Subsequently, data analysis was performed with R packages: Seurat, clusterProfiler and CellPhoneDB. RESULTS: We found that the cluster of CD56+ NK cells changed at 0 h and the cluster of monocytes increased at 24 and 48 h after anaesthesia. The characteristic genes of CD56+ NK cells were mainly enriched in the Jak-STAT signalling pathway and in cell adhesion molecules (24 h) and carbon metabolism (48 h). The communication between CD14+ monocytes and other cells decreased substantially 0 and 48 h after operation. The number of plasma cells enriched in protein export in men was substantially higher than that in women, although the total number in patients decreased 24 h after operation. CD14+ monocytes dominated that cell-cell communications appeared in females, while CD8+ NKT cells dominated that cell-cell communications appeared in male. The number of plasma cells increased substantially in patients with major surgical trauma, with enrichments of pentose phosphate pathway. The communications between plasma cells with other cells varied between surgical severities and anaesthetic forms. The intravenous anaesthesia caused major alterations of cell types, including CD14+ monocytes, plasmas cells and MAIT cells, as compared with inhalation anaesthesia. CONCLUSION: We initially reported the roles of perioperative anaesthesia/surgery in temporal phenomes of circulating immune cells at a single-cell solution. Thus, the protection against immune cell changes would benefit the recovery from anaesthesia/surgery.

December Is Coming: A Time Trend Analysis of Monthly Variation in Adult Elective Anesthesia Caseload across Florida and Texas Locations of a Large Multistate Practice.

BACKGROUND: Anesthesia staffing models rely on predictable surgical case volumes. Previous studies have found no relationship between month of the year and surgical volume. However, seasonal events and greater use of high-deductible health insurance plans may cause U.S. patients to schedule elective surgery later in the calendar year. The hypothesis was that elective anesthesia caseloads would be higher in December than in other months. METHODS: This review analyzed yearly adult case data in Florida and Texas locations of a multistate anesthesia practice from 2017 to 2019. To focus on elective caseload, the study excluded obstetric, weekend, and holiday cases. Time trend decomposition analysis was used with seasonal variation to assess differences between December and other months in daily caseload and their relationship to age and insurance subgroups. RESULTS: A total of 3,504,394 adult cases were included in the analyses. Overall, daily caseloads increased by 2.5 ± 0.1 cases per day across the 3-yr data set. After adjusting for time trends, the average daily December caseload in 2017 was 5,039 cases (95% CI, 4,900 to 5,177), a 20% increase over the January-to-November baseline (4,196 cases; 95% CI, 4,158 to 4,235; P < 0.0001). This increase was replicated in 2018: 5,567 cases in December (95% CI, 5,434 to 5,700) versus 4,589 cases at baseline (95% CI, 4,538 to 4,641), a 21.3% increase; and in 2019: 6,103 cases in December (95% CI, 5,871 to 6,334) versus 5,045 cases at baseline (95% CI, 4,984 to 5,107), a 21% increase (both P < 0.001). The proportion of commercially insured patients and those aged 18 to 64 yr was also higher in December than in other months. CONCLUSIONS: In this 3-yr retrospective analysis, it was observed that, after accounting for time trends, elective anesthesia caseloads were higher in December than in other months of the year. Proportions of commercially insured and younger patients were also higher in December. When compared to previous studies finding no increase, this pattern suggests a recent shift in elective surgical scheduling behavior.

Statistical Development and Validation of Clinical Prediction Models.

SUMMARY: Clinical prediction models in anesthesia and surgery research have many clinical applications including preoperative risk stratification with implications for clinical utility in decision-making, resource utilization, and costs. It is imperative that predictive algorithms and multivariable models are validated in a suitable and comprehensive way in order to establish the robustness of the model in terms of accuracy, predictive ability, reliability, and generalizability. The purpose of this article is to educate anesthesia researchers at an introductory level on important statistical concepts involved with development and validation of multivariable prediction models for a binary outcome. Methods covered include assessments of discrimination and calibration through internal and external validation. An anesthesia research publication is examined to illustrate the process and presentation of multivariable prediction model development and validation for a binary outcome. Properly assessing the statistical and clinical validity of a multivariable prediction model is essential for reassuring the generalizability and reproducibility of the published tool.

Anesthetic Resource Limitations and Adaptations in Times of Shortage: Experiences from New York Presbyterian Hospital During COVID-19.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic reached New York City, resulting in thousands of deaths over the following months. Because of the exponential spread of disease, the New York City hospital systems became rapidly overwhelmed. The Department of Anesthesiology at New York Presbyterian (NYP)-Columbia continued to offer anesthesia services for obstetrics and emergency surgery, while redirecting the rest of its staff to the expanded airway management role and the creation of the largest novel intensive care unit in the NYP system. Tremendous innovation and optimization were necessary in the face of material, physical, and staffing constraints.

The impact of COVID-19 on anaesthesia and critical care services in the UK: a serial service evaluation.

Between October 2020 and January 2021, we conducted three national surveys to track anaesthetic, surgical and critical care activity during the second COVID-19 pandemic wave in the UK. We surveyed all NHS hospitals where surgery is undertaken. Response rates, by round, were 64%, 56% and 51%. Despite important regional variations, the surveys showed increasing systemic pressure on anaesthetic and peri-operative services due to the need to support critical care pandemic demands. During Rounds 1 and 2, approximately one in eight anaesthetic staff were not available for anaesthetic work. Approximately one in five operating theatres were closed and activity fell in those that were open. Some mitigation was achieved by relocation of surgical activity to other locations. Approximately one-quarter of all surgical activity was lost, with paediatric and non-cancer surgery most impacted. During January 2021, the system was largely overwhelmed. Almost one-third of anaesthesia staff were unavailable, 42% of operating theatres were closed, national surgical activity reduced to less than half, including reduced cancer and emergency surgery. Redeployed anaesthesia staff increased the critical care workforce by 125%. Three-quarters of critical care units were so expanded that planned surgery could not be safely resumed. At all times, the greatest resource limitation was staff. Due to lower response rates from the most pressed regions and hospitals, these results may underestimate the true impact. These findings have important implications for understanding what has happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, planning recovery and building a system that will better respond to future waves or new epidemics.

Risk factors for surgical site infection following spinal surgery in Saudi Arabia: A retrospective case-control study.

ABSTRACT: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are common complications after spinal surgery that result in increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. It was estimated that SSIs after spinal surgery resulted in a 4-fold increase in health care costs. The reported SSI rate following spinal surgery remains highly variable between approximately 0.5% and 18%. In this study, we aimed to estimate the SSI rate and identify possible risk factors for SSI after spinal surgery in our Saudi patient population.We conducted a single-center, retrospective case-control study in Saudi Arabia that included patients who developed SSIs, while the controls were all consecutive patients who underwent spinal surgery between January 2014 and December 2016. We extracted data on patient characteristics, anthropometric measurements, preoperative laboratory investigations, preoperative infection prevention measures, intraoperative measures, comorbidities, and postoperative care.We included 201 consecutive patients in our study; their median age was 56.9 years, and 51.2% were men. Only 4% (n = 8) of these patients developed SSIs postoperatively. Postoperative SSIs were significantly associated with longer postoperative hospital stays, hypertension, higher American Society of Anesthesia (ASA) scores, longer procedure durations, and the use of a greater number of blood transfusion units.This study revealed a low SSI rate following spinal surgery. We identified a history of hypertension, prolonged hospitalization, longer operative time, blood transfusion, and higher ASA score as risk factors for SSI in spine surgery in our population. As our findings are from a single institute, we believe that a national research collaboration among multiple disciplines should be performed to provide better estimates of SSI risk factors in our patient population.

Bilateral cochlear implantation in children: simultaneously or in consecutive sessions?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate and compare cases of simultaneous and consecutive bilateral cochlear implantation from the perspective of the duration of anaesthesia, surgical complications and hospitalisation. METHOD: Fifty patients with simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation (group 1) and 47 patients with consecutive bilateral cochlear implantation (group 2) were included in this study. The two groups were compared in terms of the duration of anaesthesia, the duration of surgery, radiological findings, the complications and the post-operative hospitalisation time. RESULTS: Group 1 had a significantly shorter operation time than group 2 (p < 0.01). The mean total operation time was 189 minutes in group 1. In group 2, the mean operation times for the first and second surgery were 134 minutes and 136 minutes, respectively, and the total operation time for both surgical procedures in group 2 was 270 minutes. The duration of post-operative hospitalisation of the patients in group 1 was significantly shorter than the total post-operative hospitalisation after both operations for the patients in group 2 (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, if there is no anatomical problem that may lead to a prolonged operation time or any risk regarding anaesthesia, simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation can be performed safely.

Analysis of factors among 30-day and 1-year mortality rates in patients with borderline stable-unstable intertrochanteric hip fracture.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the possible effects of surgical procedures on mortality and to identify the possible risk factors for mortality in the management of geriatric hip fractures. METHODS: A total of 191 patients (105 women and 86 men; mean age 82.26±9.681 [60-108] years) with AO/OTA 31A2.2 intertrochanteric fractures and treated with sliding hip screw, proximal femoral nail, or hemiarthroplasty were included in this retrospective cohort study. The treatment type was decided by the responsible surgeon according to the patients' pre-injury activity level, bone quality, and features of the fracture. Age, sex, type of fracture, type of surgery performed, American society of anesthesiology (ASA) grade, type of anesthesia, time to surgery, type of physical therapy, length of hospital stay, and number of comorbidities were documented. We evaluated the 30-day and 1-year mortality of patients treated with sliding hip screw (SHS), proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFN-A), or hemiarthroplasty and identified the possible risk factors for mortality. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients underwent SHS, 58 underwent PFN-A, and 84 underwent hemiarthroplasty. Of these, 2 patients with SHS, 2 with PFN-A, and 11 with hemiarthroplasty died within 30 days after surgery, whereas 7 patients with SHS, 15 with PFN-A, and 23 with hemiarthroplasty died 1 year after surgery. The 30-day and 1-year overall mortality rates were 7.9% and 23.6%, respectively. Both the 30-day and 1-year mortality risks were higher in patients undergoing hemiarthroplasty than in patients undergoing SHS (p=0.068 versus 0.058). The 30-day mortality was higher in patients receiving general anesthesia than in those receiving combined spinal and epidural anesthesia (p=0.009). The 1-year mortality risk was higher in patients with ASA grade 4 than in those with grade 1 and 2 (p=0.045). Advanced age (p=0.022) and male sex (p=0.007) were also found to be the risk factors for 1-year mortality. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that higher ASA grade, male sex, general anesthesia, and hemiarthroplasty procedures are associated with higher mortality rates in elderly patients with hip fractures. Thus, we highly recommend orthopedic surgeons to consider all these factors in the management of intertrochanteric hip fractures in the geriatric population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, Prognostic Study.

Utility of sleep nasendoscopy versus microlaryngotracheobronchoscopy in the diagnosis of paediatric upper airway obstruction.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the utility of sleep nasendoscopy in determining the level of upper airway obstruction compared to microlaryngotracheobronchoscopy. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary level paediatric hospital. Patients clinically diagnosed with upper airway obstruction warranting surgical intervention (i.e. with obstructive sleep apnoea or laryngomalacia) were included. These patients underwent sleep nasendoscopy in the anaesthetic room; microlaryngotracheobronchoscopy was subsequently performed and findings were compared. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were included in the study. Sleep nasendoscopy was able to induce stridor or stertor, and to detect obstruction at the level of palate and pharynx, including tongue base collapse, that was not observed with microlaryngotracheobronchoscopy. Only 47 per cent of patients who had prolapse or indrawing of arytenoids on sleep nasendoscopy had similar findings on microlaryngotracheobronchoscopy. However, microlaryngotracheobronchoscopy was better in diagnosing shortened aryepiglottic folds. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the utility of sleep nasendoscopy in determining the level and severity of obstruction by mimicking physiological sleep dynamics of the upper airway.

Reconstruction Algorithm-Based Ultrasonic and Spiral CT Images in Evaluating the Effects of Dexmedetomidine Anesthesia for Acute Abdomen.

OBJECTIVE: The study focused on the application value of iteration reconstruction algorithm-based ultrasound and spiral computed tomography (CT) examinations, and the safety of dexmedetomidine anesthesia in acute abdominal surgery. METHODS: 80 cases having the acute abdomen surgery were selected as the research subjects. They were divided into group A (40 cases) and group B (40 cases) according to the anesthetic drugs used in the later period. The experimental group was injected with propofol, remifentanil, and atracurium combined with dexmedetomidine; the control group was injected with propofol, remifentanil, and atracurium only. After the operation, the patient was for observed for the pain, agitation, adverse reactions, heart rate (HR), and blood pressure. All patients received ultrasound and spiral CT examinations, and based on the characteristics of the back-projection algorithm, an accelerated algorithm was established and used to process the image, and according to which, the patient's condition and curative effects were evaluated. RESULTS: After image reconstruction, the ultrasound and spiral CT images were clearer with less noise and more prominent lesions than before reconstruction. Before image reconstruction, the accuracy rates of ultrasound and spiral CT in diagnosing acute abdomen were 92.3% and 91.1%, respectively. After reconstruction, the corresponding numbers were 96.3% and 98.1%, respectively. After reconstruction, the accuracy of the two methods in diagnosing acute abdomen was significantly improved compared with that before reconstruction, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The Ramsay score of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group at each time period, P < 0.05; the agitation score and visual analogue scale (VAS) score of the experimental group were significantly lower than the control group at each time period after waking up, P < 0.05. CONCLUSION: Reconstruction algorithm-based ultrasound and spiral CT images have high application value in the diagnosis of patients with acute abdomen, and dexmedetomidine has good safety in anesthesia surgery.

Anaesthetic management for robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy: the first UK national survey of current practice.

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) is the most common robotic surgical procedure, but there are little published data to inform anaesthetic practice. We aimed to characterise the range of anaesthetic practice for RALP in the United Kingdom through a national survey. We conducted an online national survey to determine current anaesthetic practice for RALP. The survey was distributed to all NHS hospitals within the UK that perform RALP. Thirty-four (79%) of 43 hospitals responded to the survey. Fourteen (41%) centres routinely provide spinal anaesthesia and 79% of these use diamorphine as their intrathecal opioid of choice. Thirty-one (91%) centres administer intravenous strong opioids intraoperatively, and a wide range of non-opioid analgesic agents are also administered. Five (15%) centres reported that they discharge a minority of patients on the day of surgery. High-volume centres are more likely to have a formalised enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway and to provide ambulatory surgery for selected patients. This represents the first UK national survey of anaesthetic practice for RALP. The results of the survey revealed significant variation in anaesthetic practice implying a lack of consensus on best perioperative management.

Epidemiology of Surgical Procedures, Anesthesia, and Imaging Studies by Gestational Age during the First Year of Life in Medicaid-Insured Infants.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the rate of surgical procedures, anesthetic use, and imaging studies by prematurity status for the first year of life we analyzed data for Texas Medicaid-insured newborns. STUDY DESIGN: We developed a retrospective population-based live birth cohort of newborn infants insured by Texas Medicaid in 2010-2014 with 4 subcohorts: extremely premature, very premature, moderate/late premature, and term. RESULTS: In 1 102 958 infants, surgical procedures per 100 infants were 135.9 for extremely premature, 35.4 for very premature, 15.5 for moderate/late premature, and 6.5 for term. Anesthetic use was 62.0 for extremely premature, 20.8 for very premature, 11.1 for moderate/late premature, and 5.6 for the term subcohort. The most common procedures in the extremely premature were neurosurgery, intubations, and procedures that facilitated caloric intake (gastrostomy tubes and fundoplications). The annual rates for the first year of life for chest radiograph ranged from 15.0 per year for the extremely premature cohort to 0.6 for term infants and for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from 0.3 to 0.01. MRI was the most common imaging study with anesthesia support in all maturity levels. MRIs were done in extremely premature without anesthesia in over 90% and in term infants in 57.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical procedures, anesthetic use, and imaging studies in infants are common and more frequent with higher a degree of prematurity while the use of anesthesia is lower in more premature newborns. These findings can provide direction for outcome studies of surgery and anesthesia exposure.

Which Surgical Operations Should be Performed in District Hospitals in East, Central and Southern Africa? Results of a Survey of Regional Clinicians.

BACKGROUND: In East, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA), district hospitals (DH) are the main source of surgical care for 80% of the population. DHs in Africa must provide basic life-saving procedures, but the extent to which they can offer other general and emergency surgery is debated. Our paper contributes to this debate through analysis and discussion of regional surgical care providers' perspectives. METHODS: We conducted a survey at the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa Conference in Kigali in December 2018. The survey presented the participants with 59 surgical and anaesthesia procedures and asked them if they thought the procedure should be done in a district level hospital in their region. We then measured the level of positive agreement (LPA) for each procedure and conducted sub-analysis by cadre and level of experience. RESULTS: We had 100 respondents of which 94 were from ECSA. Eighteen procedures had an LPA of 80% or above, among which appendicectomy (98%), caesarean section (97%) and spinal anaesthesia (97%). Twenty-one procedures had an LPA between 31 and 79%. The surgical procedures that fell in this category were a mix of obstetrics, general surgery and orthopaedics. Twenty procedures had an LPA below 30% among which paediatric anaesthesia and surgery. CONCLUSION: Our study offers the perspectives of almost 100 surgical care providers from ECSA on which surgical and anaesthesia procedures should be provided in district hospitals. This might help in planning surgical care training and delivery in these hospitals.

Comparison of post-anesthesia recovery time in sedated patients for colonoscopy using midazolam or fentanyl associated with propofol / Comparação do tempo de recuperação pós-anestésica em pacientes sedados para colonoscopia usando midazolam ou fentanil associados a propofol

ABSTRACT Objective: Comparison of post-anesthesia recovery time in sedated patients for colonoscopy using two drug combinations: midazolam and propofol or fentanyl and propofol. Method: Fifty patients ASA I and II, from 18 to 65 years of age, candidates for elective colonoscopy under sedation administered by an anesthesiologist, were randomized in two groups: Group A (midazolam and propofol) and Group B (fentanyl and propofol). Each patient was evaluated as for the length of the exam (Exam length), length of stay in the post-anesthesia care unit 1 and 2 (LSPACU1 and LSPACU2) and hospital discharge. Episodes of awakening, and of movement, drop in SpO2 < 90%, need for mechanical ventilation, propofol consumption, heart rate (HR) and mean blood pressure (MBP) were also evaluated. Results: Patients of group B had a recovery time in LSPACU1 statistically shorter than that for those in group A. In both groups, LSPACU1 was considered inversely proportional to LSPACU2. Hospital discharge time was similar between groups. Patients of group B had a significant decrease in MBP during and at the end of the exam, when compared to the initial measurement and that during sedation. Nevertheless, this variation was lower than 20%. No adverse event was observed. All patients were discharged on the same day, with no unexpected hospitalization. Conclusions: The combined use of fentanyl and propofol for colonoscopy sedation had a post-anesthesia recovery time in LSPACU1 shorter than that with the combination of midazolam and propofol. Nevertheless hospital discharge time was similar between groups.

RESUMO Objetivo: Comparar o tempo de recuperação pós-anestésica de pacientes sedados para colonoscopia usando duas combinações de fármacos: midazolam e propofol ou fentanil e propofol. Método: Cinquenta pacientes ASA I e II, entre 18 e 65 anos, candidatos a colonoscopia eletiva sob sedação administrada por anestesiologista, foram randomizados em dois grupos: Grupo A (midazolam e propofol) e Grupo B (fentanil e propofol). Cada paciente foi avaliado quanto ao tempo de realização do exame (TExame), tempo de permanência na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica 1 e 2 (TSRPA 1 e TSRPA2) e a alta domiciliar. Episódios de despertar, movimentação, queda de SpO2 < 90%, necessidade de assistência ventilatória, consumo de propofol, frequência cardíaca (FC) e pressão arterial média (PAM) também foram avaliados. Resultados: Pacientes do grupo B apresentaram tempo de recuperação na SRPA1 inferior estatisticamente ao grupo A. Em ambos os grupos o TSRPA1 foi considerado inversamente proporcional ao TSRPA2. O tempo de alta domiciliar foi semelhante entre os grupos. Pacientes do grupo B apresentaram redução significativa na PAM no tempos exame e final, em relação ao inicial e sedação. Entretanto, essa variação foi inferior a 20%. Não foram observados eventos adversos. Todos os pacientes evoluíram com alta domiciliar no mesmo dia, sem ocorrência de internação não prevista. Conclusões: O uso combinado de fentanil e propofol para sedação em colonoscopia produziu tempo de recuperação pós-anestésica na SRPA1 inferior a combinação midazolam e propofol. No entanto, o tempo de alta domiciliar foi semelhante entre os grupos.

Surgical Attitudes And Preferences Regarding Choice Of Anaesthesia Amongst Orthopaedic Surgeons.

BACKGROUND: Regional anaesthesia is choice of anaesthesia for orthopaedic surgery due to lower side effects such as nausea, vomiting, postoperative pain and early mobilization. Despite of this, some orthopaedic patients refuse this modality. This study was conducted to interrogate the surgeons about their choice of anaesthesia in order to gain some insights into the concerns of surgeons and to change their minds and choose a safer mode of anaesthesia. The aim of the study was to assess the surgeons' fears and their perception about regional anaesthesia. METHODS: After institutional approval, thirty surgeons from three different tertiary care hospitals were interviewed. They were asked questions as per the questionnaire to choose choice of anaesthesia for their patients. RESULTS: After regional anaesthesia, 27.6% of respondents were concerned about paralysis and neurological disorders, 34.5% about seeing and hearing whatever is happening in theatre, 17.2% about perioperative pain, 24.1% about backache and 24.1% about delayed discharge. The most important reason to change their mind was the reassurance that the complications are not as frequently as they thought their patient would receive after a block. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the lack of information on regional anaesthesia and the risks of general anaesthesia, orthopaedic surgeons' fears and conceptions about regional anaesthesia are distorted. Anaesthesiologists should be aware of the concerns of the surgeons as well as the patients and should be willing to discuss the concerns with them and suggest the safest way to receive anaesthesia with evidence-based data.

Critical Incidents during Anesthesia and Early Post-Anesthetic Period: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Critical incidents related to peri-operative anesthesia carry a risk of unwanted patient outcomes. Studying those helps detect problems, which is crucial in minimizing their recurrence. We aimed to identify the frequency of peri-anesthetic critical incidents. METHODS: This is a hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study of voluntarily reported incidents, which occurred during anesthesia or following 24 hours among patients subjected to non-cardiac surgery within the calendar year 2019. Patient characteristics, anesthesia, and surgery types, category, context, and outcome of incidents were recorded in an indigenously designed form. Incidents were assigned to attributable (patient, anesthesia or surgery) factor, and were analyzed for the system,equipment or human error contribution. RESULTS: Altogether 464 reports were studied, which consisted of 524 incidents. Cardiovascular category comprised of 345 (65.8%) incidents. Incidents occurred in 433 (93%) otherwise healthy patients and during 258 (55.6%) spinal anesthetics. Obstetric surgery was involved in 179 (38.6%) incidents. Elective surgery and anesthesia maintenance phase included the context in 293 (63%)and 378 (72%) incidents respectively. Majority incidents 364 (69.5%) were anesthesia-attributable, with system and human error contribution in 196 (53.8%) and 152 (41.7%) cases respectively. All recovered fully except for 25 cases of mortality, which were mostly associated with patient factors, surgical urgency, and general anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Critical incidents occur even in low-risk patients during anesthesia delivery. Patient factors and emergency surgery contribute to the most serious incidents.

Differential Index-Hospitalization Cost Center Impact of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program Implementation.

BACKGROUND: Most hospitals in the United States are reimbursed for colectomy via a bundled payment based on the diagnosis-related group assigned. Enhanced recovery after surgery programs have been shown to improve the value of colorectal surgery, but little is known about the granular financial tradeoffs required at individual hospitals. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to analyze the index-hospitalization impact on specific cost centers associated with enhanced recovery after surgery implementation for diagnosis-related groups commonly assigned to patients undergoing colon resections. DESIGN: We performed a single-institution retrospective, nonrandomized, preintervention (2013-2014) and postintervention (2015-2017) analysis of hospital costs. SETTING: This study was conducted at an academic medical center. PATIENTS: A total of 1297 patients with diagnosis-related group 330 (colectomy with complications/comorbidities) and 331 (colectomy without complications/comorbidities) were selected. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was total index-hospitalization cost. Secondary outcomes included specific cost center expenses. RESULTS: Total median cost for diagnosis-related group 330 in the pre-enhanced recovery after surgery group was $24,111 ($19,285-$28,658) compared to $21,896 ($17,477-$29,179) in the enhanced recovery after surgery group, p = 0.01. Total median cost for diagnosis-related group 331 in the pre-enhanced recovery after surgery group was $19,268 ($17,286-$21,858) compared to $18,444 ($15,506-$22,847) in the enhanced recovery after surgery group, p = 0.22. When assessing cost changes after enhanced recovery after surgery implementation for diagnosis-related group 330, operating room costs increased (p = 0.90), nursing costs decreased (p = 0.02), anesthesia costs increased (p = 0.20), and pharmacy costs increased (p = 0.08). For diagnosis-related group 331, operating room costs increased (p = 0.001), nursing costs decreased (p < 0.001), anesthesia costs increased (p = 0.03), and pharmacy costs increased (p = 0.001). LIMITATIONS: This is a single-center study with a pre- and postintervention design. CONCLUSIONS: The returns on investment at the hospital level for enhanced recovery after surgery implementations in colorectal surgery result largely from cost savings associated with decreased nursing expenses. These savings likely offset increased spending on operating room supplies, anesthesia, and medications. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B204. IMPACTO DE LA IMPLEMENTACIÓN DEL PROTOCOLO DE RECUPERACIÓN MEJORADA DESPUÉS DE CIRUGÍA EN EL COSTO DE LA HOSPITALIZACIÓN ÍNDICE EN CENTROS ESPECÍFICOS: La mayoría de los hospitales en los Estados Unidos son reembolsados por la colectomía a través de un paquete de pago basado en el grupo de diagnóstico asignado. Se ha demostrado que los programas de recuperación después de la cirugía mejoran el valor de la cirugía colorrectal, pero se sabe poco sobre las compensaciones financieras granulares que se requieren en los hospitales individuales.El objetivo de este estudio es analizar el impacto del índice de hospitalización en centros de costos específicos asociados con la implementación de RMDC para grupos relacionados con el diagnóstico comúnmente asignados a pacientes que se someten a resecciones de colon.Realizamos un análisis retrospectivo, no aleatorio, previo (2013-2014) y posterior a la intervención (2015-2017) de los costos hospitalarios de una sola institución.Centro médico académico.Un total de 1. 297 pacientes con diagnóstico relacionado con el grupo 330 (colectomía con complicaciones/comorbilidades) y 331 (colectomía sin complicaciones/comorbilidades).El resultado primario fue el índice total de costos de hospitalización. Los resultados secundarios incluyeron gastos específicos del centro de costos.El costo medio total para el grupo relacionado con el diagnóstico de 330 en el grupo de recuperación pre-mejorada después de la cirugía fue de $24,111 ($19,285- $28,658) en comparación con $21,896 ($17,477- $29,179) en el grupo de recuperación mejorada después de la cirugía, p = 0.01. El costo medio total para DRG 331 en el grupo de recuperación pre-mejorada después de la cirugía fue de $19,268 ($17,286- $21,858) en comparación con $18,444 ($15,506-$22,847) en el grupo de recuperación mejorada después de la cirugía, p = 0.22. Al evaluar los cambios en los costos después de una recuperación mejorada después de la implementación de la cirugía para el grupo 330 relacionado con el diagnóstico, los costos de la sala de operaciones aumentaron (p = 0.90), los costos de enfermería disminuyeron (p = 0.02) los costos de anestesia aumentaron (p = 0.20) y los costos de farmacia aumentaron (p = 0.08). Para el grupo 331 relacionado con el diagnóstico, los costos de la sala de operaciones aumentaron (p = 0.001), los costos de enfermería disminuyeron (p < 0.001) los costos de anestesia aumentaron (p = 0.03) y los costos de farmacia aumentaron (p = 0.001).Este es un estudio de un solo centro con un diseño previo y posterior a la intervención.El retorno de la inversión a nivel hospitalario para una recuperación mejorada después de la implementación de la cirugía en la cirugía colorrectal se debe en gran parte al ahorro de costos asociado con la disminución de los gastos de enfermería. Es probable que estos ahorros compensen el aumento de los gastos en suministros de quirófano, anestesia y medicamentos. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B204. (Traducción-Dr. Gonzalo Hagerman).

Emergency Anesthesia in Resource-Limited Areas.

Anesthesia providers play a critical role in the gap between unmet surgical need and access to safe surgical care. Providers from high-income countries can help fill this gap, particularly during crises, but it is critical to provide care responsibly and ethically. Most unmet surgical need is in low-income and middle-income countries where limited infrastructural, human, and material resources pose significant challenges. Anesthesia providers must recognize these difficulties as they apply to the local context and plan accordingly. This article outlines some of the unique issues and provides a framework of considerations for safe and responsible anesthesia delivery in resource-limited areas.