Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Practices in Minimally Invasive Gynaecologic Surgery: A National Survey.

OBJECTIVE: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways are evidence-based practices that minimize perioperative physiologic stress, reducing postoperative complications and recovery time. This study assessed the Canadian application of, and adherence to, ERAS recommendations during minimally invasive gynaecologic surgery, and identified barriers to ERAS uptake. METHODS: A self-administered cross-sectional survey was distributed to obstetrics and gynaecology residents, fellows, and attendings through three national listservs from February 2021 to January 2022. The survey assessed 14 perioperative components per the AAGL (American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists) ERAS consensus guidelines. Two study groups were defined-participants with vs. without an established ERAS program-and comparison analyses as well as inferential statistical tests were performed. RESULTS: 158 responses were analyzed. 41.9% of respondents work in a centre with an ERAS program. Adherence to ERAS recommendations was high with engaging patients in the operative processes, changing equipment after a contaminated procedure, discontinuing urinary catheters, and initiating early postoperative mobilization. ERAS programing enhanced adherence to preoperative carbohydrate loading, intraoperative fluid management, normothermia, and bowel regimen adjuncts (P < 0.05). Despite ERAS programming, adherence to some recommendations-preoperative fasting, comorbidity optimisation-remained low. Most respondents felt that ERAS is safe (98%) and improves outcomes (82%). CONCLUSION: While the implementation of formal ERAS pathways differs between provinces and hospitals, practitioners across Canada engage in various ERAS components. ERAS program sites had higher adherence to some perioperative recommendations; however, some high-level evidence recommendations still have national adherence gaps. Targeted research around low-adherence components would help identify and address barriers to optimize surgical care.

Assessment of Perioperative Protamine Reactions in Patients With Fish Allergies: A Retrospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVES: To retrospectively assess the incidence and severity of perioperative protamine reactions in adult patients with documented history of fish allergy. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Large academic tertiary referral center. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with fish allergies undergoing surgeries involving protamine, between January 1, 2008, and March 1, 2018. INTERVENTIONS: Perioperative protamine administration in patients with documented fish allergy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Perioperative protamine and anaphylactic reactions were reviewed. A diagnosis of anaphylaxis or protamine reaction was based on clinical suspicion, perioperative events, and postoperative evaluations. Among 214 patients, 2 cases (<1%) of anaphylaxis or protamine reactions occurred. Cardiac procedures were most common (67%). The median intraoperative heparin dosage was 46,000 IU, and the median protamine dosage was 310 mg. Nearly all patients (99%) were admitted to the intensive care unit postoperatively, with a median hospital stay of 6.5 days (interquartile range, 5.2-14.6 days). There were 3 deaths (1%) within 30 days, and 15 (7%) within 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings suggest that in patients with a history of fish allergy, cross-reactivity with protamine is unlikely, as anaphylaxis and/or protamine reactions were rare in this patient population in the perioperative environment. Based on these findings, this study does not recommend avoiding protamine solely based on a history of fish allergy when heparin reversal is required during surgery.

To be or not to be on: aspirin and coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Aspirin's role in secondary prevention for patients with known coronary artery disease (CAD) is well established, validated by numerous landmark trials over the past several decades. However, its perioperative use in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery remains contentious due to the delicate balance between the risks of thrombosis and bleeding. While continuation of aspirin in patients undergoing CABG following acute coronary syndrome is widely supported due to the high risk of re-infarction, the evidence is less definitive for elective CABG procedures. The literature indicates a significant benefit of aspirin in reducing cardiovascular events in CAD patients, yet its impact on perioperative outcomes in CABG surgery is less clear. Some studies suggest increased bleeding risks without substantial improvement in cardiac outcomes. Specific to elective CABG, evidence is mixed, with some data indicating no significant difference in thrombotic or bleeding complications whether aspirin is continued or withheld preoperatively. Advancements in pharmacological therapies and perioperative care have evolved significantly since the initial aspirin trials, raising questions about the contemporary relevance of earlier findings. Individualized patient assessments and the development of risk stratification tools are needed to optimize perioperative aspirin use in CABG surgery. Further research is essential to establish clearer guidelines and improve patient outcomes. The objective of this review is to critically evaluate the existing evidence into the optimal management of perioperative aspirin in elective CABG patients.

Anesthesia Management in Antenatal Care for Women With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Comprehensive Review.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) presents significant challenges in the management of pregnant women due to its impact on renal function and cardiovascular stability. This review examines the crucial role of anesthesia management in antenatal care for women with CKD, focusing on the complexities introduced by renal dysfunction and the implications for maternal and fetal health outcomes. The review discusses the physiological changes in CKD during pregnancy, highlighting the increased risks of hypertension, proteinuria, and adverse fetal outcomes. Anesthesia considerations, including the choice of anesthesia techniques (general anesthesia, regional anesthesia), perioperative monitoring, and management of fluid and electrolyte balance, are analyzed in the context of CKD-specific challenges. Clinical outcomes and current evidence regarding anesthesia efficacy and safety in CKD patients are reviewed, emphasizing the need for tailored anesthesia protocols to ensure optimal maternal comfort and fetal safety. The review concludes by identifying research gaps and proposing future directions to enhance anesthesia practices and improve outcomes for pregnant women with CKD undergoing surgical interventions or labor management.

Birth in the Operating Room for Immediate Cardiac Surgery: A Rare but Effective Strategy.

Background: With significant advancements in fetal cardiac imaging, patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) carrying a high risk for postnatal demise are now being diagnosed earlier. We sought to assess an interdisciplinary strategy for delivering these children in an operating room (OR) adjacent to a cardiac OR for immediate surgery or stabilization. Methods: All children prenatally diagnosed with CHD at risk for immediate postnatal hemodynamic instability and cardiogenic shock who were delivered in the operating room (OR) between 2012 and 2023 in which the senior author was consulted were included. Results: Eight patients were identified. Six (75%) patients were operated on day-of-life zero, all requiring obstructed total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) repair. Of these six patients, 2 (33%) required a simultaneous Norwood procedure, 2 (33%) required pulmonary artery unifocalization and modified Blalock-Taussig-Thomas shunt, and 2 (33%) patients had repair of obstructed mixed TAPVR. The remaining 2 patients potentially planned for immediate surgery had nonimmune hydrops fetalis and went into cardiogenic shock at 12 and 72 hours postnatally, requiring a novel Norwood procedure with left-ventricular exclusion for severe aortic/mitral valve insufficiency. The median ventilation and inpatient durations were 19 [IQR: 11-26] days and 41 [IQR: 32-128] days, respectively. Three(38%) patients required one or more in-hospital reoperations. Subsequent staged procedures included Glenn (n = 5), Fontan (n = 3), biventricular repair (n = 2), ventricular assist device placement (n = 1), and heart transplant (n = 1). Median follow-up was 5.7 [IQR:1.3-7.8] years. The five-year postoperative survival was 88% (n = 7/8). Conclusion: While children with these diagnoses have historically had poor survival, the strategy of birth in the OR adjacent to a cardiac OR where emergent surgery is planned is a potentially promising strategy with excellent clinical outcomes. However, this is a high-resource strategy whose feasibility in any program requires thoughtful assessment.

The creation of a pediatric surgical checklist for adult providers.

PURPOSE: To address the need for a pediatric surgical checklist for adult providers. BACKGROUND: Pediatric surgery is unique due to the specific needs and many tasks that are employed in the care of adults require accommodations for children. There are some resources for adult surgeons to perform safe pediatric surgery and to assist such surgeons in pediatric emergencies, we created a straightforward checklist based on current literature. We propose a surgical checklist as the value of surgical checklists has been validated through research in a variety of applications. METHODS: Literature review on PubMed to gather information on current resources for pediatric surgery, all papers on surgical checklists describing their outcomes as of October 2023 were included to prevent a biased overview of the existing literature. Interviews with multiple pediatric surgeons were conducted for the creation of a checklist that is relevant to the field and has limited bias. RESULTS: Forty-two papers with 8,529,061 total participants were included. The positive impact of checklists was highlighted throughout the literature in terms of outcomes, financial cost and team relationship. Certain care checkpoints emerged as vital checklist items: antibiotic administration, anesthetic considerations, intraoperative hemodynamics and postoperative resuscitation. The result was the creation of a checklist that is not substitutive for existing WHO surgery checklists but additive for adult surgeons who must operate on children in emergencies. CONCLUSION: The outcomes measured throughout the literature are varied and thus provide both a nuanced view of a variety of factors that must be taken into account and are limited in the amount of evidence for each outcome. We hope to implement the checklist developed to create a standard of care for pediatric surgery performed in low resource settings by adult surgeons and further evaluate its impact on emergency pediatric surgery outcomes. FUNDING: Fulbright Fogarty Fellowship, GHES NIH FIC D43 TW010540.

Clinician perspectives on the perioperative roles and responsibilities of anesthesia, surgery, and primary care.

BACKGROUND: Although high-risk older patients benefit from a multidisciplinary approach to perioperative care, the specific roles and responsibilities of the clinicians involved have yet to be adequately characterized. METHODS: Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with four anesthesia preoperative clinic providers, seven surgeons, and nine primary care providers in northern New England. RESULTS: The analysis revealed both distinct and overlapping roles and responsibilities. Anesthesia providers were described as a "safety net" and surgeons as "captain of the ship", in charge of getting "all the ducks in a row" to avoid surgery delays and cancellations. Primary care providers saw themselves as the "quarterback", ensuring care continuity and consideration of patient psychosocial factors. CONCLUSIONS: While all have a shared responsibility for facilitating patient-centered decision-making and a safe perioperative course, each discipline has different areas of focus and expertise. Role clarification can help optimize the distribution of responsibilities and enhance perioperative communication and collaboration.

Priorities and strategy for the implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in thoracic surgery.

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a perioperative care protocol, which was introduced several years ago and has gained increasing importance in thoracic surgery. The aim of this study was to provide guidance through clinical implementation and to identify factors for better compliance. Methods: This prospective cohort study collected data between July 2021 and June 2022 at the Department of Thoracic Surgery (University Hospital Regensburg, Germany). A modified enhanced recovery after thoracic surgery (ERATS) protocol with recommendations covering the pre-, intra- and postoperative phases was established and followed. The primary objective was to evaluate the implementation of the ERATS protocol. Secondary, specific and clinically relevant recommendations were analyzed regarding their compliance. Results: The study included 139 patients undergoing elective lung resections. Many ERATS recommendations were already part of standard perioperative care, including perioperative antibiotics, venous thromboembolism prophylaxis and intraoperative warming. Other measures such as anemia management, carbohydrate loading or chest drain management were updated or newly established and standardized according to our ERATS protocol. The recommendations emphasizing early postoperative mobilization were found to be crucial. We identified three groups with significantly different compliance rates: (I) patient-dependent measures which require active participation (49.3%); (II) treatment measures requiring interdisciplinary consensus (85.8%); and (III) surgical measures (88%). Conclusions: The implementation and continuous evaluation of our perioperative ERATS protocol led to a new categorization of targeted measures into three groups with actors of different competencies. The new grouping enables gradual implementation and a step-by-step targeted approach in order to achieve a higher compliance of ERATS in the future as well as long-term sustainability.

Intraoperative hypoglycemia among adults with intraoperative glucose measurements: a cross-sectional multicentre retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Intraoperative hypoglycemia is presumed to be rare, but generalizable multicentre incidence and risk factor data for adult patients are lacking. We used a multicentre registry to characterize adults with intraoperative hypoglycemia and hypothesized that intraoperative insulin administration would be associated with hypoglycemia. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective multicentre cohort study. We searched the Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group registry to identify adult patients with intraoperative hypoglycemia (glucose < 3.3 mmol·L-1 [< 60 mg·dL-1]) from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2019. We evaluated characteristics of patients with intraoperative glucose measurements and with intraoperative hypoglycemia. RESULTS: Of 516,045 patients with intraoperative glucose measurements, 3,900 (0.76%) had intraoperative hypoglycemia. Diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease were more common in the cohort with intraoperative hypoglycemia. The odds of intraoperative hypoglycemia were higher for the youngest age category (18-30 yr) compared with the odds for every age category above 40 yr (odds ratio [OR], 1.57-3.18; P < 0.001), and were higher for underweight or normal weight patients compared with patients with obesity (OR, 1.48-2.53; P < 0.001). Parenteral nutrition was associated with lower odds of hypoglycemia (OR, 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11 to 0.47; P < 0.001). Intraoperative insulin use was not associated with hypoglycemia (OR, 0.996; 95% CI, 0.91 to 1.09; P = 0.93). CONCLUSION: In this large cross-sectional retrospective multicentre cohort study, intraoperative hypoglycemia was a rare event. Intraoperative insulin use was not associated with hypoglycemia.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: L'hypoglycémie peropératoire est présumée rare, mais il n'existe pas de données généralisables sur l'incidence multicentrique et les facteurs de risque chez la patientèle adulte. Nous avons utilisé un registre multicentrique pour caractériser les personnes adultes atteintes d'hypoglycémie peropératoire et émis l'hypothèse que l'administration peropératoire d'insuline serait associée à l'hypoglycémie. MéTHODE: Nous avons réalisé une étude de cohorte multicentrique rétrospective transversale. Nous avons effectué des recherches dans le registre du Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group afin d'identifier les patient·es adultes atteint·es d'hypoglycémie peropératoire (glucose < 3,3 mmol· L−1 [< 60 mg·dL−1]) du 1er janvier 2015 au 31 décembre 2019. Nous avons évalué les caractéristiques des patient·es présentant des mesures de glucose et une hypoglycémie peropératoires. RéSULTATS: Sur 516 045 patient·es ayant des mesures de glucose peropératoires, 3900 (0,76 %) ont présenté une hypoglycémie peropératoire. Le diabète sucré et l'insuffisance rénale chronique étaient plus fréquents dans la cohorte présentant une hypoglycémie peropératoire. Les risques d'hypoglycémie peropératoire étaient plus élevés pour la catégorie d'âge la plus jeune (18-30 ans) par rapport aux catégories d'âge au-dessus de 40 ans (rapport des cotes [RC], 1,57-3,18; P < 0,001), et étaient plus élevés chez les patient·es de poids insuffisant ou de poids normal par rapport aux patient·es obèses (RC, 1,48-2,53; P < 0,001). La nutrition parentérale était associée à une probabilité plus faible d'hypoglycémie (RC, 0,23; intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 %, 0,11 à 0,47; P < 0,001). L'utilisation peropératoire d'insuline n'était pas associée à l'hypoglycémie (RC, 0,996; IC 95 %, 0,91 à 1,09; P = 0,93). CONCLUSION: Dans cette vaste étude de cohorte multicentrique rétrospective transversale, l'hypoglycémie peropératoire était un événement rare. L'utilisation peropératoire d'insuline n'était pas associée à l'hypoglycémie.

An implementation manual for an interprofessional enhanced recovery after surgery protocol in cardiac surgery following international established frameworks.

Introduction: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols represent a paradigm shift in perioperative care, aim to optimize patient outcomes and accelerate recovery. This manual presents findings from implementing the INCREASE study, a bicentric prospective randomized controlled trial focusing on ERAS in minimally invasive heart valve surgery. Methods: Utilizing the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR), the study examined contextual factors, intervention components, and implementation strategies. Results: Key findings from the CFIR analysis revealed critical domains influencing implementation success. These included innovation characteristics, external and internal settings, and individual dynamics. The study showcased ERAS's adaptability to diverse healthcare systems, emphasizing its potential for successful integration across varying contexts. Furthermore, the importance of interprofessional collaboration emerged as a foundation of practical implementation, fostering teamwork, communication, and patient-centered care. Utilizing the TIDieR framework, this manual comprehensively describes ERAS intervention components, detailing preoperative counseling, intraoperative management, and postoperative care strategies. The manual underscored the importance of tailored, patient-centered approaches, highlighting the role of an academic ERAS nurse, early mobilization, and psychosomatic interventions in promoting optimal recovery outcomes. Discussion: In conclusion, the INCREASE study provided valuable insights for creating an implementation manual for ERAS in cardiac surgery, emphasizing adaptability, collaboration, and ongoing evaluation as key drivers of successful implementation. These findings have broad implications for improving patient care outcomes and advancing perioperative practices in cardiac surgery settings.

Opioids and personalized analgesia in the perioperative setting: A protocol for five systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: Treatment with opioids is a mainstay in perioperative pain management. While the leading treatment paradigm has been procedure-specific pain management, efforts regarding personalized pain treatment are increasing. The OPI•AID project aims to develop personalized algorithms for perioperative pain management, taking demographic, surgical, and anaesthesiologic factors into account. We will undertake five parallel reviews to illuminate current evidence on different aspects of individual responses to perioperative opioid treatment. METHODS: Inclusion of adult populations in English-written studies. Review-specific searches are developed for the following databases: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, clinicaltrials.gov, and clinicaltrial.eu. Two authors will independently screen citations, extract data, and assess the risks of bias in each review (QUIPS, PROBAST and RoB2, as relevant). CONCLUSION: These reviews will evaluate various aspects of perioperative opioid treatment, including individualized treatment strategies, selection of specific opioids, and individual patient responses. These will guide future development of a personalized perioperative opioid treatment algorithm (OPI•AID) that will be validated and tested clinically against standard of care.

Cost-effectiveness and safety of continuous pulse oximetry for management of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea in bariatric surgery: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Undetected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in patients undergoing bariatric surgery and increases perioperative risks. Screening for OSA using preoperative polygraphy (PG) with subsequent continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is costly and time-consuming. Postoperative continuous pulse oximetry (CPOX) is less invasive, and is hypothesized to be a safe and cost-effective alternative. OBJECTIVES: This nationwide multicenter prospective observational cohort study compared CPOX monitoring with OSA-screening using PG. SETTING: High-volume bariatric centers. METHODS: Patients were either postoperatively monitored using CPOX without preoperative OSA-screening, or underwent preoperative PG and CPAP treatment when OSA was diagnosed. Cohort placement was based on local hospital protocols. Cost-effectiveness was analyzed using quality adjusted life years (QALYs) and healthcare costs. Surgical outcomes were also analyzed. Propensity score matching was used in sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1390 patients were included. QALYs were similar between groups at baseline and 1-year postoperatively. Postoperative complications, intensive care unit (ICU)-admissions and admissions, particularly OSA-related, did not differ between groups. Mean costs per patient/year in the CPOX group was €3094 versus €3680 in the PG group; mean difference €-586 (95% CI €-933-€-242). Following propensity score matching, 1090 of 1390 included patients remained, and similar findings for cost-effectiveness, complications, and ICU admissions were observed. CONCLUSION: CPOX monitoring without preoperative OSA-screening was not associated with higher complication or readmission rates compared to PG. CPOX resulted in lower costs from a healthcare perspective and can therefore be considered a cost-effective alternative to routine OSA-screening in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

Fast-Track surgery protocol in perioperative care for gynecological laparoscopy.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare fast-track surgery (FTS) and traditional perioperative care protocols in laparoscopic gynecological surgeries, assessing their impact on length of stay (LOS), recovery time, and postoperative complications. Methods: A case-control retrospective study was conducted at Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, involving 167 patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological surgery from June 2021 to June 2023. Of them, 81 patients underwent surgery based on the FTS protocol (FTS group) and 86 patients received a traditional perioperative management (control group). Patients in both groups underwent gynecologic laparoscopic procedures, including uterine, ovarian and tubal surgeries. Data were collected on general patients' characteristics, including age, BMI, surgery type and time, intestinal recovery and out-of-bed activity time, LOS, pain levels, and postoperative complications. Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction was used to assess the difference in operative characteristics and postoperative pain levels. Fisher's exact test was used to assess the difference in overall frequency of postoperative complications between groups. Results: Patients in the FTS group exhibited faster intestinal recovery, shorter mobilization time, and reduced LOS compared to the control group. Pain levels were significantly lower at one, six and twelve hours post-surgery in the FTS group. Overall, the proportion of postoperative complications was significantly lower in the FTS group than in the control group. Conclusions: Implementing the FTS protocol in laparoscopic gynecological surgeries for benign conditions can reduce LOS, accelerate recovery, and minimize pain without increasing postoperative complications. Further research with more diverse patient populations is warranted to validate these findings.

Preoperative anaesthesia and other team meetings for complex cases: a narrative review.

BACKGROUND: The conventional two-step process for surgical procedures - surgical followed by anaesthetic consultation - may not adequately address the needs of complex cases involving high-risk patients or procedures, leading to increased risks of adverse events. Although surgical team meetings (STM) and multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTM) were implemented many years ago, anaesthesia team meetings (ATM) have recently emerged as potential solutions to enhance perioperative management. PURPOSE: We aim to systematically review and summarize the existing literature that reflects the main theoretical approaches, practices, effects, and clinical relevance of preoperative team meetings - with specific consideration to preoperative ATM - in managing difficult cases. METHODS: We performed a narrative review of the literature (1980 - 2024) to identify studies focusing on the practice and the impact of preoperative meetings on patient outcomes, compliance with treatment plans, and teamwork quality. We provide here a qualitative synthesis of the findings. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were identified: 11 consider preoperative multidisciplinary team meeting (MDTM), 2 consider preoperative surgical team meeting (STM), and only one anaesthesia team meeting (ATM). CONCLUSIONS: There is currently not enough robust evidence that preoperative team meetings clearly improve hard patient's outcome parameters. And the place for ATM does not appear to have been studied to date. There is a need for well-designed studies to explore the impact of preoperative ATM on clinical practice improvement, quality of care, and patient outcomes.

Analgesic efficacy and safety of erector spinae plane block in pediatric patients undergoing elective surgery: A systematic review and Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is commonly used for perioperative analgesia in adults; however, its analgesic efficacy and safety in pediatric patients remain uncertain. This review aimed to determine whether ultrasound-guided ESPB can improve analgesic efficacy and safety in pediatric surgery. DESIGN: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. SETTING: Perioperative setting. PATIENTS: Pediatric patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia. INTERVENTIONS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, KoreaMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases for eligible published randomized controlled studies (RCTs) comparing ESPB with controls (no block or other block) in pediatric patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was cumulative opioid consumption after surgery. Other outcomes included intraoperative opioid consumption, time to first request for rescue analgesia, number of patients requiring rescue analgesics, and pain scores after surgery. The safety outcomes were the incidences of bradycardia, hypotension, and postoperative vomiting. MAIN RESULTS: The analysis included 17 RCTs comprising 919 participants: 461 in the ESPB group, 269 in the no-block group (no block/sham block), and 189 in the other block group. Compared with the control group (no block and other blocks), ESPB significantly reduced the cumulative opioid consumption (intravenous morphine milligram equivalents) after surgery (standardized mean difference = -1.51; 95% confidence interval, -2.39 to -0.64; P = 0.0002; I2 = 92.9%) and intraoperative opioid consumption, and lowered average pain scores up to 24 h after surgery. ESPB extended the time to the first request for rescue analgesia and decreased the number of patients requiring rescue analgesics. Furthermore, ESPB lowered the pain score at most time points for 24 h after surgery, improved parental satisfaction, and reduced the incidence of postoperative vomiting compared with that in no block/sham block. CONCLUSIONS: ESPB provides effective and safe perioperative analgesia in pediatric patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia.

Postoperative intravenous iron to treat iron-deficiency anaemia in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a protocol for a pilot, multicentre, placebo-controlled randomized trial (the POAM trial).

Background: Iron-deficiency anaemia, occurring in 30-40% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery, is an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes. Our long-term goal is to assess if postoperative i.v. iron therapy improves clinical outcomes in patients with preoperative iron-deficiency anaemia undergoing cardiac surgery. Before conducting a definitive RCT, we first propose a multicentre pilot trial to establish the feasibility of the definitive trial. Methods: This internal pilot, double-blinded, RCT will include three centres. Sixty adults with preoperative iron-deficiency anaemia undergoing non-emergency cardiac surgery will be randomised on postoperative day 2 or 3 to receive either blinded i.v. iron (1000 mg ferric derisomaltose) or placebo. Six weeks after surgery, patients who remain iron deficient will receive a second blinded dose of i.v. iron according to their assigned treatment arm. Patients will be followed for 12 months. Clinical practice will not be otherwise modified. For the pilot study, feasibility will be assessed through rates of enrolment, protocol deviations, and loss to follow up. For the definitive study, the primary outcome will be the number of days alive and out of hospital at 90 days after surgery. Ethics and dissemination: The trial has been approved by the University Health Network Research Ethics Board (REB # 22-5685; approved by Clinical Trials Ontario funding on 22 December 2023) and will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, Good Clinical Practices guidelines, and regulatory requirements. Clinical trial registration: NCT06287619.