Association between perioperative non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and cardiovascular complications after non-cardiac surgery in older adult patients.

BACKGROUND: We investigated in older adult non-cardiac surgical patients whether receipt of perioperative non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with increased incidence of postoperative cardiovascular complications. METHODS: We retrospectively extracted the information for patients with age ≥  65 years who had inpatient non-cardiac surgery with a duration of ≥  1 h from the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program registry data acquired at the University of Washington Medical Center. We compared patients who received NSAIDs perioperatively to those who did not receive NSAIDs, on the two composite outcomes: (1) the incidence of postoperative cardiovascular complications within 30 days of the surgery, and (2) the incidence of combined postoperative gastrointestinal and renal complications, and length of postoperative hospital stay. We used separate multivariable logistic regression models to analyze the two composite outcomes and a Poisson regression model for the length of hospital stay. RESULTS: The receipt of perioperative NSAIDs was not associated with postoperative cardiovascular complications (estimated odds ratio (OR), 1.78; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.97 to 3.25; P =  0.06), combined renal and gastrointestinal complications (estimated OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.53 to 3.20; P =  0.57), and length of postoperative hospital stay in days (incidence rate ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.21; P =  0.39). CONCLUSIONS: In older adult non-cardiac surgical patients, receipt of perioperative NSAIDs was not associated with increased incidences of postoperative cardiovascular complications, and renal and gastrointestinal complications within 30 days after surgery, or length of postoperative hospital stay.

Association Between Postoperative Methocarbamol and Postoperative Pain Opioid Dose Requirements: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: We tested the hypothesis that patients who received methocarbamol postoperatively experience less severe pain and require smaller doses of opioids than those who did not receive methocarbamol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing surgery involving the musculoskeletal system. Of 9089 patients, 704 received methocarbamol during 48 hours postoperatively, while 8385 did not receive methocarbamol. The patients who received methocarbamol postoperatively and the patients who did not receive methocarbamol were compared on the time-weighted average (TWA) pain score and opioid dose requirements in morphine milligram equivalents (MME) during the first 48 hours postoperatively, using propensity score-weighted regression models to adjusting for preoperative and intraoperative covariates. RESULTS: Postoperative 48-hour TWA pain scores were 5.5±1.7 (mean±SD), and 4.3±2.1 for methocarbamol and non-methocarbamol patients. Postoperative 48-hour opioid dose requirements in MME were 276 [170-347] (median [interquartile range (IQR)]) mg, and 190 [60-248] mg for methocarbamol and non-methocarbamol patients. In propensity score-weighted regression models, receiving methocarbamol postoperatively was associated with 0.97-point higher postoperative TWA pain score (95% CI, 0.83-1.11; P <0.001), and 93.6-MME higher postoperative opioid dose requirements (95% CI, 79.9 to 107.4; P <0.001), compared with not receiving methocarbamol postoperatively. DISCUSSION: Postoperative methocarbamol was associated with significantly higher acute postoperative pain burden and opioid dose requirements. Although the results of the study are influenced by residual confounding, they suggest a limited-if any-benefit of methocarbamol as an adjunct of postoperative pain management.

Prediction of postoperative respiratory depression and respiratory complications in patients on preoperative methadone.

PURPOSE: We developed prediction models for postoperative respiratory depression and respiratory complications for 958 patients who were on methadone preoperatively. METHODS: The primary outcome was postoperative respiratory depression as defined by respiratory rate < 10/min, oxygen saturation (SpO2) < 90%, or requirement of naloxone for 48 h postoperatively. Secondary outcome was the composite of postoperative respiratory complications. Prediction models for postoperative respiratory depression and respiratory complications were constructed using multivariate logistic regression with preoperative and intraoperative characteristics as the predictors. RESULTS: For the multivariate logistic regression model for postoperative respiratory depression, surgery duration (P = 0.005), body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.008), surgery involving digestive system (P = 0.031), and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status ≥ 4 (P = 0.038) were statistically significant predictors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the model was 0.581 (0.558-0.601) [median (95% confidence interval (CI))] with fivefold cross-validation. For the model for postoperative respiratory complications, surgery duration (P = 0.001), history of hypertension (P = 0.028), surgery involving musculoskeletal system (P < 0.001), surgery involving integumental system (P = 0.034), surgery categorized to miscellaneous therapeutic procedures (P = 0.028), combined general and regional anesthesia (P = 0.033), ASA physical status 3 (P < 0.001), and ASA physical status ≥ 4 (P < 0.001) were statistically significant predictors, and AUROC of the model was 0.726 (0.712-0.737). CONCLUSIONS: Multivariate logistic regression models including preoperative, and intraoperative characteristics as the predictors performed poorly to predict postoperative respiratory depression, and moderately for postoperative respiratory complications. Neither model is accurate enough to be subject to clinical use.

Opioid Agonist to Buprenorphine Cross-titration During Pregnancy: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: We present a case report of a first-trimester pregnant individual with chronic pain on chronic opioid therapy who successfully cross-titrated from full-µ agonist opioid to buprenorphine without causing significant withdrawal symptoms. CASE PRESENTATION: A 37-year-old gravida 1, para 0 woman with chronic pain on opioid therapy successfully completed a 6-week cross-titration from 120 morphine equivalent dose to buprenorphine in her first trimester without affecting pain scores, functional capacity, withdrawal symptoms except for mild nausea and insomnia, or adverse perinatal outcomes. After increasing her buprenorphine in the second trimester, at 38 weeks, she bore a healthy neonate without eliciting signs of neonatal abstinence syndrome while on a stable buprenorphine dose. CONCLUSIONS: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Society of Addiction Medicine agree that pregnant patients with chronic pain should avoid or minimize opioids. For patients on chronic opioid therapy unable to minimize opioid use during pregnancy, it is unclear whether to continue their chronic opioid therapy or transition to other medications, including buprenorphine. This case demonstrated how one pregnant person with chronic pain on opioid therapy but not meeting diagnostic criteria for opioid use disorder safely transitioned from full-µ agonist opioids to buprenorphine without precipitating withdrawal or adverse perinatal outcomes. Cross-titration could be similarly performed for a pregnant patient with untreated opioid use disorder. In addition, the used cross-titration schedule and the rationale are provided.

Patient Blood Management programs for post-partum hemorrhage.

Patient blood management (PBM) strategies aim to maintain hemoglobin concentration, optimize hemostasis, and minimize blood loss to improve patient outcomes. Because postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal mortality and blood product utilization, PBM principles can be applied in its therapeutic approach. First, pre-operative identification of risk factors for PPH and identification of peri-delivery anemia should be conducted. Iron supplementation should be used to optimize hemoglobin concentration before delivery; it can also be used to treat anemia in the postpartum period after severe PPH. Both acute normovolemic hemodilution and intraoperative cell salvage can be effective techniques to reduce allogeneic blood transfusion during or after surgical procedures. Furthermore, these strategies appear to be safe when used in the pregnant population.

Postoperative respiratory depression in patients on sublingual buprenorphine: a retrospective cohort study for comparison between postoperative continuation and discontinuation of buprenorphine.

BACKGROUND: We tested the hypothesis that patients who continued buprenorphine postoperatively experience postoperative respiratory depression less frequently than those who discontinued buprenorphine. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients who were on buprenorphine preoperatively. The primary outcome was postoperative respiratory depression as defined by respiratory rate < 10/minute, oxygen saturation (SpO2) < 90%, or requirement of naloxone for 48 h postoperatively. The secondary outcome was the composite of postoperative respiratory complications. The associations between postoperative buprenorphine continuation and respiratory depression and respiratory complications were estimated using separate multivariable logistic regression models, including demographic, intraoperative characteristics, and preoperative buprenorphine dose as covariates. RESULTS: Postoperative buprenorphine continuation was not associated with postoperative respiratory depression (adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.61 to 1.99, P=0.72). In subanalysis stratified by the preoperative buprenorphine dose, buprenorphine continuation was not associated with postoperative respiratory depression either when preoperative buprenorphine dose was high (≥16 mg daily) or low (<16 mg daily). Postoperative buprenorphine continuation was associated with lower incidence of postoperative respiratory complications (adjusted OR, 0.43, 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.86, P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Continuing buprenorphine was not associated with respiratory depression, but it was associated with a lower incidence of respiratory complications.

Spinal anesthesia for cesarean section in a woman with an intrathecal baclofen pump.

BACKGROUND: Intrathecal baclofen pumps are commonly used for the management of lower extremity spasticity in the setting of spinal cord injury. There have been no reports of the performance of spinal anesthesia in patients with a pre-existing intrathecal baclofen pump. CASE PRESENTATION: A 29-year-old parturient presented for cesarean section. She had a history of spinal cord injury due to fractures of the thoracic vertebrae with lower extremity spasticity, which had been treated with an intrathecal baclofen pump inserted through lumbar (L) 3-L4 intervertebral space. Preoperative lumbosacral ultrasound was performed to identify the L4-5 interspace, and spinal anesthesia was performed through that space with a 25-gauge 3.5-inch-long Whitacre spinal needle. Thoracic (T) 4 dermatomal level anesthesia was achieved, and the patient underwent the cesarean section without requiring additional intravenous analgesic adjuncts. CONCLUSIONS: Spinal anesthesia can be successfully performed in patients with intrathecal baclofen pumps. Existing intrathecal catheters can be located with preoperative imaging, and ultrasound can be used to determine the vertebral levels below the intrathecal catheter through which spinal anesthesia can be performed safely.

In-Hospital Opioid Consumption After the Previous Cesarean Delivery Weakly Predicts Opioid Consumption After Index Delivery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: To predict opioid consumption and pain intensity after the index cesarean delivery, we tested a hypothesis that opioid consumption after the previous cesarean delivery of the same patient can predict the opioid consumption after the index cesarean delivery. We further tested a secondary hypothesis that the pain scores after the previous cesarean delivery can predict the pain scores after the index cesarean delivery. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of 470 women who underwent both previous and index cesarean deliveries at a single institution from January 2011 to June 2019. To predict the opioid consumption (primary outcome) and average pain scores (on 11-point numeric rating scale) after their index cesarean delivery, we used a linear regression model incorporating only the opioid consumption and average pain scores after the previous cesarean delivery, respectively (unadjusted models). Demographic and obstetric variables were then added as predictors (adjusted models). The bootstrap was used to compare these models with respect to proportion of variance of the outcome accounted for (R2). RESULTS: Unadjusted models were weakly predictive of opioid consumption (R2 = 0.268; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.146-0.368) and average pain scores (R2 = 0.176; 95% CI, 0.057-0.250). An adjusted model for opioid consumption was weakly predictive (R2 = 0.363; 95% CI, 0.208-0.478), but an adjusted model for average pain scores was not predictive of the outcomes (R2 = 0.070; 95% CI, -0.143 to 0.219). Adjusted models failed to explain variances of opioid consumption and average pain scores significantly better than unadjusted models (P = .099 and P = .141, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Opioid consumption and pain scores after women's previous cesarean delivery only explain 27% of variance of opioid consumption and 18% of variance of their pain after their index cesarean delivery. Therefore, previous cesarean delivery analgesic metrics are not robust enough to be used as clinically applicable predictors for index delivery.

Comparison Between Preoperative Methadone and Buprenorphine Use on Postoperative Opioid Requirement: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: Buprenorphine is a partial agonist at mu-opioid receptors and competes for these receptors with other opioids in vitro. Whether patients on buprenorphine maintenance require high doses of opioid analgesics to attain adequate postoperative pain control has not been determined. We evaluated differences in acute postoperative opioid consumption and pain burden between patients taking buprenorphine and those taking methadone preoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records of 928 patients, of whom 195 were on buprenorphine and 733 were on methadone preoperatively, was performed. Among methadone and buprenorphine patients, 615 and 89, respectively, continued to receive the medications postoperatively. Buprenorphine patients were compared with methadone patients for the first 48 hours postoperatively with regard to acute opioid dose requirements (morphine milligram equivalents [MME] above their baseline buprenorphine and methadone doses) and time-weighted average (TWA) pain scores (using targeted maximum likelihood estimation). RESULTS: Opioid dose requirements for 48 hours postoperatively were 150 (22 to 297) (median [interquartile range]) and 220 [90 to 360] MME for buprenorphine and methadone patients, respectively. Preoperative buprenorphine was associated with a 59.9% lower postoperative MME (95% confidence interval: 46.6%-69.8%, P<0.0001) compared with methadone. Postoperative TWA pain scores for the first 48 hours were 5.0±2.7 (mean±SD), and 5.4±2.3 for buprenorphine and methadone patients, respectively. Preoperative buprenorphine was associated with a 0.37-point lower TWA pain score (95% confidence interval: 0.14-0.61, P=0.002) compared with methadone. DISCUSSION: Preoperative buprenorphine use was associated with >50% reduction in postoperative opioid dose requirement and a statistically significant, though clinically unimportant, reduction in acute pain burden in comparison to methadone. The study is limited by several important factors such as the exclusion of patients requiring intravenous patient-controlled analgesia, small number of patients were on higher dose of buprenorphine, and a large percentage of methadone patients were not on a stable dose of methadone yet.

Chronic Use of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and/or Angiotensin Receptor Blockers is Not Associated With Stroke After Noncardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone pathways reduces blood pressure and proliferation of vascular smooth muscles and may therefore reduce the risk of stroke. We tested the hypothesis that patients taking angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) for at least 6 months have fewer postoperative strokes after non-neurological, noncarotid, and noncardiac surgeries than those who do not. METHODS: We considered adults who had noncardiac surgery at the Cleveland Clinic between January 2005 and December 2017. After excluding neurological and carotid surgeries, we assessed the confounder-adjusted association between chronic use of ACEIs/ARBs (during 6 preoperative months) and the incidence of postoperative stroke using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Postoperative strokes occurred in 0.26% (27/10,449) of patients who were chronic ACEI/ARBs users and in 0.18% (112/62,771) of those who were not. There was no significant association between ACEI/ARB use and postoperative stroke, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.15 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-1.44; P =0.24). Secondarily, there was no association between exposures to ACEIs and postoperative stroke, versus no such exposure (adjusted odds ratio 0.88, 95% CI: 0.65-1.19; P =0.33). Similarly, there was no association between exposure to ARBs and postoperative stroke, versus no such exposure (adjusted odds ratio 1.05, 95% CI: 0.75-1.48; P =0.75). CONCLUSION: We did not detect an effect of chronic ACEI/ARB use on postoperative strokes in patients who had non-neurological, noncarotid and noncardiac surgery; however, power was extremely limited.

Case Report: Radiographic Identification of Intrapleural Misplacement of Epidural Catheter in an Intubated Post-Lung Transplant Patient.

Intrapleural misplacement of epidural catheter is a rare complication of thoracic epidural placement, which can be difficult to detect in intubated patients with unreliable pain reports and hemodynamic response to the test dose. We describe a case of intrapleural misplacement of thoracic epidural in a 50-year-old man status-post bilateral lung transplant and highlight the use of radiographic techniques to identify the misplacement.

Postoperative Pain and Opioid Dose Requirements in Patients on Sublingual Buprenorphine: A Retrospective Cohort Study for Comparison Between Postoperative Continuation and Discontinuation of Buprenorphine.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that patients who continued buprenorphine postoperatively experience less severe pain and require a smaller dose of opioids than those who discontinued buprenorphine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of surgical patients who were on buprenorphine preoperatively. Using our previous study's data as pilot data, we selected the covariates to be included in 2 regression models with postoperative time-weighted average pain score and opioid dose requirements in morphine milligram equivalents during 48 hours after surgery as the outcomes. Both contained preoperative daily buprenorphine dose, whether buprenorphine was continued postoperatively, and the preoperative daily dose-by-postoperative continuation interaction as predictors. Precision variables were identified by exhaustive search of perioperative parameters with the exposure variables (preoperative daily dose, postoperative continuation, and their interaction) included in the regression model. The model selected by using the pilot data was estimated again using the new data extracted for this study to make inference about the effect of the 2 exposures (postoperative buprenorphine continuation and preoperative daily buprenorphine dose) and their interaction on the outcomes. RESULTS: Continuing buprenorphine was associated with a 1.3-point lower time-weighted average pain score than discontinuing (95% confidence interval, 0.39-2.21; P=0.005) but was not associated with a difference in opioid dose requirements (P=0.48). DISCUSSION: Continuing buprenorphine was associated with lower postoperative pain levels than discontinuing. Our results were primarily driven by patients on lower buprenorphine dose as only 22% of patients were on daily doses of 24 mg or above.

Acute Pain Burden and Opioid Dose Requirements after Cesarean Delivery in Parturients with Preexisting Chronic Back Pain and Migraine.

INTRODUCTION: Preexisting chronic pain has been reported to be a consistent risk factor for severe acute postoperative pain. However, each specific chronic pain condition has unique pathophysiology, and it is possible that the effect of each condition on postoperative pain is different. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women with preexisting chronic pain conditions (i.e., migraine, chronic back pain, and the combination of migraine + chronic back pain), who underwent cesarean delivery. The effects of the three chronic pain conditions on time-weighted average (TWA) pain score (primary outcome) and opioid dose requirements in morphine milligram equivalents (MME) during postoperative 48 hours were compared. RESULTS: The TWA pain score was similar in preexisting migraine and chronic back pain. Chronic back pain was associated with significantly greater opioid dose requirements than migraine (12.92 MME, 95% CI: 0.41 to 25.43, P=0.041). Preoperative opioid use (P < 0.001) was associated with a greater TWA pain score. Preoperative opioid use (P < 0.001), smoking (P=0.004), and lower postoperative ibuprofen dose (P=0.002) were associated with greater opioid dose requirements. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest women with chronic back pain and migraine do not report different postpartum pain intensities; however, women with preexisting chronic back pain required 13 MME greater opioid dose than those with migraine during 48 hours after cesarean delivery.

Intraoperative panic attack in patients undergoing awake craniotomy: a retrospective analysis of risk factors.

PURPOSE: Intraoperative anxiety is the most common psychological response of the patient during awake craniotomy. Psychological stress can trigger patient decline, resulting in failed awake craniotomy and significantly poor outcomes. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for panic attack (PA) during awake craniotomies. METHODS: With the local ethics committee approval, we conducted a manual chart review of the medical record of patients who underwent consecutive awake craniotomies between November 1999 and October 2016 at Tokyo Women's Medical University. A total of 405 patients were identified and assigned to 2 groups based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V criteria: those that met the PA criteria (Group PA) and those that did not (Group non-PA). Patient characteristics and the incidence of the PA specifier were collected. The features of the two groups were statistically compared, and risk factors for PA occurrence were determined by regression analysis. RESULTS: Sixteen of 405 patients met the diagnostic criteria of PA. Patients' characteristics were not statistically different between the groups. Multivariate logistic regression showed that intraoperative anxiety (p = 0.0002) and age younger than 39 years (as opposed to age > = 39 years; p = 0.0328) were significantly associated with the occurrence of PA during awake craniotomy. CONCLUSIONS: For patients undergoing awake craniotomy, intraoperative anxiety and age younger than 39 years were considered risk factors of PA. As PA often necessitates conversion to general anesthesia, intensive perioperative psychological support and pain management are required to achieve patient satisfaction and the surgical goal of awake craniotomy.

Association Between Preoperative Statin Use and Respiratory Complications After Noncardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Statins possess pleiotropic effects, which potentially benefit noncardiovascular conditions. Previous work suggests that statins reduce inflammation and prevent acute respiratory distress syndrome and infections. However, there is a paucity of data regarding potential benefits of statins on respiratory and infectious complications, particularly after noncardiac surgery. We therefore evaluated respiratory and other complications in noncardiac surgery patients taking or not taking statins preoperatively. METHODS: We obtained data from the Cleveland Clinic Perioperative Health Documentation System and evaluated medical records of 92,139 inpatients who had noncardiac surgery. Among these, 31,719 patients took statins preoperatively. Statin patients were compared to nonstatin patients on incidence of intraoperative use of albuterol and postoperative respiratory complications for primary analysis. Infectious complications, cardiovascular complications, in-hospital mortality, and duration of hospitalization were compared for secondary analyses, using inverse probability of treatment weighting to control for potential confounding. RESULTS: Statin use was associated with lower odds of intraoperative albuterol treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.89; 97.5% confidence interval [CI], 0.82-0.97; P = .001; number needed to treat [NNT] = 216). Postoperative respiratory complications were also less common (OR = 0.82; 98.75% CI, 0.78-0.87; P < .001). Secondarily, statin use was associated with lower odds of infections, cardiovascular complications, in-hospital mortality, and shorter duration of hospitalization. The interaction between statin use and sex was significant (with significance criteria P < .10) for all primary and secondary outcomes except intraoperative use of albuterol. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative statin use in noncardiac surgical patients was associated with slightly reduced odds of postoperative respiratory, infectious, and cardiovascular complications. However, the NNTs were high. Thus, despite the fact that statins appeared to be associated with lower odds of various complications, especially cardiovascular complications, our results do not support using statins specifically to reduce noncardiovascular complications after noncardiac surgery.

Factors associated with persistent pain after childbirth: a narrative review.

A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies that reported risk factors for persistent pain after childbirth. Many studies have sought to identify risk factors for post-delivery pain in different populations, using different methodologies and different outcome variables. Studies of several different but interrelated post-partum pain syndromes have been conducted. Factors strongly and specifically associated with persistent incisional scar pain after Caesarean delivery include a coexisting persistent pain problem in another part of the body and severe acute postoperative pain. For persistent vaginal and perineal pain, operative vaginal delivery and the magnitude of perineal trauma have been consistently linked. History of pregnancy-related and pre-pregnancy back pain and heavier body weight are robust risk factors for persistent back pain after pregnancy. Unfortunately, limitations, particularly small samples and lack of a priori sample size calculation designed to detect specific effect sizes for risk of persistent pain outcomes, preclude definitive conclusions about many other predictors and the strength of outcome associations. In future studies, assessments of specific phenotypes using a rigorous analysis with appropriate predetermined sample sizes and validated instruments are needed to allow elucidation of stronger and reliable associations. Interventional studies targeting the most robustly associated, modifiable risk factors, such as acute post-partum pain, may lead to solutions for the prevention and treatment of these common problems that impact a large population.

Biochemically diagnosed hypothyroidism and postoperative complications after cardiac surgery: a retrospective cohort analysis.

PURPOSE: To determine whether hypothyroidism is associated with cardiovascular complications and surgical wound infections after cardiac surgery. METHODS: Patients were categorized as: (1) hypothyroid [patients with increased TSH concentrations (≧ 5.5 mIU/L) within 6 months prior to surgery]; (2) corrected hypothyroid [diagnosis of hypothyroidism any time before surgery or on preoperative thyroid supplementation and normal TSH concentration (0.4 [Formula: see text] TSH [Formula: see text] 5.5 mIU/L]; and (3) euthyroid [no hypothyroid diagnosis and not on preoperative thyroid supplementation and normal TSH concentrations (0.4-5.5 mIU/L)]. We conducted pairwise comparisons among the three groups using inverse probability of treatment weighting. We compared the groups on postoperative myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, atrial fibrillation, and a composite of surgical wound infections and postoperative vasopressor use using multivariable logistic regression models. We compared the groups on ICU and hospital length of stay using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Hypothyroidism was associated with a lower risk of atrial fibrillation than euthyroidism, with an estimated relative risk (99.4% CI) of 0.71 (0.56, 0.89); P < 0.001. However, none of the other pairwise comparisons on myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, and atrial fibrillation were significant. Corrected hypothyroid patients were slightly more likely to be discharged from hospital at any given time than euthyroid patients (hazard ratios (99.6% CI), 1.18 (1.07, 1.30); P < 0.001), but no other pairwise comparisons for secondary outcomes were significant. CONCLUSIONS: Hypothyroidism was associated with lower risk of atrial fibrillation than euthyroidism, and corrected hypothyroidism was associated with a shorter length of stay than euthyroidism.

Recovery after Nulliparous Birth: A Detailed Analysis of Pain Analgesia and Recovery of Function.

BACKGROUND: The majority of parturients in the United States first return for evaluation by their obstetric practitioner 6 weeks after delivery. As such, there is little granular data on the pain experience, analgesic requirements, and functional recovery during the postpartum period. This prospective observational study was performed to evaluate these factors to provide expectations for patients. METHODS: A total of 213 nulliparous women were enrolled and assessed daily until they completed 3 outcomes: (1) pain resolution; (2) opioid cessation; and (3) self-assessed functional recovery from delivery. The primary endpoint, pain- and opioid-free functional recovery, was the time required to reach all three of the endpoints. Pain burden was assessed as the area under the curve created by plotting the daily numerical pain rating scale against the days required to attain pain resolution. Times to attain study endpoints after cesarean delivery and vaginal delivery were compared using survival analysis. RESULTS: After vaginal delivery, days required for pain and opioid-free functional recovery (median [interquartile range (IQR)]) were 19 [11 to 26], for opioid cessation 0 [0 to 2], termination of all analgesic (including nonsteroidal antiinflammatories and acetaminophen) 11 [5 to 17], and pain resolution 14 [7 to 24]. Achievement of these endpoints after cesarean delivery required 27 [19 to 40], 9 [5 to 12], 16 [11 to 24], and 21 [14 to 27] days, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There is clinically significant variability between healthy nulliparous parturients in the pain experience, opioid use, and functional recovery after childbirth following vaginal and cesarean delivery. Recovery to predelivery function is similar after vaginal and cesarean delivery, and approximately half of the variance was explained by pain burden.

Feasibility of the head-mounted display for ultrasound-guided nerve blocks: a pilot simulator study.

The head-mounted display (HMD) has the potential to improve the quality of ultrasound-guided procedures. The aim of this non-clinical crossover designed study is to evaluate the feasibility of the HMD for ultrasound-guided nerve block. Eight experienced anesthesiologists performed ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks on a training simulator with a standard approach and with an upside-down approach. Each approach was performed with a control conventional method and with an HMD. The ultrasound image and operating field were recorded by video camera. The procedure time and fractional percentage of time with the needle visible on the ultrasound image were determined. The needle insertion times were 10.4 ± 7.2 s with the control method and 6.8 ± 5.3 s with the HMD method for the standard approach (p = 0.03), and 18.1 ± 10.1 with the control method and 11.8 ± 9.5 s with the HMD method for the upside-down approach (p = 0.002). The fractional percentages of time with the needle visible on the ultrasound image were 34.1 ± 20.9 with the control method and 56.5 ± 13.6% with the HMD method for the standard approach (p < 0.001), and 20.1 ± 13.4 with the control method and 38.2 ± 21.2% with the HMD method for the upside-down approach (p = 0.001). In conclusion, this pilot study using a simulation model indicated that the use of an HMD shortened the procedure time and improved the needle visibility on ultrasound.