Postoperative and postdischarge nausea and vomiting following ambulatory eye, head, and neck surgeries: a retrospective cohort study comparing incidence and associated factors.

BACKGROUND: Ambulatory surgery is often followed by the development of nausea and/or vomiting (N/V). Although risk factors for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are frequently discussed, the distinction between PONV and postdischarge nausea and vomiting (PDNV) is unclear. This is especially troublesome given the potential consequences of postdischarge nausea and vomiting (PDNV), which include major discomfort and hospital readmission. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, data from 10,231 adult patients undergoing ambulatory ophthalmology or otolaryngology procedures with general anesthesia were collected and analyzed. Binary and multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between patient and anesthetic characteristics (including age, body mass index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA P/S) classification, current smoker status, and intra- and postoperative opioid usage) and the odds ratios of experiencing only PDNV, only PONV, or both PONV and PDNV, as compared to not experiencing N/V at all. RESULTS: We found that 17.8% of all patients developed N/V (PONV and/or PDNV). Patients who experienced PONV had a 2.79 (95% confidence interval 2.24-3.46) times greater risk of reporting PDNV. Binary logistic regression found that younger age, opioid use, and female sex were associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing any N/V. Increased use of nitrous oxide and a higher ASA P/S class was associated with elevated likelihood of PONV, but not PDNV or PONV plus PDNV. CONCLUSIONS: Patients experiencing N/V in the PACU are observed to develop PDNV disproportionately by a factor of 2.79. The patients have distinct predictors, indicating important opportunities for care improvements beyond current guidelines.

Preoperative Evaluation of Patients Undergoing Eye Surgery.

Ophthalmic surgery encompasses a wide range of procedures addressing various ocular conditions. Although generally considered low risk, a thorough preoperative evaluation is still crucial in optimizing patient outcomes and ensuring safe surgical interventions. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the preoperative assessment and management of patients presenting for ophthalmic surgery, specifically focusing on cataract surgery. We discuss the role of routine preoperative testing, the assessment of intraocular factors, and the evaluation of systemic comorbidities and medications. The review emphasizes the importance of individualized decision-making based on patient-specific factors and collaborative efforts between ophthalmologists and the health-care team.

Regional Anesthesia Techniques for Pain Management for Laparoscopic Surgery: a Review of the Current Literature.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The field of regional anesthesia has evolved tremendously in the last 15 years. New anesthesia protocols for ambulatory surgery and enhanced recovery after surgery have been developed as well. The focus of these techniques and protocols has centered on patient satisfaction and pain control while minimizing the use of opioids. The field of ambulatory surgery and anesthesia continues to evolve, and regional anesthesia and its plane techniques are at the center of these changes. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent research has shown that regional techniques contribute to better pain control and patient experience and may decrease patient readmission rates. The safety of these techniques has been validated when performed by experienced practitioners. New techniques such as the erector spinae block (ESP) have been studied in the setting of laparoscopic surgery with promising results. Regional anesthesia techniques for patients presenting for laparoscopic surgery are safe and seem to provide benefits. Those are related to patient experience, pain control, and readmission rates. Different techniques can be applied to a specific type of intervention. Application of these techniques depend on the clinical picture and patient. Future research may help us clarify how these techniques may improve patient satisfaction and operating room efficiency. New regional blocks may also develop based on what we know today.

Post-anesthesia care unit desaturation in adult deep extubation patients.

OBJECTIVE: Deep extubation refers to endotracheal extubation performed while a patient is deeply anesthetized and without airway reflexes. After deep extubation, patients are sent to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) to recover, an area with notably different management and staffing than the operating room (OR). One of the most frequent and concerning complications to occur in the PACU is hypoxemia. As such, this study seeks to evaluate the incidence of desaturation, defined by SpO2 < 90% for longer than 10 s, in the PACU following deep extubation. Additionally, we hope to assess the consequence of desaturation on perioperative workflow by comparing PACU recovery times. RESULTS: Following deep extubation, 4.3% of patients (13/300) experienced desaturation in the PACU. Every episode was notably minor, with patients reverting to normal saturation levels within a minute. Of the 26 case factors assessed, 24 had no significant association desaturation in the PACU, including the amount of time spent in the PACU. History of asthma was the only statistically significant factor found to be positively associated with desaturation. We find that PACU desaturation episodes following deep extubation are rare. Our findings suggest that deep extubation is a viable and safe option for patients without significant respiratory tract pathology.

Incidence of airway complications associated with deep extubation in adults.

BACKGROUND: Endotracheal extubation is the most crucial step during emergence from general anesthesia and is usually carried out when patients are awake with return of airway reflexes. Alternatively, extubations can also be accomplished while patients are deeply anesthetized, a technique known as "deep extubation", in order to provide a "smooth" emergence from anesthesia. Deep extubation is seldomly performed in adults, even in appropriate circumstances, likely due to concerns for potential respiratory complications and limited research supporting its safety. It is in this context that we designed our prospective study to understand the factors that contribute to the success or failure of deep extubation in adults. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, 300 patients, age ≥ 18, American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA PS) Classification I - III, who underwent head-and-neck and ocular surgeries. Patients' demographic, comorbidity, airway assessment, O2 saturation, end tidal CO2 levels, time to exit OR, time to eye opening, and respiratory complications after deep extubation in the OR were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty (13%) out of 300 patients had at least one complication in the OR, as defined by persistent coughing, desaturation SpO2 < 90% for longer than 10s, laryngospasm, stridor, bronchospasm and reintubation. When comparing the complication group to the no complication group, the patients in the complication group had significantly higher BMI (30 vs 26), lower O2 saturation pre and post extubation, and longer time from end of surgery to out of OR (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The complication rate during deep extubation in adults was relatively low compared to published reports in the literature and all easily reversible. BMI is possibly an important determinant in the success of deep extubation.

Successful Use of High-Flow Nasal Cannula for Concurrent Vocal Cord Electromyography and Tubeless Microlaryngeal Surgery in a Spontaneously Breathing Adult Patient: A Case Report.

Ventilation during microlaryngoscopy previously included jet ventilation, microlaryngeal endotracheal tubes, and extended apnea. Historically, apneic oxygenation provided a tubeless field but limited operative time. Increased utilization of high-flow nasal cannula in intensive care units and operating rooms has created new opportunities to expand tubeless microlaryngoscopy. Although few studies have described high-flow nasal cannula for microlaryngoscopy, there remains much to be explored. In this case report, we describe the unique setting of utilizing high-flow nasal cannula in a spontaneously breathing patient to create an optimal tubeless surgical field for both microlaryngoscopy and vocal cord electromyography.

Macro Fat Embolism After Gluteal Augmentation With Fat: First Survival Case Report.

Gluteal augmentation with fat has become one of the most common cosmetic procedures worldwide. Gluteal augmentation is designed to increase the volume and contour of the gluteal region. Intramuscular lipoinjection has been linked to multiple reports of severe complications, including death due to macro fat embolism (MAFE). The authors present the first reported case of survival and successful recovery after MAFE secondary to gluteal augmentation with fat. A 41-year-old woman, ASA II, was scheduled for augmentation mammaplasty, liposuction, and gluteal augmentation with fat. The patient was operated under general anesthesia with a total intravenous anesthesia technique. A total of 3.5 liters of fat was liposuctioned with no complications. The patient was then positioned in a lateral decubitus position for gluteal augmentation with fat. Right after the last injection, the anesthesiologist noticed a sudden change in capnography followed by hypotension, bradycardia, and hypoxemia. The first reaction in the operating room was to consider that the patient was experiencing a severe episode of fat embolism. She was then resuscitated and transferred to a tertiary facility for intensive care management. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of successful resuscitation in a patient experiencing severe MAFE after gluteal augmentation with fat. We believe that this patient survived the event due to early detection, aggressive management, and proper transfer to an intensive care unit. Level of Evidence: 5.

Frontline Science: Targeted expression of a dominant-negative high mobility group A1 transgene improves outcome in sepsis.

High mobility group (HMG) proteins are a family of architectural transcription factors, with HMGA1 playing a role in the regulation of genes involved in promoting systemic inflammatory responses. We speculated that blocking HMGA1-mediated pathways might improve outcomes from sepsis. To investigate HMGA1 further, we developed genetically modified mice expressing a dominant negative (dn) form of HMGA1 targeted to the vasculature. In dnHMGA1 transgenic (Tg) mice, endogenous HMGA1 is present, but its function is decreased due to the mutant transgene. These mice allowed us to specifically study the importance of HMGA1 not only during a purely pro-inflammatory insult of endotoxemia, but also during microbial sepsis induced by implantation of a bacterial-laden fibrin clot into the peritoneum. We found that the dnHMGA1 transgene was only present in Tg and not wild-type (WT) littermate mice, and the mutant transgene was able to interact with transcription factors (such as NF-κB), but was not able to bind DNA. Tg mice exhibited a blunted hypotensive response to endotoxemia, and less mortality in microbial sepsis. Moreover, Tg mice had a reduced inflammatory response during sepsis, with decreased macrophage and neutrophil infiltration into tissues, which was associated with reduced expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein-2. Collectively, these data suggest that targeted expression of a dnHMGA1 transgene is able to improve outcomes in models of endotoxin exposure and microbial sepsis, in part by modulating the immune response and suggest a novel modifiable pathway to target therapeutics in sepsis.

Effects of Thermal Protection in Patients Undergoing Body Contouring Procedures: A Controlled Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypothermia is common in many plastic surgery procedures, but few measures to prevent its occurrence are taken. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effect of hypothermia in patients undergoing plastic surgery procedures and the effect of utilizing simple and inexpensive measures to prevent patient hypothermia during surgery. METHODS: A randomized controlled clinical trial was performed among 3 groups of patients who underwent body contouring surgery for longer than 3.5 hours. In group 1, no protective measures were taken to prevent hypothermia; in group 2, maneuvers were applied intraoperatively for the duration of the entire surgical procedure; and in group 3, measures were taken preoperatively and intraoperatively. The results were quantified and analyzed through a bivariate analysis, including degree of hypothermia, anesthesia recovery time, time spent in the recovery area, intensity of pain, cold perception, response to opioids, and nausea. RESULTS: There were 122 patients included in the study: 43 in group 1, 39 in group 2, and 40 in group 3. All patients in group 1 had a higher degree of hypothermia, longer recovery time from anesthesia, longer overall recovery time, increased pain, increased feeling of cold, and more nausea. These patients also required a greater amount of opioids compared with the patients in groups 2 and 3. Many of the results were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The adoption of simple and inexpensive measures before and during plastic surgery can prevent patient hypothermia during the procedures, leading to a shorter anesthesia recovery time and avoiding the undesirable effects associated with hypothermia. In addition, these measures may have significant economic savings.

Proof of Concept for a Novel Curriculum: Learning a Second Language during Anesthesiology Residency.

This article describes a novel curriculum for anesthesiology residents matriculating through Brigham and Women's Department of Anesthesiology. It is offered electively and provides physician residents with time to acquire language skills through a medically-focused immersion program abroad. It is designed for them to learn or improve a second language and then to speak it while practicing perioperative medicine. Ultimately, the elective curriculum will equip future anesthesiologists with the communication tools to deliver professional and compassionate patient care both within the United States and internationally.

Hipotermia en cirugía electiva. El enemigo oculto / Hypothermia in elective surgery: The hidden enemy

Abstract Introduction: Hypothermia is perhaps the most frequent undesirable event in elective surgery. It is estimated that 1 h after surgery has initiated 70-90% of patients will experience hypothermia. In elective surgery, there are several factors leading to temperatures under 34 °C. Hypothermia may increases infections, bleeding and need for transfusion as well as the occurrence of an undesirable effect of discomfort and feared such as cold and postoperative shivering that can lead to cardiac complications due to increased of sympathetic influence. Objectives: Review the causes of these low temperatures within intraoperative elective surgery and check if the current alternatives to prevent hypothermia are effective. Methods: Review of non-systematic literature in PubMed and Medline was performed. Results: Hypothermia is the most common and least diagnosed undesirable event of patients undergoing surgery although it is easy to detect and preventive measures do not present major difficulties in their implementation. Conclusions: There are effective measures easy to set up, economical and effective to prevent hypothermia; the most important is the patient warm with hot air under pressure for 1 h and maintenance of air conditioning in the room above 22 °C. We just need to understand these measures and start to implement them.

Resumen Introducción: La hipotermia es tal vez el evento indeseable mas frecuente en los pacientes que van a cirugía programada. Se considera que 1 hora después de iniciada la cirugía el 70 al 90% de los pacientes se encuentran hipotérmicos. En cirugía Electiva en pacientes sanos hay varios factores que llevan a que nuestros pacientes mantengan cifras de temperaturas de 34 °C e inclusive menores. El problema está en que la hipotermia aumenta las infecciones, el sangrado y la necesidad de trasfusión, la aparición de un efecto indeseable y temido por el paciente como es el frío y temblor postoperatorio que puede llevar a complicaciones cardiacas debido al aumento del influjo simpático. Objetivos: Revisarlas causas que llevan a estas bajas temperaturas intraoperatorias en cirugía programada y revisar si las opciones que tenemos hoy en día para prevenir la hipotermia pueden ser efectivas. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión de la literatura no sistemática en las bases de datos PubMed y Medline. Resultados: La hipotermia es el evento indeseable más frecuente y menos diagnosticado en el paciente que va a cirugía a pesar que es fácil de detectar y las medidas preventivas son relativamente fáciles de instaurar. Conclusiones: Hay medidas efectivas, fáciles de instaurar, económicas y efectivas para evitar la hipotermia y entre ellas la más importante es el precalentamiento del paciente con aire caliente a presión por 1 hora, el mantenimiento del aire acondicionado de la sala por encima de 22 grados centígrados. Solo necesitamos entender cuales son estas medidas e iniciar a ponerlas en practica.