Association between Preoperative Blood Pressures and Postoperative Adverse Events.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between postoperative adverse events and blood pressures in the preoperative period remains poorly understood. This study tested the hypothesis that day-of-surgery preoperative blood pressures are associated with postoperative adverse events. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective, observational study of adult patients having elective procedures requiring an inpatient stay between November 2017 and July 2021 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to examine the independent associations between preoperative systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP, DBP) recorded immediately before anesthesia care and number of postoperative adverse events-myocardial injury, stroke, acute kidney injury, and mortality-while adjusting for potential confounders. The study used multivariable ordinal logistic regression to model the relationship. RESULTS: The analysis included 57,389 cases. The overall incidence of myocardial injury, stroke, acute kidney injury, and mortality within 30 days of surgery was 3.4% (1,967 events), 0.4% (223), 10.2% (5,871), and 2.1% (1,223), respectively. The independent associations between both SBP and DBP measurements and number of postoperative adverse events were found to be U-shaped, with greater risk both above and less than SBP 143 mmHg and DBP 86 mmHg-the troughs of the curves. The associations were strongest at SBP 173 mmHg (adjusted odds ratio, 1.212 vs. 143 mmHg; 95% CI, 1.021 to 1.439; P = 0.028), SBP 93 mmHg (adjusted odds ratio, 1.339 vs. 143 mmHg; 95% CI, 1.211 to 1.479; P < 0.001), DBP 106 mmHg (adjusted odds ratio, 1.294 vs. 86 mmHg; 95% CI, 1.003 to 1.17671; P = 0.048), and DBP 46 mmHg (adjusted odds ratio, 1.399 vs. 86 mmHg; 95% CI, 1.244 to 1.558; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative blood pressures both less than and above a specific threshold were independently associated with a higher number of postoperative adverse events, but the data do not support specific strategies for managing patients with low or high blood pressure on the day of surgery.

Improving Neuromuscular Monitoring Through Education-Based Interventions and Studying Its Association With Adverse Postoperative Outcomes: A Retrospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the association between education-based interventions, the frequency of train-of-four (TOF) monitoring, and postoperative outcomes. METHODS: We studied adults undergoing noncardiac surgery from February 1, 2020 through October 31, 2021. Our education-based interventions consisted of 3 phases. An interrupted time-series analysis, adjusting for patient- and procedure-related characteristics and secular trends over time, was used to assess the associations between education-based interventions and the frequency of TOF monitoring, postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), 90-day mortality, and sugammadex dosage. For each outcome and intervention phase, we tested whether the intervention at that phase was associated with an immediate change in the outcome or its trend (weekly rate of change) over time. In a sensitivity analysis, the association between education-based interventions and postoperative outcomes was adjusted for TOF monitoring. RESULTS: Of 19,422 cases, 11,636 (59.9%) had documented TOF monitoring. Monitoring frequency increased from 44.2% in the first week of preintervention stage to 83.4% in the final week of the postintervention phase. During the preintervention phase, the odds of TOF monitoring trended upward by 0.5% per week (odds ratio [OR], 1.005; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.002-1.007). Phase 1 saw an immediate 54% increase (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.33-1.79) in the odds, and the trend OR increased by 3% (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05) to 1.035, or 3.5% per week (joint Wald test, P < .001). Phase 2 was associated with a further immediate 29% increase (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.02-1.64) but no significant association with trend (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-1.01) of TOF monitoring (joint test, P = .04). Phase 3 and postintervention phase were not significantly associated with the frequency of TOF monitoring (joint test, P = .16 and P = .61). The study phases were not significantly associated with PPCs or sugammadex administration. The trend OR for 90-day mortality was larger by 24% (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.06-1.45; joint test, P = .03) in phase 2 versus phase 1, from a weekly decrease of 8% to a weekly increase of 14%. However, this trend reversed again at the transition from phase 3 to the postintervention phase (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68-0.99; joint test, P = .05), from a 14% weekly increase to a 6.2% weekly decrease in the odds of 90-day mortality. In sensitivity analyses, adjusting for TOF monitoring, we found similar associations between study initiatives and postoperative outcomes. TOF monitoring was associated with lower odds of PPCs (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.55-0.86) and 90-day mortality (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.98), but not sugammadex dosing (mean difference, -0.02; 95% CI, -0.04 to 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our education-based interventions were associated with both TOF utilization and 90-day mortality but were not associated with either the odds of PPCs or sugammadex dosing. TOF monitoring was associated with reduced odds of PPCs and 90-day mortality.

The IMpact of PerioperAtive KeTamine on Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery (IMPAKT ERAS): protocol for a pragmatic, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Multimodal analgesic strategies that reduce perioperative opioid consumption are well-supported in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) literature. However, the optimal analgesic regimen has not been established, as the contributions of each individual agent to the overall analgesic efficacy with opioid reduction remains unknown. Perioperative ketamine infusions can decrease opioid consumption and opioid-related side effects. However, as opioid requirements are drastically minimized within ERAS models, the differential effects of ketamine within an ERAS pathway remain unknown. We aim to pragmatically investigate through a learning healthcare system infrastructure how the addition of a perioperative ketamine infusion to mature ERAS pathways affects functional recovery. METHODS: The IMPAKT ERAS trial (IMpact of PerioperAtive KeTamine on Enhanced Recovery after Abdominal Surgery) is a single center, pragmatic, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial. 1544 patients undergoing major abdominal surgery will be randomly allocated to receive intraoperative and postoperative (up to 48 h) ketamine versus placebo infusions as part of a perioperative multimodal analgesic regimen. The primary outcome is length of stay, defined as surgical start time until hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes will include a variety of in-hospital clinical end points derived from the electronic health record. DISCUSSION: We aimed to launch a large-scale, pragmatic trial that would easily integrate into routine clinical workflow. Implementation of a modified consent process was critical to preserving our pragmatic design, permitting an efficient, low-cost model without reliance on external study personnel. Therefore, we partnered with leaders of our Investigational Review Board to develop a novel, modified consent process and shortened written consent form that would meet all standard elements of informed consent, yet also allow clinical providers the ability to recruit and enroll patients during their clinical workflow. Our trial design has created a platform for subsequent pragmatic studies at our institution. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04625283, Pre-results.

Cardiac arrest in the perioperative period: a consensus guideline for identification, treatment, and prevention from the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac arrest in the operating room is a rare but potentially life-threatening event with mortality rates of more than 50%. Contributing factors are often known, and the event is recognised rapidly as patients are usually under full monitoring. This guideline covers the perioperative period and is complementary to the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery jointly nominated a panel of experts to develop guidelines for the recognition, treatment and prevention of cardiac arrest in the perioperative period. A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. All searches were restricted to publications from 1980 to 2019 inclusive and to the English, French, Italian and Spanish languages. The authors also contributed individual, independent literature searches. RESULTS: This guideline contains background information and recommendation for the treatment of cardiac arrest in the operating room environment, and addresses controversial topics such as open chest cardiac massage (OCCM), resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion (REBOA) and resuscitative thoracotomy, pericardiocentesis, needle decompression and thoracostomy. CONCLUSION: Successful prevention and management of cardiac arrest during anaesthesia and surgery requires anticipation, early recognition and a clear treatment plan. The ready availability of expert staff and equipment must also be taken into consideration. Success not only depends on medical knowledge, technical skills and a well organised team using crew resource management but also on an institutional safety culture embedded in everyday practice through continuous education, training and multidisciplinary co-operation.

Practical Considerations of Perioperative Assessment and Optimization in Major Colorectal Surgery.

Successful outcomes after colorectal surgery result not only from technique in the operating room, but also from optimization of the patient prior to surgery. This article will discuss the role of preoperative assessment and optimization in the colorectal surgery patient. Through discussion of the various clinical models, readers will understand the range of options available for optimization. This study will also present information on how to design a preoperative clinic and the barriers to success.

Changes in Surgical Volume and Outcomes During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic at Two Tertiary Hospitals in Ethiopia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist concerning how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected surgical care in low-resource settings. We sought to describe associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and surgical care and outcomes at 2 tertiary hospitals in Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study analyzing perioperative data collected electronically from Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (ACSH) in Mekelle, Ethiopia, and Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospital (TGSH) in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. We categorized COVID-19 exposure as time periods: "phase 0" before the pandemic (November 1-December 31, 2019, at ACSH and August 1-September 30, 2019, at TGSH), "phase 1" starting when elective surgeries were canceled (April 1-August 3, 2020, at ACSH and March 28-April 12, 2020, at TGSH), and "phase 2" starting when elective surgeries resumed (August 4-August 31, 2020, at ACSH and April 13-August 31, 2020, at TGSH). Outcomes included 28-day perioperative mortality, case volume, and patient district of origin. Incidence rates of case volume and patient district of origin (outside district yes or no) were modeled with segmented Poisson regression and logistic regression, respectively. Association of the exposure with 28-day mortality was assessed using logistic regression models, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: Data from 3231 surgeries were captured. There was a decrease in case volume compared to phase 0, with adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-0.81) in phase 1 and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.83-0.97) in phase 2. Compared to phase 0, there were more patients from an outside district during phase 1 lockdown at ACSH (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.63 [95% CI, 1.24-2.15]) and fewer patients from outside districts at TGSH (aOR, 0.44 [95% CI, 0.21-0.87]). The observed 28-day mortality rates for phases 0, 1, and 2 were 1.8% (95% CI, 1.1-2.8), 3.7% (95% CI, 2.3-5.8), and 2.9% (95% CI, 2.1-3.9), respectively. A confounder-adjusted logistic regression model did not show a significant increase in 28-day perioperative mortality during phases 1 and 2 compared to phase 0, with aOR 1.36 (95% CI, 0.62-2.98) and 1.54 (95% CI, 0.80-2.95), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis at 2 low-resource referral hospitals in Ethiopia during the COVID-19 pandemic showed a reduction in surgical case volume during and after lockdown. At ACSH, more patients were from outside districts during lockdown where the opposite was true at TGSH. These findings suggest that during the pandemic patients may experience delays in seeking or obtaining surgical care. However, for patients who underwent surgery, prepandemic and postpandemic perioperative mortalities did not show significant difference. These results may inform surgical plans during future public health crises.

The Effect of Novel Decision Support Tools on Technical and Non-Technical Performance of Teams in Managing Emergencies.

Cognitive aids have been shown to facilitate adherence to evidence-based guidelines and improve technical performance of teams when managing simulated critical events. Few studies have explored the effect of cognitive aids on non-technical skills, such as teamwork and communication. The current study sought to explore the effects of different decision support tools (DST), a type of cognitive aid, on the technical and non-technical performance of teams. The current study represents a randomized, blinded, control trial of the effects of three versions of an electronic DST on team performance during multiple simulations of perioperative emergencies. The DSTs included a version with only technical information, a version with only non-technical information and a version with both technical and non-technical information. The technical performance of teams was improved when they used the technical DST and the combined technical and non-technical DST when compared to memory alone. The technical performance of teams was significantly worse when using the non-technical DST. All three versions of the DST had a negligible effect on the non-technical performance of teams. The technical performance of teams in the current study was affected by different versions of a DST, yet there was no effect on the teams' non-technical performance. The use of a DST, including those that focused on non-technical information, did not impact the non-technical performance of the teams.

Efficacy of an Online Curriculum for Perioperative Goals of Care and Code Status Discussions: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative goals of care (GOC) and code status (CS) discussions are important in achieving an in-depth understanding of the patient's care goals in the setting of a serious illness, enabling the clinician to ensure patient autonomy and shared decision making. Past studies have shown that anesthesiologists are not formally trained in leading these discussions and may lack the necessary skill set. We created an innovative online video curriculum designed to teach these skills. This curriculum was compared to a traditional method of learning from reading the medical literature. METHODS: In this bi-institutional randomized controlled trial at 2 major academic medical centers, 60 anesthesiology trainees were randomized to receive the educational content in 1 of 2 formats: (1) the novel video curriculum (video group) or (2) journal articles (reading group). Thirty residents were assigned to the experimental video curriculum group, and 30 were assigned to the reading group. The content incorporated into the 2 formats focused on general preoperative evaluation of patients and communication strategies pertaining to GOC and CS discussions. Residents in both groups underwent a pre- and postintervention objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) with standardized patients. Both OSCEs were scored using the same 24-point rubric. Score changes between the 2 OSCEs were examined using linear regression, and interrater reliability was assessed using weighted Cohen's kappa. RESULTS: Residents receiving the video curriculum performed significantly better overall on the OSCE encounter, with a mean score of 4.19 compared to 3.79 in the reading group. The video curriculum group also demonstrated statistically significant increased scores on 8 of 24 rubric categories when compared to the reading group. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel video curriculum led to significant increases in resident performance during simulated GOC discussions and modest increases during CS discussions. Further development and refinement of this curriculum are warranted.

Factors influencing mothers' decisions regarding obstetrical care in Western Kenya: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Siaya County in Western Kenya has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in Kenya. We sought to elucidate factors that influence mothers' decisions regarding where to seek obstetrical care, to inform interventions that seek to promote effective use of obstetric services and reduce maternal mortalities. To guide our research, we used the "Three Delays Model", focusing on the first delay-seeking care. While interventions to reduce maternal mortalities have focused on addressing delays in accessing and receiving care, context-specific data on drivers of the first delay are scarce. METHODS: We used a mixed-method study to assess how maternal decision-making of birth location is influenced by personal, contextual, and cultural factors. We conducted structured interviews with women aged 14 years or older living in Siaya, Bondo, and Yala, rural districts in Western Kenya. We then conducted focus group interviews with a subset of women to elucidate this question: How do drivers of the first delay (i.e., seeking care) affect the decision to seek home versus hospital delivery, potentially negatively influencing maternal mortality. RESULTS: Three hundred and seven women responded to the surveys, and 67 women (22%) from this group participated in focus group interviews. Although we focused on type 1 delays, we discovered that several factors that impact type 2 and type 3 delays directly contribute to type 1 delays. Our findings highlighted that factors influencing women's decisions to seek care are not simply medical or cultural but rather contextual, involving many elements of life, particularly in rural communities. CONCLUSIONS: It is imperative to address multiple-level factors that influence women's decisions to seek care and have in-hospital deliveries. To curtail maternal mortality in rural Western Kenya and comparable settings, targeted interventions must take into consideration these important influencers.

ACGME Case Log Reminder Does Not Improve Resident Accuracy in Logging Cases.

To assess competency of residents prior to graduation, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) maintains a case log system, where residents self-report cases they perform. This mechanism results in underreporting of resident involvement in patient care. To determine if an intraoperative case log reminder would increase the frequency of ACGME case logging amongst anesthesiology residents. An intraoperative ACGME case log reminder was implemented on March 13, 2019. The authors collected data for all 53 PGY2-4 anesthesiology residents at the authors' institution from July 14, 2018 to July 16, 2019 from the electronic medical record and ACGME system to calculate the proportion of cases logged and the "lag time" between case occurrence and logging. Data was analyzed for all residents, classes, and individuals. A total of 16,342 anesthetics were performed, and a total of 11,713 cases were logged. The reminder did not improve overall logging rates. Case-logging rates amongst PGY2 residents remained unchanged and declined for PGY3 and PGY4 residents. The lag time between case occurrence and logging increased. An automatic reminder did not improve logging frequency. This may be because residents are unable to log cases intraoperatively in many instances, or they may not feel as though they have participated enough in a case to log it. Additionally, senior residents may log cases less frequently once they have met required case minimums. An automatic case-logging system that transmits resident information directly to the ACGME may be the best way to increase logging accuracy.

Pediatric Perioperative Mortality in Kenya: A Prospective Cohort Study from 24 Hospitals.

BACKGROUND: The global surgery access imbalance will have a dramatic impact on the growing population of the world's children. In regions of the world with pediatric surgery and anesthesia manpower deficits and pediatric surgery-specific infrastructure and supply chain gaps, this expanding population will present new challenges. Perioperative mortality rate is an established indicator of the quality and safety of surgical care. To establish a baseline pediatric perioperative mortality rate and factors associated with mortality in Kenya, the authors designed a prospective cohort study and measured 24-h, 48-h, and 7-day perioperative mortality. METHODS: The authors trained anesthesia providers to electronically collect 132 data elements for pediatric surgical cases in 24 government and nongovernment facilities at primary, secondary, and tertiary hospitals from January 2014 to December 2016. Data assistants tracked all patients to 7 days postoperative, even if they had been discharged. Adjusted analyses were performed to compare mortality among different hospital levels after adjusting for prespecified risk factors. RESULTS: Of 6,005 cases analyzed, there were 46 (0.8%) 24-h, 62 (1.1%) 48-h, and 77 (1.7%) 7-day cumulative mortalities reported. In the adjusted analysis, factors associated with a statistically significant increase in 7-day mortality were American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status of III or more, night or weekend surgery, and not having the Safe Surgery Checklist performed. The 7-day perioperative mortality rate is less in the secondary (1.4%) and tertiary (2.4%) hospitals when compared with the primary (3.7%) hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The authors have established a baseline pediatric perioperative mortality rate that is greater than 100 times higher than in high-income countries. The authors have identified factors associated with an increased mortality, such as not using the Safe Surgery Checklist. This analysis may be helpful in establishing pediatric surgical care systems in low-middle income countries and develop research pathways addressing interventions that will assist in decreasing mortality rate.

American Society for Enhanced Recovery and Perioperative Quality Initiative Joint Consensus Statement on the Role of Neuromonitoring in Perioperative Outcomes: Electroencephalography.

Electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring to indicate brain state during anesthesia has become widely available. It remains unclear whether EEG-guided anesthesia influences perioperative outcomes. The sixth Perioperative Quality Initiative (POQI-6) brought together an international team of multidisciplinary experts from anesthesiology, biomedical engineering, neurology, and surgery to review the current literature and to develop consensus recommendations on the utility of EEG monitoring during anesthesia. We retrieved a total of 1023 articles addressing the use of EEG monitoring during anesthesia and conducted meta-analyses from 15 trials to determine the effect of EEG-guided anesthesia on the rate of unintentional awareness, postoperative delirium, neurocognitive disorder, and long-term mortality after surgery. After considering current evidence, the working group recommends that EEG monitoring should be considered as part of the vital organ monitors to guide anesthetic management. In addition, we encourage anesthesiologists to be knowledgeable in basic EEG interpretation, such as raw waveform, spectrogram, and processed indices, when using these devices. Current evidence suggests that EEG-guided anesthesia reduces the rate of awareness during total intravenous anesthesia and has similar efficacy in preventing awareness as compared with end-tidal anesthetic gas monitoring. There is, however, insufficient evidence to recommend the use of EEG monitoring for preventing postoperative delirium, neurocognitive disorder, or postoperative mortality.

American Society for Enhanced Recovery and Perioperative Quality Initiative Joint Consensus Statement on the Role of Neuromonitoring in Perioperative Outcomes: Cerebral Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Some neurological complications following surgery have been related to a mismatch in cerebral oxygen supply and demand that may either lead to more subtle changes of brain function or overt complications like stroke or coma. Discovery of a perioperative neurological complication may be outside the treatment window, thereby making prevention an important focus. Early commercial devices used differential spectroscopy to measure relative changes from baseline of 2 chromophores: oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin. It was the introduction of spatially resolved spectroscopy techniques that allowed near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-based cerebral oximetry as we know it today. Modern cerebral oximeters measure the hemoglobin saturation of blood in a specific "optical field" containing arterial, capillary, and venous blood, not tissue oxygenation itself. Multiple cerebral oximeters are commercially available, all of which have technical differences that make them noninterchangeable. The mechanism and meaning of these measurements are likely not widely understood by many practicing physicians. Additionally, as with many clinically used monitors, there is a lack of high-quality evidence on which clinicians can base decisions in their effort to use cerebral oximetry to reduce neurocognitive complications after surgery. Therefore, the Sixth Perioperative Quality Initiative (POQI-6) consensus conference brought together an international team of multidisciplinary experts including anesthesiologists, surgeons, and critical care physicians to objectively survey the literature on cerebral oximetry and provide consensus, evidence-based recommendations for its use in accordance with the GRading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria for evaluating biomedical literature. The group produced the following consensus recommendations: (1) interpreting perioperative cerebral oximetry measurements in the context of a preinduction baseline value; (2) interpreting perioperative cerebral oximetry measurements in the context of the physiologic variables that affect them; (3) using caution in comparing cerebral oximetry values between different manufacturers; (4) using preoperative cerebral oximetry to identify patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery; (5) using intraoperative cerebral oximetry indexed to preinduction baseline to identify patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery; (6) using cerebral oximetry to identify and guide management of acute cerebral malperfusion during cardiac surgery; (7) using an intraoperative cerebral oximetry-guided interventional algorithm to reduce intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay after cardiac surgery. Additionally, there was agreement that (8) there is insufficient evidence to recommend using intraoperative cerebral oximetry to reduce mortality or organ-specific morbidity after cardiac surgery; (9) there is insufficient evidence to recommend using intraoperative cerebral oximetry to improve outcomes after noncardiac surgery.

American Society for Enhanced Recovery and Perioperative Quality Initiative Joint Consensus Statement on Postoperative Delirium Prevention.

Postoperative delirium is a geriatric syndrome that manifests as changes in cognition, attention, and levels of consciousness after surgery. It occurs in up to 50% of patients after major surgery and is associated with adverse outcomes, including increased hospital length of stay, higher cost of care, higher rates of institutionalization after discharge, and higher rates of readmission. Furthermore, it is associated with functional decline and cognitive impairments after surgery. As the age and medical complexity of our surgical population increases, practitioners need the skills to identify and prevent delirium in this high-risk population. Because delirium is a common and consequential postoperative complication, there has been an abundance of recent research focused on delirium, conducted by clinicians from a variety of specialties. There have also been several reviews and recommendation statements; however, these have not been based on robust evidence. The Sixth Perioperative Quality Initiative (POQI-6) consensus conference brought together a team of multidisciplinary experts to formally survey and evaluate the literature on postoperative delirium prevention and provide evidence-based recommendations using an iterative Delphi process and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Criteria for evaluating biomedical literature.

Learners and Luddites in the Twenty-first Century: Bringing Evidence-based Education to Anesthesiology.

Anesthesiologists are both teachers and learners and alternate between these roles throughout their careers. However, few anesthesiologists have formal training in the methodologies and theories of education. Many anesthesiology educators often teach as they were taught and may not be taking advantage of current evidence in education to guide and optimize the way they teach and learn. This review describes the most up-to-date evidence in education for teaching knowledge, procedural skills, and professionalism. Methods such as active learning, spaced learning, interleaving, retrieval practice, e-learning, experiential learning, and the use of cognitive aids will be described. We made an effort to illustrate the best available evidence supporting educational practices while recognizing the inherent challenges in medical education research. Similar to implementing evidence in clinical practice in an attempt to improve patient outcomes, implementing an evidence-based approach to anesthesiology education may improve learning outcomes.

Perioperative Quality Initiative consensus statement on postoperative blood pressure, risk and outcomes for elective surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative hypotension and hypertension are frequent events associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes. However, proper assessment and management is often poorly understood. As a part of the PeriOperative Quality Improvement (POQI) 3 workgroup meeting, we developed a consensus document addressing this topic. The target population includes adult, non-cardiac surgical patients in the postoperative phase outside of the ICU. METHODS: A modified Delphi technique was used, evaluating papers published in MEDLINE examining postoperative blood pressure monitoring, management, and outcomes. Practice recommendations were developed in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. RESULTS: Consensus recommendations were that (i) there is evidence of harm associated with postoperative systolic arterial pressure <90 mm Hg; (ii) for patients with preoperative hypertension, the threshold at which harm occurs may be higher than a systolic arterial pressure of 90 mm Hg; (iii) there is insufficient evidence to precisely define the level of postoperative hypertension above which harm will occur; (iv) a greater frequency of postoperative blood pressure measurement is likely to identify risk of harm and clinical deterioration earlier; and (v) there is evidence of harm from withholding beta-blockers, angiotensin receptor blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in the postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: Despite evidence of associations with postoperative hypotension or hypertension with worse postoperative outcome, further research is needed to define the optimal levels at which intervention is beneficial, to identify the best methods and timing of postoperative blood pressure measurement, and to refine the management of long-term antihypertensive treatment in the postoperative phase.

An enhanced recovery program in colorectal surgery is associated with decreased organ level rates of complications: a difference-in-differences analysis.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative care has lacked coordination and standardization. Enhanced recovery programs (ERPs) have been shown to decrease aggregate complications across surgical specialties. We hypothesize that the sustained implementation of an ERP will be associated with a decrease in a broad range of complications at the organ system level. STUDY DESIGN: Adult patients undergoing elective colorectal procedures between 1/2011 and 10/2016 were included. Patients were stratified based on exposure to a sustained ERP (7/2014-10/2016) after an 18-month wash-in period in a pre-post analysis. The primary outcome was 30-day complication rate by organ category as collected by National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) abstractors. Demographic and other patient level data were collected. Complication rates were compared using multivariable regression employing a differences-in-differences (DiD) approach using the national NSQIP PUF file to account for secular trends. RESULTS: A total of 1182 patients were included in this study, with 47% treated in an ERP. The two groups were similar in age, gender, race, BMI, comorbidity index, and procedure type. In a multivariable DiD analysis, significant reductions were seen in surgical site infection (OR 0.30; 95% CI 0.20-0.43), postoperative pulmonary complications (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.24-0.90), transfusion (OR 0.27; 95% CI 0.15-0.51), urinary tract infections (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.18-0.66), sepsis (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.20-0.61), and cardiac complications (OR 0.10; 95% CI 0.01-0.84). A reduction in return to the operating room and 30-day readmission was also observed. Median length of stay (LOS) decreased from 5.2 to 3.5 days (p < 0.001). No significant changes occurred for acute kidney injury and hematologic complications. CONCLUSION: An ERP was associated with reduced complication rates across a wide range of organ categories and > 1.5-day reduction in LOS in a colorectal surgery population.

Use of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Surgical Risk Calculator During Preoperative Risk Discussion: The Patient Perspective.

BACKGROUND: The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Surgical Risk Calculator (ACS Calculator) provides empirically derived, patient-specific risks for common adverse perioperative outcomes. The ACS Calculator is promoted as a tool to improve shared decision-making and informed consent for patients undergoing elective operations. However, to our knowledge, no data exist regarding the use of this tool in actual preoperative risk discussions with patients. Accordingly, we performed a survey to assess (1) whether patients find the tool easy to interpret, (2) how accurately patients can predict their surgical risks, and (3) the impact of risk disclosure on levels of anxiety and future motivations to decrease personal risk. METHODS: Patients (N = 150) recruited from a preoperative clinic completed an initial survey where they estimated their hospital length of stay and personal perioperative risks of the 12 clinical complications analyzed by the ACS Calculator. Next, risk calculation was performed by entering participants' demographics into the ACS Calculator. Participants reviewed their individualized risk reports in detail and then completed a follow-up survey to evaluate their perceptions. RESULTS: Nearly 90% of participants desire to review their ACS Calculator report before future surgical consents. High-risk patients were 3 times more likely to underestimate their risk of any complication, serious complication, and length of stay compared to low-risk patients (P < .001). After reviewing their calculated risks, 70% stated that they would consider participating in prehabilitation to decrease perioperative risk, and nearly 40% would delay their surgery to do so. Knowledge of personal ACS risk calculations had no effect on anxiety in 20% and decreased anxiety in 71% of participants. CONCLUSIONS: The ACS Calculator may be of particular benefit to high-risk surgical populations by providing realistic expectations of outcomes and recovery. Use of this tool may also provide motivation for patients to participate in risk reduction strategies.

Safe Anesthesia Care in Western Kenya: A Preliminary Assessment of the Impact of Nurse Anesthetists at Multiple Levels of Government Hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Only 20% of the surgical burden in eastern sub-Saharan Africa is currently met, leaving >17 million surgical cases annually in need of safe surgery and anesthesia. Similarly, there is an extreme shortage of anesthesia providers in East Africa, with just 0.44 anesthesiologists per 100,000 people in Kenya compared to 20.82 per 100,000 in the United States. Additionally, surgical access is not equally distributed within countries, with rural settings often having the greatest unmet need. We developed and tested a set of tools to assess if graduates of the Kenya registered nurse anesthetist (KRNA) training program, who were placed in rural hospitals in Kenya, would have any impact on surgical numbers, referral patterns, and economics of these hospitals. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected from facility assessments in 9 referral hospitals to evaluate the possible impact of the KRNAs on anesthesia care. The hospitals were grouped based on both the number of beds and the assigned national hospital level. At each level, a hospital that had KRNA graduates (intervention) was matched with comparison hospitals in the same category with no KRNA graduates (control). The facility assessment survey included questions capturing data on personnel, infrastructure, supplies, medications, procedures, and outcomes. At the intervention sites, the medical directors of the hospitals and the KRNAs were interviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to present the findings. RESULTS: Intervention sites had a density of anesthesia providers that was 43% higher compared to the control sites. Intervention sites performed at least twice as many surgical cases compared to the control sites. Most KRNAs stated that the anesthesia training program had given them sufficient training and leadership skills to perform safe anesthesia in their clinical practice setting. Medical directors at the intervention sites reported increased surgical volumes and fewer referrals to larger hospitals due to the anesthesia gaps that had been addressed. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings from this study suggest that KRNAs may be associated with an increased volume of surgical cases completed in these rural Kenyan hospitals and may therefore be filling a known anesthetic void. The presence of skilled anesthesia providers is a first step toward providing safe surgery and anesthesia care for all; however, significant gaps still remain. Future analysis will focus on surgical outcomes, the appropriate anesthesia delivery model for a rural population, and how the availability of anesthesia infrastructure impacts referral patterns and safe surgery capacity.

Evidence Review Conducted for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Safety Program for Improving Surgical Care and Recovery: Focus on Anesthesiology for Bariatric Surgery.

Enhanced recovery after surgery protocols for bariatric surgery are increasingly being implemented, and reports suggest that they may be associated with superior outcomes, reduced length of hospital stay, and cost savings. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in partnership with the American College of Surgeons and the Johns Hopkins Medicine Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, has developed the Safety Program for Improving Surgical Care and Recovery. We have conducted an evidence review to select anesthetic interventions that positively influence outcomes and facilitate recovery after bariatric surgery. A literature search was performed for each intervention, and the highest levels of available evidence were considered. Anesthesiology-related interventions for pre- (carbohydrate loading/fasting, multimodal preanesthetic medications), intra- (standardized intraoperative pathway, regional anesthesia, opioid minimization and multimodal analgesia, protective ventilation strategy, fluid minimization), and postoperative (multimodal analgesia with opioid minimization) phases of care are included. We have summarized the best available evidence to recommend the anesthetic components of care for enhanced recovery after surgery for bariatric surgery. There is evidence in the literature, and from society guidelines, to support the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Safety Program for Improving Surgical Care and Recovery goals for bariatric surgery.