Designing and implementing the objective structured clinical examination in anesthesiology.

Since its description in 1974, the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) has gained popularity as an objective assessment tool of medical students, residents, and trainees. With the development of the anesthesiology residents' milestones and the preparation for the Next Accreditation System, there is an increased interest in OSCE as an evaluation tool of the six core competencies and the corresponding milestones proposed by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.In this article the authors review the history of OSCE and its current application in medical education and in different medical and surgical specialties. They also review the use of OSCE by anesthesiology programs and certification boards in the United States and internationally. In addition, they discuss the psychometrics of test design and implementation with emphasis on reliability and validity measures as they relate to OSCE.

Status of confocal laser endomicroscopy in gastrointestinal disease.

Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is an advanced imaging technique which combines conventional white light endoscopy (WLE) with an integrated or probe based confocal microscope. This allows microscopic examination of the surface epithelium and in vivo diagnosis during endoscopy. Established CLE applications include the diagnosis of Barrett's oesophagus, gastric intestinal metaplasia, coeliac disease and microscopic colitis. CLE can differentiate hyperplastic from adenomatous polyps in the colon and may obviate the need to biopsy all polyps at endoscopy. CLE is particularly helpful in surveillance endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease where it has been shown to reduce the number of biopsies required and improve the detection of dysplasia. The future of CLE may be with new contrast agents to allow for molecular tagging and improved endoscopic diagnoses. The aim of this review is to describe the technology and techniques involved in CLE, and discuss the evolving applications in obtaining "virtual biopsy" throughout the GI tract.

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Antibiotic resistance has resulted in unsatisfactory eradication results with dual and now triple therapy in many countries. Newer antibiotics and changes in dosing and duration of therapy may overcome resistant strains but may only provide limited improvement in eradication rates. Sequential therapy with amoxicillin (1 g twice a day) and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) (twice a day) given for 5 days followed by a PPI plus clarithromycin (500 mg twice a day) and tinidazole (500 mg twice a day) for 5 days is now a first-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori in some countries. Standard triple therapy is effective in regions where clarithromycin resistance is low. Levofloxacin based triple therapy is an effective alternative to quadruple therapy in second-line treatment. Adjuvant therapy may reduce side-effects and improve compliance. Molecular and genomic research on H. pylori may result in the development of targeted antibiotic therapy; however, more research is required in this field. Further research in vaccination is also necessary before this can become an option in clinical practice.

A historical perspective of Helicobacter gastroduodenitis and its complications.

The discovery of Helicobacter pylori was one of the most notable in gastroenterology - and indeed medicine. The century before Marshall and Warren's discovery is peppered with isolated accounts of spiral-shaped bacteria in the stomach. The discovery of H. pylori, and the recognition of its importance, came about as a consequence of combined clinical, pathological and microbiological work. The discovery has transformed the treatment of peptic ulcers and other related diseases.

Perioperative Considerations of Herbal Medications.

BACKGROUND: A considerable portion of the US population uses herbal supplements on a daily basis for their various proposed beneficial effects. However, the over-the-counter nature of these medications and lack of knowledge of adverse effect profiles can have unexpected serious impact on the perioperative course. The growing list of supplements presents a pharmacologic conundrum to the anesthesiologist. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to compile a comprehensive list of vitamins, herbals, and supplements used commonly by patients, describe the risks associated with them, and identify recommendations for perioperative management. METHOD: The current literature on PubMed and Medline was reviewed for the years 2000 through 2016. The reference lists of each selected article were also reviewed for additional sources of information. RESULTS: The review identified 23 herbals and supplements that are commonly used and their perioperative considerations. CONCLUSION: The management of herbals and supplements is an issue for the anesthesiologist. Although it would be prudent to stop the use of most substances a week or more preoperatively, the perioperative physician must be wary of the potential for withdrawal.

Pharmacology and Perioperative Considerations of Pain Medications.

BACKGROUND: Pain continues to be the most common medical concern, and perioperative health care providers are encountering increasing numbers of patients with chronic pain conditions. It is important to have a clear understanding of how long-term use of pain medications impacts anesthesia during the intraoperative and postoperative periods. OBJECTIVE: To review common medications used to treat chronic pain and summarize current recommendations regarding perioperative care. METHOD: We reviewed the literature by searching PubMed and Google Scholar for articles from 2000-2016. The search strategy included searching for the various classes of pain medications and including the terms perioperative, anesthesiology, and recommendations. We also reviewed the reference lists of each article to identify other relevant sources regarding the perioperative management of pain medications. RESULTS: After the literature review, we were able to establish the pharmacology, anesthetic interactions, and recommendations for management of each of the common classes of pain medication. CONCLUSION: Management of postoperative pain is an important concern for all perioperative health care providers. Although most pain medications should be continued in the perioperative period, it is important to preoperatively discontinue those that antagonize pain receptors to avoid significant postoperative morbidities associated with poorly managed pain.

Helicobacter pylori gastritis, the unifying concept for gastric diseases.

Helicobacter pylori infection causes a broad spectrum of clinical diseases and the clinical manifestations of the infection depend on host, environmental, and bacterial factors. These factors have an impact on the pattern and severity of gastritis and ultimately determine the clinical outcome of H. pylori infection. Better staging of gastritis may help to identify patients at risk of gastric cancer. In this article we will examine the complex interaction between host, environmental, and bacterial factors in the pathogenesis of H. pylori infection.