Anesthesiology News

Shocking Tales of a Horribly Soiled Airway

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

James Ducanto, MD, and Chris Root, NRP, show how the SALAD technique helped clear a very soiled airway, and they do it with a graphic novel format! Art by Andi Cannon.

Airway Management In Highly Infectious Diseases: The Reemergence of Measles

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Measles serves as an excellent, albeit unfortunate, example of a highly infectious viral respiratory agent.

Scoring Systems to Detect Severe OSA Compared

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

A modified STOP-Bang algorithm designed specifically to detect severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) does not seem to offer significant improvement over the questionnaire’s original approach, Belgian researchers have concluded.

Cuff Leaks in the ICU: Etiologies, Management and Complications

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Simply assuming that a cuff leak is related strictly to the cuff itself is a common mistake with the potential for grave consequences, if inappropriately managed.

The Etherist Podcast: Drug Shortages Are a Global Problem

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 22:00:00 GMT

The problem of drug shortages has been roiling the world of medicine for decades.

10 Common Pediatric Airway Problems—And Their Solutions

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Dr. Whitten is the author of “Anyone Can Intubate: A Step–by–Step Guide to Intubation and Airway Management” and “Pediatric Airway Management: A Step–by–Step Guide,” both from Mooncat Publications.

Opioid Prescribing Too High After Minimally Invasive Surgery

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Las Vegas—Opioid prescribing after minimally invasive surgery (MIS) remains unacceptably high, according to research conducted at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

Safe Anesthesia Induction in Patients With An Anterior Mediastinal Mass Undergoing Bronchoscopic Stent Placement

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 16:00:00 GMT

Case reports describe the stepwise safe anesthetic induction of two patients with anterior mediastinal masses.

Safe Anesthesia Induction in Patients With an Anterior Mediastinal Mass Undergoing Bronchoscopic Stent Placement: Video Cases

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 16:00:00 GMT

The videos above show examples of airway expansion with PPJV and collapse during exhalation in two additional patients with anterior mediastinal masses.

Airway on Demand: Tracheal Tube Rotation and Progressive Vocal Cord Relaxation

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

In this episode, William Rosenblatt, MD, shows the use of lidocaine to relax a patient’s vocal cords before the placing the tracheal tube.

Airway Management in Patients With Oropharyngeal Masses

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Choosing an airway management technique based primarily on success rate is itself a form of outcome bias that may lead to inadequate planning or preparation.

Looming Anesthesiologist Shortage Fuels High Market Demand

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

It’s a familiar tale of inexorable demographics and health trends: the rapid graying of America, the growing chronic disease burden, and the exodus of physicians and nurses from the baby boomer generation into retirement, thus fueling a health care worker shortage that will mushroom over the next two decades.

Airway Management Roundtable 2019: 7 Questions for an International Panel

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

This year Felipe Urdaneta, MD, the president-elect of the Society for Airway Management (SAM), presented seven questions to an international panel of airway experts. The panelists were chosen by Dr. Urdaneta, who also answered the questions.

Accidental Awareness During Cesarean Delivery

Fri, 9 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

The Frost Series—A 34-year-old, 92-kg gravida 1 para 0 woman with no significant medical history presented to the labor and delivery unit at 39 weeks’ gestation after spontaneous rupture of membranes.

Early Results Hint at Link Between Neuroinflammation And Cognition

Thu, 8 Aug 2019 20:00:00 GMT

Montreal—Early results from an ongoing trial suggest there may be a link between neuroinflammation and postoperative delirium/cognitive dysfunction in older people undergoing surgery.

Flexible Supraglottic Airways Effective for Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy

Thu, 8 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Houston—A single-use flexible laryngeal mask proved to be a safe alternative airway device for use in pediatric adenotonsillectomy, and it appears to reduce OR time, according to a new study.

Opioid Overdose More Likely If Family Members Have Prescription History

Wed, 7 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

The risk for an opioid overdose is higher in households where a family member was previously prescribed these drugs, according to a new study.

The Etherist Podcast: Untangling the Gordian Knot of Anesthesia Drug Shortages

Tue, 6 Aug 2019 20:30:00 GMT

Introducing The Etherist, a new Anesthesiology News podcast on anesthesia drug shortages that have become a seemingly inescapable scourge for medical facilities and providers in the United States.

New Airway Keeps Jaw Protruded, Tongue in Place

Tue, 6 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Oral airways, which are used around the world an estimated 350 million times annually and often in challenging situations, are a ubiquitous part of anesthesia practice.

Now’s Not the Time to Not Be an Expert

Mon, 5 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Anesthesiology News does not normally publish letters to the editor from patients, either in print or on our website.

Steam Vapor May Help Control S. capitis

Mon, 5 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

A steam vapor disinfecting system could drastically decrease the incidence of Staphylococcus capitis colonization and infection in the NICU.

Parenteral Nutrition Shortages, Like Drug Shortages, Affect Clinical Options

Fri, 2 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Among the many current drug shortages are parenteral nutrition shortages. The resultant rationing may put patients’ health at risk.

Airway on Demand: Finding a Thornwaldt Cyst

Thu, 1 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

In this episode, William Rosenblatt, MD, highlights a case of incidental discovery of a Thornwaldt cyst during a routine intubation.

ACCRaC Episode 128: Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 05:00:00 GMT

In this episode, host Jed Wolpaw, MD, M.Ed, discusses opioid-induced respiratory depression and the PRODIGY trial with Ashish Khanna, MD, one of the authors of the trial.

In Joint Statement, ASA Backs Need for Anesthesia Provider in Pediatric Dental Procedures

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 21:00:00 GMT

An additional, well-trained professional who is capable of providing anesthesia and managing a patient under sedation should be present for all pediatric dental procedures, according to a joint statement from the ASA, SPA, ASDA and SPS.

Deadly Staph Infections Remain Threat in Hospitals and Communities

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Staph infections were associated with almost 20,000 deaths in health care and community settings in 2017, according to the CDC.

Multimodal Techniques: Managing Suboxone in the Perioperative Setting

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Perioperative pain management in patients with chronic pain who are treated with long-term opioids can be difficult. Stanlies D’Souza, MD, describes one such challenging case of using multimodal analgesia preoperatively for a patient recovering from opioid dependency during the 2018 annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, in San Francisco.

Unhappy Hour: The Emerging Burden of Alcoholic Liver Disease

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 05:00:00 GMT

Alcohol use is deeply ingrained in American culture. More adults in this country report drinking regularly than say they voted in the last election, own a pet, or attend religious services—in some cases, by significant margins.

How Interventional Effort Reduced Opioid Prescriptions at One Hospital

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 05:00:00 GMT

In 2016, patients discharged after undergoing a general surgery procedure at Massachusetts General Hospital left with a prescription for a median of 150 mg of oral morphine equivalent. Two years later, that number was 112.5 mg.

U.S. Prevalence of Hep D May Be Higher Than Thought

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 05:00:00 GMT

The prevalence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) in the United States may be higher than clinicians realize, a new study has found.