Assessment of blood-brain barrier disruption using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. A systematic review.

There is increasing recognition of the importance of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in aging, dementia, stroke and multiple sclerosis in addition to more commonly-studied pathologies such as tumors. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) is a method for studying BBB disruption in vivo. We review pathologies studied, scanning protocols and data analysis procedures to determine the range of available methods and their suitability to different pathologies.

Pressure monitoring can accurately position catheters for air embolism aspiration.

Venous air embolism is a potentially catastrophic surgical complication. While prevention and early diagnosis represent the cornerstones of management, definitive therapy of a massive air embolus relies on aspiration of the air through an appropriately located multiorifice catheter. Currently, the most common method for accurately positioning a multiorifice catheter in the high right atrium is an intravenous electrocardiogram (IVECG).

Rapid oral anesthesia for awake intubation.

Study Objective: To determine whether sodium benzonatate (Tessalon Perles) can provide rapid, effective topical oral anesthesia in preparation for awake intubations.

Design: Randomized, controlled, single-blind study.

Setting: Medical center anesthesia department.

Rapid-sequence orotracheal intubation: a comparison of three techniques.

The authors compared tracheal intubating conditions using three techniques for rapid-sequence orotracheal intubation. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups: priming with vecuronium (0.01 mg/kg priming dose, 4-min priming interval, 0.

Success of reentry into anesthesiology training programs by residents with a history of substance abuse.

To determine incidence and outcome of reentry into anesthesiology training programs by residents with histories of substance abuse, a survey was sent to the 159 US anesthesiology training programs. One hundred thirteen (71%) responded, with 82 (73%) submitting at least one case report of substance abuse. A total of 180 case reports were submitted, including 26 in which the resident died as a result of substance abuse.

Continuous thoracic epidural analgesia for the control of pain associated with pleural sclerosis.

Successful use of nonnarcotic, thoracic epidural analgesia for the control of pain associated with pleural sclerosis was accomplished in three gynecologic oncology patients with severe respiratory compromise due to malignant pleural effusions. Excellent analgesia was obtained with no observed anesthetic complications.

Rapid tracheal intubation with vecuronium: the timing principle.

A method of administration of vecuronium for intubation that allows excellent intubating conditions in 60 seconds after the induction of anesthesia is described. Patients were divided into three groups based on the dose of vecuronium given. These patients were given either 0.