Brief Abstract: Today, the diagnosis and grading of mesenteric traction syndrome relies on a subjective assessment of facial flushing. However, this method has several limitations. In this study, Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging and a predefined cut-off value are assessed and validated for the objective identification of severe mesenteric traction syndrome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntubation with a double-lumen left-sided endotracheal video tube has been the standard procedure for nearly five years in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital, but no systematic evaluations have been done. For a 12-month period ending November 2017, data were collected from 579 consecutive patients, scheduled for thoracic surgery with a requirement for one-lung ventilation; 35 anaesthetist trainees (nurses or doctors) (287 cases), 27 nurse anaesthetists (239 cases) and 8 anaesthesiologists (53 cases) managed intubation with a double-lumen tube. Time to intubation was relatively equal across healthcare professionals with a mean time of 53 (anaesthetist trainees), 40 (nurse anaesthetists) and 63 (anaesthesiologists) seconds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The optimal postoperative analgesic strategy after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy remains undetermined. We hypothesized that high-dose preoperative methylprednisolone (MP) would improve analgesia compared to placebo.
Methods: A total of 120 adult patients were randomized equally to 125 mg MP or placebo before the start of their elective video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy.
Background: Different anesthetic techniques have been used for fast tracking in cardiac anesthesia. Remifentanil, with its unique pharmacokinetic profile, could be an ideal drug for fast tracking. Possible limitations of remifentanil are rapid onset of postoperative pain after discontinuation of the drug infusion, which may increase the risk of an ischemic event.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAfter anaesthesia and thorax surgery, a significant reduction in pulmonary function with up to a 50% decrease in FEV1, FVC, and FRC is seen, leading to a high risk of atelectasis and hypoxia, and therefore making respiratory complications the major course of perioperative morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. This severe reduction in lung function gradually diminishes within three weeks, but postoperative pain and sedation increase the deterioration in lung function, and treatment is therefore based on anaesthetic drugs with a short elimination time and effective postoperative pain treatment with epidural analgesia or other regional blockade, and minimal use of opioids. Together with more sparing surgical methods, it is possible to operate on patients with severely reduced preoperative lung function (FEV1 = 0.
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