Outcomes of a preoperative "bridging" strategy with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors to prevent perioperative stent thrombosis in patients with drug-eluting stents who undergo surgery necessitating interruption of thienopyridine administration.

Aims: Surgery after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation may be associated with increased risk for perioperative stent thrombosis (ST).

Methods And Results: We evaluated the outcomes of 67 patients who underwent non-cardiac (n=51) or cardiac (n=16) surgery after DES implantation at our institution between 2008 and 2010 and who underwent preoperative "bridging" with a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor. Surgery occurred after a mean time of 13.

Evaluating an evidence-based bundle for preventing surgical site infection: a randomized trial.

Objective: To determine if an evidence-based practice bundle would result in a significantly lower rate of surgical site infections (SSIs) when compared with standard practice.

Design: Single-institution, randomized controlled trial with blinded assessment of main outcome. The trial opened in April 2007 and was closed in January 2010.

Gastric bypass and On-Q pump: effectiveness of Soaker Catheter system on recovery of bariatric surgery patients.

Background: The continuous infusion of ropivacaine is effective in controlling pain for a wide variety of surgical procedures and reducing opioid adverse effects and dependency. The present study assessed the efficacy of ropivacaine infusion using the I-Flow dual Soaker Catheter system at the surgical site for bariatric surgery recovery at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center Hospital (Dallas, TX). We hypothesized that patients receiving ropivacaine would report lower levels of morphine requirement and pain, would have shorter hospital stays, and would return to ambulating faster than patients in the control group.

Prolonged recovery associated with dexmedetomidine when used as a sole sedative agent in office-based oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures.

Purpose: Office-based oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures that require sedation are popular. Dexmedetomidine has the advantages of having a minimal effect on respiration and an antisialogogue effect that could make it a good choice for dental procedures.

Materials And Methods: We performed a prospective pilot study in which patients undergoing office-based oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures received dexmedetomidine as a sole sedative agent.

Metoclopramide does not influence the frequency of propofol-induced spontaneous movements.

Study Objective: To evaluate the effects of metoclopramide on the frequency and severity of propofol-induced movements.

Design: Randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Patient state index during a cardiac arrest in the operating room.

A 53-yr-old man undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy experienced cardiac arrest intraoperatively. Patient state index values decreased to single digits during the cardiac arrest and returned to baseline after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation.