Liposuction: contemporary issues for the anesthesiologist.

Liposuction is a procedure that has emerged over the last 30 years as a method to remove subcutaneous fat for cosmetic purposes. Numerous liposuction techniques have been developed and the purpose of this article is to examine one such technique: "tumescent liposuction." Tumescent liposuction involves using large volumes of dilute local anesthetic and epinephrine to facilitate anesthesia and decrease blood loss.

Perioperative anesthesia clinical considerations of alternative medicines.

The presence of nutraceutical agents in the United States health care system dictates the need for a general understanding of these agents by all physicians and health care providers. Increasing trend toward reimbursement of herbal medicines by the insurance companies and managed care organizations have further encouraged their use. Because herbs are listed under the "supplement" category by the Food and Drug Administration, the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act establishes no protocol for standardization of the products labeled as "supplements" thereby increasing the risk for adverse effects associated with the use of these products.

The comparative effects of desflurane and isoflurane on lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure in patients undergoing craniotomy for supratentorial tumors.

Unlabelled: We compared the effects of desflurane and isoflurane on cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure (LCSFP), and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) in patients anesthetized with desflurane or isoflurane undergoing craniotomy for supratentorial mass lesions. Additionally, emergence from anesthesia was examined to determine if neurologic function could be assessed earlier after isoflurane or desflurane anesthesia. Thirty-six patients were randomized to receive either desflurane or isoflurane for maintenance of anesthesia at 1.