Postdischarge Pain Management After Thoracic Surgery: A Patient-Centered Approach.

Background: Postoperative analgesia is paramount to recovery after thoracic surgery, and opioids play an invaluable role in this process. However, current 1-size-fits-all prescribing practices produce large quantities of unused opioids, thereby increasing the risk of nonmedical use and overdose. This study hypothesized that patient and perioperative characteristics, including 24-hour before-discharge opioid intake, could inform more appropriate postdischarge prescriptions after thoracic surgery.

Predicting Opioid Use Following Discharge After Cesarean Delivery.

Purpose: Although cesarean delivery is the most common surgical procedure in the United States, postoperative opioid prescribing varies greatly. We hypothesized that patient characteristics, procedural characteristics, or both would be associated with high vs low opioid use after discharge. This information could help individualize prescriptions.

Neostigmine Versus Sugammadex for Reversal of Neuromuscular Blockade and Effects on Reintubation for Respiratory Failure or Newly Initiated Noninvasive Ventilation: An Interrupted Time Series Design.

Background: Pulmonary complications related to residual neuromuscular blockade lead to morbidity and mortality. Using an interrupted time series design, we tested whether proportions of reintubation for respiratory failure or new noninvasive ventilation were changed after a system-wide transition of the standard reversal agent from neostigmine to sugammadex.

Methods: Adult patients undergoing a procedure with general anesthesia that included pharmacologic reversal of neuromuscular blockade and admission ≥1 night were eligible.

Progressive Increase in Scholarly Productivity of New American Board of Anesthesiology Diplomates From 2006 to 2016: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Background: Improving research productivity is a common goal in academic anesthesiology. Initiatives to enhance scholarly productivity in anesthesiology were proposed more than a decade ago as a result of emphasis on clinical work. We hypothesized that American Board of Anesthesiology diplomates certified from 2006 to 2016 would be progressively more likely to have published at least once during this time period.

Gender differences in career development awards in United States' anesthesiology and surgery departments, 2006-2016.

Background: Although the status of women in anesthesiology has advanced by many measures, obtaining career development funding remains challenging. Here, we sought to compare the characteristics of funded career development awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) between the specialties of anesthesiology and surgery. We hypothesized that the two groups differ in percentage of faculty with awards, gender distribution among principal investigators, as well as the number of awards promoting diversity.

Animal experimental research design in critical care.

Background: Limited translational success in critical care medicine is thought to be in part due to inadequate methodology, study design, and reporting in preclinical studies. The purpose of this study was to compare reporting of core features of experimental rigor: blinding, randomization, and power calculations in critical care medicine animal experimental research. We hypothesized that these study design characteristics were more frequently reported in 2015 versus 2005.

Vitamin C in sepsis.

Purpose Of Review: This narrative review summarizes recent insights into the role of vitamin C in sepsis.

Recent Findings: Septic shock remains a major source of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Although many nutritional supplements have previously been tested unsuccessfully, vitamins are still being explored as a therapeutic option in septic patients.

Opioid Use and Storage Patterns by Patients after Hospital Discharge following Surgery.

Introduction: Opioid-based analgesic therapy represents a cornerstone of pain management after surgery. The recent rise in opioid sales and opioid overdoses suggests it is important to maximize the safety of opioid prescribing after surgery. Given that patients may live with other family members in the home, safe storage and appropriate disposal of excess opioids after hospital discharge are necessary to prevent unintended secondary exposures.