Association between anesthesiologist age and litigation.

Background: : The threat of being sued is a concern for many anesthesiologists. This paper asks whether litigation brought against anesthesiologists is associated with the age of the anesthesiologist.

Methods: : Institutional research ethics approval was granted.

Single-dose dexamethasone reduces dynamic pain after total hip arthroplasty.

Background: Preoperative glucocorticoids reduce postoperative nausea but may also improve analgesia and decrease opioid consumption.

Methods: Fifty consecutive patients undergoing elective, unilateral, primary total hip arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia with propofol sedation received in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled manner either 40 mg of dexamethasone or saline placebo i.v.

Obturator versus femoral nerve block for analgesia after total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Both femoral and obturator nerve blocks have been suggested to be useful in relieving pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We sought to compare their efficacy.

Methods: Sixty patients undergoing elective unilateral TKA under spinal anesthesia received in a randomized, double-blind manner a femoral, obturator, or sham nerve block at the end of surgery.

Blood gas measurements using the Bayer Rapid Point 405: are we basing our decisions on accurate data?

Objective: Therapeutic decisions in the Operating Room (OR) are often made based solely upon results obtained from arterial blood gas machines. We evaluated how precise and accurate the results obtained from Bayer Rapid Point 405 (RP405) were vis-à-vis those of our blood gas laboratory and if they met the standards of the members of the anesthesia department.

Methods: About 3 ml of blood from an indwelling arterial catheter were drawn into a heparinized syringe (FIMS Portex Inc.

Documentation on the anesthetic record: Correlation with clinically important variables.

Purpose: A survey was undertaken at a single Academic Health Sciences Centre to document the opinions of anesthesiologists regarding what variables are important to document on the anesthetic record. A subsequent chart review of anesthetic records was undertaken to determine the extent to which these anesthesiologists record the variables they consider important.

Methods: A survey form was mailed to all practicing staff anesthesiologists at the four adult McGill University affiliated hospitals.

Documentation on the anesthetic record: correlation with clinically important variables : [Documentation sur le dossier anesthésique : corrélation avec les variables cliniques importantes].

Purpose: A survey was undertaken at a single Academic Health Sciences Centre to document the opinions of anesthesiologists regarding what variables are important to document on the anesthetic record. A subsequent chart review of anesthetic records was undertaken to determine the extent to which these anesthesiologists record the variables they consider important.

Methods: A survey form was mailed to all practicing staff anesthesiologists at the four adult McGill University affiliated hospitals.

Audio spectrum and sound pressure levels vary between pulse oximeters.

Purpose: The variable-pitch pulse oximeter is an important intraoperative patient monitor. Our ability to hear its auditory signal depends on its acoustical properties and our hearing. This study quantitatively describes the audio spectrum and sound pressure levels of the monitoring tones produced by five variable-pitch pulse oximeters.

Intrapartum temperature changes following the intravenous crystalloid bolus for epidural analgesia.

Objective: To assess the effect of the intravenous crystalloid bolus given before epidural analgesia on maternal temperature during labour. Multiple studies have demonstrated a hyperthermic trend in parturient women receiving epidural analgesia. This temperature rise may be affected by the pre-epidural intravenous crystalloid bolus.

Ketorolac analgesia for inguinal hernia repair is not improved by peripheral administration.

Purpose: It has been suggested that ketorolac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) available for parenteral use, may result in prolonged (24 hr) postoperative analgesia through a peripheral mechanism when added to local anesthetic infiltration. Our objective was to assess this effect by controlling for systemic absorption of the drug.

Methods: This randomized, double-blind trial studied 40 men undergoing elective inguinal hernia repair under spinal anesthesia.

Desflurane does not accelerate recovery from operations of short duration: a practice audit.

Purpose: Desflurane, a newer inhalation anesthetic agent, has been promoted as a superior drug because patients will awaken sooner after anesthesia. This has only been proven in operations of long duration (i.e.

Acute vision impairment: does it affect an anesthesiologist's ability to intubate the trachea?

Unlabelled: The result of impaired vision on an anesthesiologist's ability to intubate the trachea is unknown. We studied 12 attending staff anesthesiologists as they intubated 2 anesthesia mannequins (A and B) under 6 conditions. The conditions were: 1) usual vision, 2) central-vision loss with 20/500 bilaterally and a 24 degrees central scotoma, 3) peripheral-field loss with 20/20 bilaterally and a 7 degrees visual field, 4) peripheral-field loss with 20/20 bilaterally and a 3.