Standard procedures in nonoperating room anesthesia.

Purpose Of Review: This article provides an overview of standard procedures currently performed in nonoperating room anesthesia (NORA) and highlights anesthetic implications.

Recent Findings: Novel noninvasive interventional procedures remain on the rise, accelerating demand for anesthesia support outside the conventional operating room. The field of interventional oncology has introduced a variety of effective minimally invasive therapies making interventional radiology gain a major role in the management of cancer.

Analysis of Multiple Routes of Analgesic Administration in the Immediate Postoperative Period: a 10-Year Experience.

Purpose Of Review: An increasing amount of literature supports a multimodal approach to analgesic administration in the management of postoperative pain. The purpose of this study and review was to further evaluate the differences in efficacy in controlling immediate postoperative pain among the various routes of analgesia administration.

Recent Findings: This study consisted of an analysis of the various routes of analgesic administration (parental, neuraxial, and oral/rectal) in 107,671 consecutive surgical cases performed over a 10-year period at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Safety of Deep Sedation in Patients Undergoing Full-Thickness Skin Graft Harvesting and Skin Graft Reconstruction for Limb Salvage .

Background:: Studies on obtaining donor skin graft using intravenous sedation for patients undergoing major foot surgeries in the same operating room visit have not previously been reported. The objective of this retrospective study is to demonstrate that intravenous sedation in this setting is both adequate and safe in patients undergoing skin graft reconstruction of the lower extremities in which donor skin graft is harvested from the same patient in one operating room visit.

Methods:: Medical records of 79 patients who underwent skin graft reconstruction of the lower extremities by one surgeon at the Yale New Haven Health System between November 1, 2008, and July 31, 2014, were reviewed.

Transvaginal cholecystectomy learning curve.

Background: There are few surgeons in the United States, within private practice and academic centers, currently performing transvaginal cholecystectomies (TVC). The lack of exposure to TVC during residency or fellowship training, coupled with a poorly defined learning curve, further limits interested surgeons who want to apply this technique to their practice. This study describes the learning curve encountered during the introduction of TVC to our academic facility.

Comparison of immediate postoperative pain after transvaginal versus traditional laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Background: Transvaginal cholecystectomy (TVC) is the most common natural orifice transluminal surgery (NOTES) performed in women, yet there is a paucity of data on intraoperative and immediate postoperative pain management. Previous studies have demonstrated that NOTES procedures are associated with less postoperative pain and faster recovery times. This study analyzes intraoperative and postoperative opioid use for TVC compared with traditional four-port laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCs).

Concern for pain in the pre-operative period- is the internet being used for information by patients?

Objectives: This study was conducted to provide information regarding prevalence of pain, type of provider managing pain, and use of Internet for information regarding pain, among patients coming for presurgical anesthesia consultation at a major academic institution.

Methods: With IRB approval, patients were invited to participate in a voluntary and anonymous 14 question survey given to them when they presented for anesthesia consultation prior to their surgical procedure. The qualitative/categorical data were summarized by number (percentage [%]) and analyzed by Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test as appropriate.

Intravenous dextrose administration reduces postoperative antiemetic rescue treatment requirements and postanesthesia care unit length of stay.

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remains the most common postoperative complication, and causes decreased patient satisfaction, prolonged postoperative hospital stays, and unanticipated admission. There are limited data that indicate that dextrose may reduce nausea and vomiting. In this trial, we attempted to determine whether the rate of PONV can be decreased by postoperative administration of IV dextrose bolus.

Hemispheric synchronized sounds and perioperative analgesic requirements.

Background: Data on the effect of Hemisync sounds on perioperative analgesic requirements are scant.

Methods: We randomized surgical outpatients into a treatment group that received Hemisync sounds (n = 20), a music group that received music (n = 20), and a control group that had a blank cassette tape (n = 20). All subjects underwent a controlled standardized propofol-nitrous-vecuronium and fentanyl general anesthesia.

Risk-benefit perspectives in COX-2 blockade.

The withdrawal of the celebrity arthritis drug, rofecoxib (Vioxx) has sparked an intense discussion and controversy about the safety of the selective COX-2 inhibitors. Laboratory, epidemiological, and clinical studies have surged and continued to evaluate and understand the safety of coxibs and traditional NSAIDs. This paper reviews the scientific and clinical basis of not only the risks, but also the benefits surrounding the use COX-2 inhibitors and NSAIDs.

Regional anesthesia and perioperative outcome: what is new?

Purpose Of Review: This review of the most recent publications is aimed to look at the current developments regarding the effects of regional anesthesia on perioperative outcome.

Recent Findings: The debate continues on whether regional anesthesia and analgesia improve outcome or not. Researchers are still divided in their views.

Hemispheric synchronized sounds and intraoperative anesthetic requirements.

Hemispheric synchronization is currently promoted as a treatment for preoperative anxiety and for reduction of intraoperative anesthetic and analgesic consumption. We designed this study to examine the effect of Hemisync sounds on anesthetic hypnotic depth. After obtaining informed consent, we randomized subjects undergoing general anesthesia and outpatient surgery into two groups: the treatment group received Hemisync sounds (n = 31), and the control group received a blank cassette tape (n = 29).