Current Opinion in Anesthesiology最新文献

Purpose of review: This article summarizes the current level of validation for several nociception monitors using a categorized validation process to facilitate the comparison of performance.

Recent findings: Nociception monitors improve the detection of a shift in the nociception and antinociception balance during anesthesia, guiding perioperative analgesic therapy. A clear overview and comparison of the validation process for these monitors is missing.

Results: Within a 2-year time-frame, we identified validation studies for four monitors [analgesia nociception index (ANI), nociception level monitor (NOL), surgical pleth index (SPI), and pupillometry]. We categorized these studies in one out of six mandatory validation steps: developmental studies, clinical validation studies, pharmacological validation studies, clinical utility studies, outcome improvement studies and economical evaluation studies. The current level of validation for most monitors is mainly focused on the first three categories, whereas ANI, NOL, and SPI advanced most in the availability of clinical utility studies and provide confirmation of a clinical outcome improvement. Analysis of economical value for public health effects is not yet publicly available for the studied monitors.

Summary: This review proposes a stepwise structure for validation of new monitoring technology, which facilitates comparison between the level of validation of different devices and identifies the need for future research questions.

Purpose of review: This review explores the timely and relevant applications of machine learning in ambulatory anesthesia, focusing on its potential to optimize operational efficiency, personalize risk assessment, and enhance patient care.

Recent findings: Machine learning models have demonstrated the ability to accurately forecast case durations, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) lengths of stay, and risk of hospital transfers based on preoperative patient and procedural factors. These models can inform case scheduling, resource allocation, and preoperative evaluation. Additionally, machine learning can standardize assessments, predict outcomes, improve handoff communication, and enrich patient education.

Summary: Machine learning has the potential to revolutionize ambulatory anesthesia practice by optimizing efficiency, personalizing care, and improving quality and safety. However, limitations such as algorithmic opacity, data biases, reproducibility issues, and adoption barriers must be addressed through transparent, participatory design principles and ongoing validation to ensure responsible innovation and incremental adoption.

Purpose of this review: To assess current practice in the use of spinal anesthesia in major ambulatory surgery, highlighting its advantages over general anesthesia and identifying potential areas for improvement to facilitate a transition to a sustainable healthcare system.

Recent findings: Spinal anesthesia might be preferred in selected populations when compared to general anesthesia providing the highest standards of healthcare quality.The use of local anesthetics with short half-life has proven to be efficient in achieving high anesthesia success rates. Spinal anesthesia does not increase perioperative complications; instead, it has shown a reduction in postoperative nausea and vomiting, an improvement in patient comfort, and a favorable economic impact when compared to general anesthesia.

Summary: Spinal anesthesia is an appropriate method for anesthesia in ambulatory patients, offering advantages over general anesthesia in selected populations.The use of spinal anesthesia is expanding to meet surgical needs. Therefore, it is crucial to plan ahead and anticipate organizational failures in the ambulatory setting to maintain safety and efficiency during outpatient procedures and surgeries.

Purpose of review: The worldwide leading cause of maternal death is severe maternal hemorrhage. Maternal hemorrhage can be profound leading to an entire loss of blood volume. In the past two decades, Patient Blood Management has evolved to improve patient's care and safety. In surgeries with increased blood loss exceeding 500 ml, the use of cell salvage is strongly recommended in order to preserve the patient's own blood volume and to minimize the need for allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. In this review, recent evidence and controversies of the use of cell salvage in obstetrics are discussed.

Recent findings: Numerous medical societies as well as national and international guidelines recommend the use of cell salvage during maternal hemorrhage.

Summary: Intraoperative cell salvage is a strategy to maintain the patient's own blood volume and decrease the need for allogeneic RBC transfusion. Historically, cell salvage has been avoided in the obstetric population due to concerns of iatrogenic amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) or induction of maternal alloimmunization. However, no definite case of AFE has been reported so far. Cell salvage is strongly recommended and cost-effective in patients with predictably high rates of blood loss and RBC transfusion, such as women with placenta accreta spectrum disorder. However, in order to ensure sufficient practical experience in a multiprofessional obstetric setting, liberal use of cell salvage appears advisable.

Purpose of review: Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is an effective, well studied, and often necessary component of gender-affirming care and mitigation of gender dysphoria for transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals. GAS is categorized as chest surgeries, genitourinary surgeries, facial feminization/masculinization, and vocal phonosurgery. Despite increased incidence of GAS during recent years, there is a gap in knowledge and training on perioperative care for TGD patients.

Recent findings: Our review discusses the relevant anesthetic considerations for the most common GAS, which often involve highly specialized surgical techniques that have unique implications for the anesthesia professional.

Summary: Anesthesiology professionals must attend to the surgical and anesthetic nuances of various GAS procedures. However, as many considerations are based on common practice, research is warranted on anesthetic implications and outcomes of GAS.

Purpose of review: There is an increasing awareness of the significance of intraoperative pain during cesarean delivery. Failure of spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery can occur preoperatively or intraoperatively. Testing of the neuraxial block can identify preoperative failure. Recognition of the risk of high neuraxial block in repeat spinal in case of preoperative failure is important.

Recent finding: Knowledge of risk factors for block failure facilitates prevention by selecting the most appropriate neuraxial procedure, adequate intrathecal doses and choice of technique. Intraoperative pain is not uncommon, and neither obstetricians nor anesthesiologists can adequately identify intraoperative pain. Early intraoperative pain should be treated differently from pain towards the end of surgery.

Summary: Block testing is crucial to identify preoperative failure of spinal anesthesia. Repeat neuraxial is possible but care must be taken with dosing. In this situation, switching to a combined spinal epidural or an epidural technique can be useful. Intraoperative pain must be acknowledged and adequately treated, including offering general anesthesia. Preoperative informed consent should include block failure and its management.

Purpose of review: Postpartum anemia (PPA) is common in women after childbirth and affects about 50-80% of all women worldwide. Iron deficiency (ID) is the main cause for anemia and constitutes a potentially preventable condition with great impact on the mother's physical and mental condition after delivery. In most cases, PPA is associated with antenatal ID and peripartum blood losses. Numerous published studies confirmed the positive effect of PPA diagnosis and treatment.

Recent findings: Iron deficiency as well as iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are common in the postpartum period and represent significant health problems in women of reproductive age.

Summary: Important movements towards early detection and therapy of postpartum anemia have been observed. However, postpartum anemia management is not implemented on a large scale as many healthcare professionals are not aware of the most recent findings in the field. Diagnosis and therapy of PPA, particularly iron supplementation in ID and IDA, has proven to be highly effective with a tremendous effect on women's wellbeing and outcome.

Purpose of this review: This article explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to evaluate risks in pediatric perioperative care. It will also describe potential future applications of AI, such as models for airway device selection, controlling anesthetic depth and nociception during surgery, and contributing to the training of pediatric anesthesia providers.

Recent findings: The use of AI in healthcare has increased in recent years, largely due to the accessibility of large datasets, such as those gathered from electronic health records. Although there has been less focus on pediatric anesthesia compared to adult anesthesia, research is on- going, especially for applications focused on risk factor identification for adverse perioperative events. Despite these advances, the lack of formal external validation or feasibility testing results in uncertainty surrounding the clinical applicability of these tools.

Summary: The goal of using AI in pediatric anesthesia is to assist clinicians in providing safe and efficient care. Given that children are a vulnerable population, it is crucial to ensure that both clinicians and families have confidence in the clinical tools used to inform medical decision- making. While not yet a reality, the eventual incorporation of AI-based tools holds great potential to contribute to the safe and efficient care of our patients.

Purpose of review: There is increasing evidence of racial and ethnic disparities in pediatric perioperative care, which indicates a need to identify factors driving disparities. Social determinants of health (SDOH) play a fundamental role in pediatric health and are recognized as key underlying mechanisms of healthcare inequities. This article summarizes recent research exploring the influence of SDOH on pediatric perioperative outcomes.

Recent findings: Despite the scarcity of research exploring SDOH and pediatric perioperative outcomes, recent work demonstrates an association between SDOH and multiple outcomes across the perioperative care continuum. Measures of social disadvantage were associated with preoperative symptom severity, longer hospital stays, and higher rates of postoperative complications and mortality. In some studies, these adverse effects of social disadvantage persisted even when controlling for medical comorbidities and clinical severity.

Summary: The existing literature offers compelling evidence of the impact of SDOH on perioperative outcomes in children and reveals a critical area in pediatric anesthesia that necessitates further exploration and action. To improve outcomes and address care inequities, future efforts should prioritize the integration of SDOH assessment into pediatric perioperative research and practice.