Anesthesia Affordable, reliable care for adult and pediatric patients alike is the hallmark of the perioperative surgical home (PSH), as demonstrated by two organizations that are using PSH programs: a community health system and a children’s hospital. Leaders from both organizations shared their PSH journeys with OR Manager. Lower costs, shorter…
Editor's Note The use of moderate sedation leads to better outcomes than general anesthesia for patients having transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), finds a study presented May 6 at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. Of 10,997 patients included in the study, 1,737 received…
Editor's Note The overall risk of complications after colonoscopy increases when patients receive anesthesia, this study finds. The use of anesthesia was associated with a 13% increase in complications within 30 days, including a higher risk of perforation, hemorrhage, and abdominal pain. The risk of perforation was 26% higher in…
Editor's Note Peripheral nerve blocks were associated with fewer complications and lower costs in total hip and knee patients in this study, which was presented March 23 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. In this analysis of more than 1 million patients…
Editor's Note In this work system analysis, the inclusion of prefilled syringes into medication delivery by anesthesia providers simplified work processes and reduced the number and associated risks of system vulnerabilities. Eight system vulnerabilities were found in the prefilled syringe system versus 21 in the self-filled syringe system. An example…
Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs are gaining ground with recent data showing that they improve outcomes. The programs consist of multidisciplinary, evidence-based protocols implemented in the perioperative period to provide standardized patient care. Like other changes in healthcare delivery, adopting ERAS programs takes time and effort. Despite positive results…
Editor's Note This study of 8,503 middle-aged and elderly twins in the Netherlands found no clinically significant association of major surgery and anesthesia with long-term cognitive dysfunction. The findings suggest that preoperative cognitive functioning and underlying diseases have stronger influence on postoperative cognitive abilities. The study provided a powerful approach…
Editor's Note No significant association was found between cumulative exposure to general anesthesia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in patients over 40 years of age in this study from the Mayo Clinic. Of 1,731 patients aged 70 to 89 who were cognitively normal as of October 2004, 85% had at…
Is your preanesthesia testing area providing measurable value, and is it positioned to drive surgery toward a new paradigm of care? As government payers shift toward value-based care with the required bundled payment for total joints starting in 800 hospitals and 75 markets (as part of the Comprehensive Care for…
Editor's Note The number of additional attending anesthesiologists and in-room providers (ie, anesthesia residents, nurse anesthetists) involved in a surgical procedure was independently associated with an increased odds of postoperative complications in this study. Though a surgical patient may receive anesthesia care from several anesthesia providers, the safety of anesthesia…
