Perioperative Period Research Articles

Investigation on the Alleviating Effect of Standardized Three-Step Nursing on Perioperative Pressure Injury in Patients with Spinal Fracture Accompanied by Spinal Cord Injury.

Objective: To explore the alleviating effect of standardized three-step nursing on perioperative pressure injury in patients with spinal fracture accompanied by spinal cord injury.Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 153 patients who underwent surgical treatment for spinal fracture accompanied by spinal cord injury in our hospital from January 2021 to January 2024. All patients met the criteria for inclusion and exclusion. According to the nursing interventions received during the perioperative period, the patients were divided into a control group (n = 76) and an observation group (n = 77). The control group received routine nursing interventions during the perioperative period, while the observation group received standardized three-step nursing interventions. The occurrence, severity, area, and pain [Visual Analog Scale (VAS)], coagulation indicators [Prothrombin Time (PT), Fibrinogen (FIB), D-dimer (D-D)], activities of daily living [Barthel Index], and quality of life [General Quality of Life Inventory (GQOLI-74)] were compared between the two groups.Results: ① Occurrence and severity of perioperative pressure injury: In the control group, 18 cases of pressure injury occurred, including 5 cases of stage I, 11 cases of stage II, and 2 cases of stage III; In the observation group, 7 cases of pressure injury occurred, including 4 cases of stage I and 3 cases of stage II. The occurrence rate and severity of pressure injury in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). ② Area of injury and pain: The area of injury on the day of surgery and 5 days after surgery in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05); The VAS score 5 days after surgery in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). ③ Coagulation indicators: 5 days after surgery, the levels of D-D and FIB in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, while PT was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). ④ Activities of daily living and quality of life: 3 months after surgery, the Barthel score and GQOLI-74 score in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Standardized three-step nursing can significantly reduce the occurrence rate, severity, and area of perioperative pressure injury in patients with spinal fracture accompanied by spinal cord injury, alleviate patient pain, improve coagulation function, and enhance levels of activities of daily living and quality of life.

Perioperative management of a patient with unexpectedly detected early-stage ovarian mucinous carcinoma combined with progressive bulbar paralysis: a case report and literature review

BackgroundGiant ovarian cysts (GOCs)complicated with progressive bulbar paralysis (PBP) are very rare, and no such literature about these cases have been reported. Through the diagnosis and treatment of this case, the perioperative related treatment of such patients was analyzed in detail, and early-stage ovarian mucinous carcinoma was unexpectedly found during the treatment, which provided reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of this kind of diseases.Case presentationIn this article, we reported a 38-year-old female patient. The patient was diagnosed with PBP 2 years ago. Examination revealed a large fluid-dominated cystic solid mass in the pelvis measuring approximately 28.6×14.2×8.0 cm. Carbohydrate antigen19-9(CA19-9) 29.20 IU/mL and no other significant abnormalities were observed. The patient eventually underwent transabdominal right adnexal resection under regional anesthesia, epidural block. Postoperative pathology showed mucinous carcinoma in some areas of the right ovary. The patient was staged as stage IA, and surveillance was chosen. With postoperative follow-up 1 month later, her CA19-9 decreased to 14.50 IU/ml.ConclusionsGOCs combined with PBP patients require a multi-disciplinary treatment. Preoperative evaluation of the patient's PBP progression, selection of the surgical approach in relation to the patient's fertility requirements, the nature of the ovarian cyst and systemic condition are required. Early mucinous ovarian cancer accidentally discovered after operation and needs individualized treatment according to the guidelines and the patient's situation. The patient's dysphagia and respiratory function should be closely monitored during the perioperative period. In addition, moral support from the family is also very important.

Effect of a preoperative evidence-based care education on postoperative recovery of cardiac surgery patients: A quasi-experimental study.

Preoperative nursing care affects many factors such as reducing the length of hospital stay of the patients in the perioperative period, the rate of postoperative complications, the duration of the operation, decrease of postoperative pain level and early mobilization. We aimed to determine the effect of preoperative evidence-based care education that given to cardiac surgery clinical nurses on the postoperative recovery of patients. The research was planned as quasi-experimental. Eighty-six patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery were divided into control and intervention groups. First, the ongoing preoperative care practices and patient recovery outcomes of the clinic were recorded for the control group data. Second, education was provided for the clinical nurses about the preoperative evidence-based care list, and a pilot application was implemented. Finally, the evidence-based care list was applied by the nurses to the intervention group, and its effects on patient outcomes were evaluated. The data were collected using the preoperative evidence-based care list, descriptive information form, intraoperative information form and postoperative patient evaluation form. The evidence-based care list was applied to the patients in the intervention group, with 100% adherence by the nurses. All pain level measurements in the intervention group were significantly lower in all measurements (p = .00). The body temperature measurements (two measurements) of the intervention group were higher (p = .00). The postoperative hospital stays of the control group and the intervention group were 11.21 ± 8.41 and 9.50 ± 3.61 days. The presented preoperative evidence-based care list can be used safely in nursing practices for patients. It provides effective normothermia, reduces the level of pain, shortens the hospital stay and reduces the number of postoperative complications. By applying a preoperative evidence-based care to patients undergoing cardiac surgery, pain levels, hospital stays and the number of complications decrease, and it is possible to maintain normothermia. An evidence-based care can be used to ensure rapid postoperative recovery for patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Perioperative oxygen administration for adults undergoing major noncardiac surgery: a narrative review

Perioperative oxygen administration, a topic under continuous research and debate in anesthesiology, strives to optimize tissue oxygenation while minimizing the risks associated with hyperoxia and hypoxia. This review provides a thorough overview of the current evidence on the application of perioperative oxygen in adult patients undergoing major noncardiac surgery. The review begins by describing the physiological reasoning for supplemental oxygen during the perioperative period and its potential benefits while also focusing on potential hyperoxia risks. This review critically appraises the existing literature on perioperative oxygen administration, encompassing recent clinical trials and meta-analyses, to elucidate its effect on postoperative results. Future research should concentrate on illuminating the optimal oxygen administration strategies to improve patient outcomes and fine-tune perioperative care protocols for adults undergoing major noncardiac surgery. By compiling and analyzing available evidence, this review aims to provide clinicians and researchers with comprehensive knowledge on the role of perioperative oxygen administration in major noncardiac surgery, ultimately guiding clinical practice and future research endeavors.

Effect of Preoperative Administration of Dutasteride on Reducing Blood Loss in Perioperative Period of Transurethral Resection of Prostate

Background and Objective: Clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition that commonly occurs in aging men. It is characterized by the development of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), which can lead to impairment of bladder function and potential renal complications. TURP is the gold standard surgical treatment of BPH. Dutasteride is a 5-reductase and is used for medical management. This study was planned to ascertain the effect of pre-treatment dutasteride in reducing blood loss in patients undergoing transurethral resection of prostate (TURP).Methods: It was a randomized clinical trial carried out at Department of Urology, Jinnah Hospital Lahore in which the total study sample was divided in two groups. One group received dutasteride and the second group was the control group. The study variables were Haemoglobin and Hematocrit values, clotting profile PT and INR, serum Ca levels and uric acid, BMI, prostate volume, residual volume of urine and hospital stay. Results were presented as mean ± SD or frequency (%). The main study outcome variable was mean blood loss (calculated by change in hemoglobin and hematocrit level).Results: 6 (10.3 %) patients needed blood transfusion in dutasteride group and 7 (12 %) in control group (p=0.14). Post-surgery change in haemoglobin and HCT levels were less in dutasteride groups as compared to the control group (ΔHb 1.94±1.27 g/dL vs. 2.16±0.73 g/dL, respectively, p=0.02; ΔHct 5.68 % ± 2.56% vs. 6.52 % ± 2.39 %, respectively, p = 0.04).Conclusion: The present research suggests that administering Dutasteride four weeks prior to the TURPprocedure results in a decrease in blood loss during the peri-operative period, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.Key words: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Transurethral resection of Prostate (TURP), 5 Alpha Reductase Inhibitor (5-ARI)  

Dynamics of the left ventricular ejection fraction after revascularization in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, association with the TRAIL protein

Aim. To study the association of dynamics of the ejection fraction (EF) of the left ventricle (LV) with the development of adverse cardiovascular events within 12 months after revascularization in patients with chronic heart failure with preserved LV EF (HFpEF), and to determine the value of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in predicting changes of LVEF. Materials and methods. 52 patients with HFpEF hospitalized for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were included in the prospective study. The levels of plasma NTproBNP (before CABG) and TRAIL protein (before CABG and 10 days after CABG) were determined. Echocardiography was performed for these patients at the time of enrollment in the study and after 12 months of follow-up. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (n=23) included patients with increased LVEF, group 2 (n=29) – with unchanged or reduced LVEF. The development of a combined endpoint (cardiovascular death, decompensated of HF, repeat unplanned revascularization) was studied. Results. LVEF before CABG was comparable in the studied groups. The frequency of the combined endpoint was 0 in the first group and 17.2% in the second group (p=0.02). There was an inverse correlation between change of LVEF one year after revascularization and the dynamics of the TRAIL protein in the perioperative period (r=-0.45, p=0.049). The area under the ROC for perioperative TRAIL changes and changes in LVEF during a follow-up was 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.6–0.985; p=0.018). Conclusion. The increase of LVEF 12 months after CABG in patients with HFpEF is associated with a rarer development of cardiovascular events. The changes of LVEF after CABG can be predicted based on the analysis of the perioperative changes of the TRAIL protein.

Perioperative serum lactate as a predictor of post-operative length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing major emergency abdominal surgeries

Background: Major surgeries can develop metabolic acidosis during the perioperative period. Any clinical condition leading to decreased tissue oxygenation causes lactate levels to rise proportionally. Aims and Objectives: This study was aimed at evaluating perioperative serum lactate as a predictor of length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing emergency major abdominal surgeries. Materials and Methods: Adult patients posted for emergency abdominal surgical procedures were enrolled for 2 years. Patients were observed intraoperatively and lactate levels were measured. In post-operative period lactate levels were recorded for 24 h. Relationship of lactate with hospital length of stay and in-hospital mortality was analyzed. Results: Total of 93 patients were enrolled for 2 years. Mean age was 50.4 years. Mean baseline lactate was 2.95 mmol/L. Total in-hospital mortality was 16.1%. Thirteen patients had perioperative serum lactate level of ≤ 2 mmol/l, with a mean hospital length of stay of 8.6 days and no mortality. Fifty-one patients having perioperative serum lactate between 2 and 4 mmol/L, with a mean hospital length of stay of 11.2 days and mortality of 13.3%. Twenty-nine patients had serum lactate of &gt;4 mmol/L, with a mean hospital length of stay of 17.3 days and mortality of 86.7%. Elevated serum lactate was associated with a longer length of hospital stay, with lactate at 12 h having the highest predictive value (area under curve 0.987). Similarly, lactate at 12 h had the highest accuracy at predicting mortality as per receiver operating characteristic (AUC 0.895). Conclusion: Serum lactate was associated with increased in-hospital mortality and longer length of hospital stay in emergency abdominal surgeries.

Psychological Support during Surgical Treatment of Children Ill with Respiratory Tuberculosis

The objective: to analyze changes in psycho-emotional status of children ill with respiratory tuberculosis (RTB) in the perioperative period while the children were provided with psychological support.Subjects and Methods. 15 respiratory tuberculosis patients aged 7−12 years who received psychological support during surgical treatment were enrolled in the study. The data of psychological examination in the preoperative, early postoperative and late postoperative periods are presented.Results. In the preoperative period, the vast majority of children with respiratory tuberculosis showed a higher level of neuropsychic tension (86.7% of patients) and anxiety (73.3% of patients). When psychological support was provided during surgical treatment, the program of which was based on EMDR approach and mindfulness, in the early postoperative period, there was a significant decrease in the number of children with a high level of neuropsychic tension – from 86.7% to 46.7% (p&lt;0. 01). At the beginning of the late postoperative period, parameters of psychoemotional status in the overwhelming majority of children were within the range of normal values.

Efficacy of bilateral erector spinae block for intraoperative and post-operative analgesia in lumbar decompression surgeries: A prospective randomized controlled trial

Background: Lumbar surgery is known to cause severe pain in the post-operative period. Modalities to reduce pain in the perioperative period include opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, neuraxial blocks, and erector spinae block (ESB). Aims and Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether ESB could reduce perioperative pain, opioid consumption, and muscle relaxant consumption. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients scheduled for lumbar decompression spine surgery were randomly allocated to two groups, the erector spinae plane (ESP) group (n=25) and the control group multimodal analgesia group (n=25). Intraoperative hemodynamics, muscle relaxant requirement, opioid consumption post-operative visual analog score, and rescue analgesia were evaluated. Results: Compared with the control group, heart rate (91.24±14.86 and 90.20±14.26) (77.12±11.96 and 77.44±11.96) arterial blood pressures (87.12±8.45 mmHg) (85.25±7.25) (78.73±5.56 and 79.64±5.95) were higher during surgical incision and 1st-time interval than in ESP group, respectively. The visual analog scale scores were higher in the control group than in the ESP group during all measurements of time. The requirement for rescue analgesia was more in the control group compared to the ESP group. Post-operative analgesia lasted for 15–18 h. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided ESP block is a simple and safe technique which provides effective intraoperative, and post-operative analgesia and patient satisfaction with reduced opioid and muscle relaxant consumption.

Anesthetic Management for Atrial Septal Defect Closure in a Patient with Bidirectional Shunt and Pulmonary Hypertension

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background &lt;/strong&gt;: ASD bidirectional shunt occurs when flow moves between left and right depending on the higher pressure, either systemic vascular resistance (SVR) or pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). The anesthetic management aimed to maintain the left-to-right shunt and control factors that could increase PVR while retaining SVR within normal or slightly elevated ranges.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Case Illustration &lt;/strong&gt;: We reported a 39-year-old female patient with ASD, bidirectional shunt, and pulmonary hypertension (PH) who underwent defect closure. Due to the mean pulmonary pressure exceeded 50% of mean systemic pressure, an intentional ASD creation was performed. It is not a routine procedure; however, it serves as a “way out” if there is severe left ventricular dysfunction. Attention and intervention were promptly administered for any identified post-surgical issues, including PH crisis or right ventricular dysfunction. The management of PH was conducted during perioperative period and the patient was successfully extubated at 17 hours post-surgery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion &lt;/strong&gt;: Perioperative management of bidirectional shun ASD with PH requires a SVR and PVR. Factors that can increase PVR must be avoided/controlled and on the other hand SVR must be maintained.&lt;/p&gt;

Effect of propofol and isoflurane on NK Cells: A pilot study on perioperative breast cancer patients from Eastern India

Introduction: In onco-anesthesiology, the selection between intravenous and volatile anesthetics for maintaining NK cell response during cancer surgery has been an ambiguous area. In the absence of any such comparative Indian report, this pilot study aimed to investigate the effect of intravenous anesthetic, Propofol, and volatile anesthetic, Isoflurane on the NK cell-mediated immune-inflammatory response of perioperative breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Treatment naive breast cancer patients (N, 50) selected for surgery were randomly subjected to either Isoflurane (N, 25) or Propofol (N, 25) anesthetic group. The peripheral blood samples were collected 1 day before surgery (Pre), 1 h after incision (Intra) and 48 h after surgery (Post). The blood samples were subjected to immunophenotyping, activation, degranulation, and cytokine analysis. Results: The frequency of NK cell populations did not differ between the Isoflurane and Propofol groups irrespective of cancer stage II/III. NK cell degranulation marker CD107a and activation marker CD335 expression were significantly reduced in the postoperative period compared to the preoperative group in the Isoflurane group but Propofol did not inflict such alterations. Both Isoflurane/Propofol elicited similar trends in the cytokine profiles of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-15, interferon (IFN)-g and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β levels. Isoflurane significantly increased IL-8 during the intraoperative period and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 during the postoperative period whereas no such changes were observed with Propofol. Conclusion: This pilot study indicated that Propofol partially proved better over Isoflurane in maintaining the activation (CD335) and degranulation of NK cells (CD107a) and alleviating inflammation (IL-8 and MMP-9) during the perioperative period in the breast cancer patients.

Total knee and hip replacement in rheumatoid arthritis: А current trend

Total joint replacement (TJR) is a surgical procedure widely used in severe destructive joint damage. TJR of the knee and hip joint (TKR and THR respectively) occupies an important place in the complex treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA), and can significantly reduce pain and improve function in patients with severe structural joint damage due to an ineffectiveness of conservative therapy. In recent years, due to the development of the modern concept of active treatment of RA (treat-to-target) and the introduction of new classes of anti-inflammatory drugs, such as biologic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs and JAK inhibitors, the need for TJR in RA has begun to decrease. At the same time, the aging of the population, the increase in the number of patients with OA and the lack of generally approved pathogenetic therapy determine the increase of TKR/THR incidence in this disease. This review presents the long-term dynamics of the incidence of TKR and THR according to the national registers of different countries. The issues of the complication risks in patients with RA and OA, current recommendations for anti-rheumatic therapy in RA in the perioperative period are also considered.

Prognostic factors and significance of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by gastrectomy.

In Japan, gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy are the standard treatments for locally advanced gastric cancer. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is not affected by postgastrectomy syndromes or postoperative complications. This multicenter retrospective study investigated the prognostic factors and significance of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent NAC followed by gastrectomy. Consecutive patients (n = 221) with advanced gastric cancer who underwent NAC followed by curative surgery were enrolled in this study. Prognostic factors including postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were investigated using univariate and multivariate analyses. A multivariate analysis revealed that pathological lymph node metastasis (ypN) status and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for the overall and relapse-free survival. Forty-five patients (20.4%) did not receive postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. There were no significant differences between patients with and without adjuvant chemotherapy for all factors, except age. The most common reason for not undergoing postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was a poor condition (n = 23). ypN status and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors in gastric cancer patients who underwent NAC followed by curative gastrectomy. It is important to maintain the patient's condition during NAC and the perioperative period so that they can receive postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome after on-pump cardiac surgery in emergency coronary artery bypass grafting: a retrospective trial

INTRODUCTION: The frequency, spectrum and pathophysiological relationships of systemic inflammatory response syndrome in acute coronary artery bypass grafting is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical significance of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) performed with cardiopulmonary bypass. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 60 patients (38 men and 22 women, aged 65 ± 9 years) who underwent emergency CABG (3 ± 1 bypass), with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (97 ± 47 min). We retrospectively studied clinical and laboratory data of the perioperative and early postoperative period from emergency and elective coronary bypass surgery. RESULTS: In urgently operated patients (n = 30) in the early postoperative period, a higher frequency (53.3 and 13.3 %; p = 0.0022) of the development of systemic manifestations of the inflammatory response (neutrophilic leukocytosis, fever, postperfusion vasoplegia), as well as respiratory complications (70 and 10 %; p &lt; 0.001) was noted. A pathophysiological relationship was established between the manifestations of SIRS and respiratory dysfunction during emergency interventions. CONCLUSIONS: SIRS pathophysiologically associated with respiratory dysfunction is characteristic of emergency CABG. It is during emergency myocardial revascularization that the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass and myocardial ischemia (MI) are predictors of SIRS.

When Antimicrobial Treatment and Surgical Prophylaxis Collide: A Stewardship Opportunity

Background: In 2002, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the Surgical Infection Prevention (SIP) project for the purposes of developing and standardizing quality improvement measures known to reduce the rates of post-operative surgical site infections (SSIs). Four years later the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP), an expansion of SIP, was published in governmental Specifications Manual for National Inpatient Quality Measures and provided several additional initiatives applicable to the perioperative period. Central to both projects are the assurance of the timeliness, selection, and duration of peri-operative surgical prophylactic antibiotics. In support of this objective, various medical associations, such as the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), have developed the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Antimicrobial Prophylaxis in Surgery. To ensure compliance with quality measures, hospitals are required to report data to the Physicians Quality Reporting System, which is then reviewed by CMS for reimbursement purposes and to measure hospital performance. To maintain optimal standards of care and satisfy all core measures, it is expected that patients undergoing most categories of surgical procedures receive prophylactic antibiotics. We recognized that patients already being administered antimicrobial therapy as treatment for the condition requiring the surgery not uncommonly also were prescribed unwarranted and redundant pre-operative antibiotics. Our study was meant to quantify such antibiotic redundancy, which only risks the development of antimicrobial resistance and adverse events, to bolster our and other hospitals antimicrobial stewardship programs. Methods: A retrospective analysis of computerized hospital records over a one-month period of time (November 2022) was conducted focusing on hospital admissions that involved surgical operative procedures. Only those patients who had received a pre-operative surgical prophylactic antibiotic were included in the analysis. Results: Of the 92 surgeries that fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 38 (41.3%) were performed on patients who were already receiving therapeutic antibiotics for more than 24 hours targeted to treat the infection for which they were undergoing surgery. These included laparoscopic cholecystectomy (24), appendectomy (12), wound debridement (12), and soft tissue incision and drainage procedures (9), comprising nearly 50% of each type of these operations performed during the study time period. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate a clear opportunity to strengthen both our, and presumably other, hospitals antimicrobial stewardship programs. Together with physician education, granting the pharmacy the ability to cancel unnecessary and redundant surgical prophylactic antibiotics would conceivably be of great benefit.

Neurodevelopment in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot

Neurodevelopmental sequelae are prevalent and debilitating for patients with congenital heart defects. Patients born with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) are susceptible for abnormal neurodevelopment as they have several risk factors surrounding the perinatal and perioperative period. Some risk factors have been well described in other forms of congenital heart defects, including transposition of the great arteries and single ventricle heart disease, but they have been less studied in the growing population of survivors of TOF surgery, particularly in infancy and childhood. Adolescents with TOF, even without a genetic syndrome, exhibit neuro-cognitive deficits in executive function, visual-spatial skills, memory, attention, academic achievement, social cognition, and problem-solving, to mention a few. They also have greater prevalence of anxiety disorder, disruptive behavior and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. These deficits impact their academic performance, social adjustment, and quality of life, thus resulting in significant stress for patients and their families. Further, they can impact their social adjustment, employment and career development as an adult. Infants and younger children can also have significant deficits in gross and fine motor skills, cognitive deficits and abnormal receptive language. Many of the risk factors associated with abnormal neurodevelopment in these patients are not readily modifiable. Therefore, patients should be referred for evaluation and early intervention to help maximize their neurodevelopment and improve overall outcomes. More study is needed to identify potentially modifiable risk factors and/or mediators of neurodevelopment, such as environmental and socio-economic factors.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Risk of Postoperative Complications after Non-Cardiac Surgery

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common sleep disorder, poses significant challenges in perioperative management due to its complexity and multifactorial nature. With a global prevalence of approximately 22.6%, OSA often remains undiagnosed, and increases the risk of cardiac and respiratory postoperative complications. Preoperative screening has become essential in many institutions to identify patients at increased risk, and experts recommend proceeding with surgery in the absence of severe symptoms, albeit with heightened postoperative monitoring. Anesthetic and sedative agents exacerbate upper airway collapsibility and depress central respiratory activity, complicating intraoperative management, especially with neuromuscular blockade use. Additionally, OSA patients are particularly prone to opioid-induced respiratory depression, given their increased sensitivity to opioids and heightened pain perception. Thus, regional anesthesia and multimodal analgesia are strongly advocated to reduce perioperative complication risks. Postoperative care for OSA patients necessitates vigilant monitoring and tailored management strategies, such as supplemental oxygen and Positive Airway Pressure therapy, to minimize cardiorespiratory complications. Health care institutions are increasingly focusing on enhanced monitoring and resource allocation for patient safety. However, the rising prevalence of OSA, heterogeneity in disease severity, and lack of evidence for the efficacy of costly perioperative measures pose challenges. The development of effective screening and monitoring algorithms, alongside reliable risk predictors, is crucial for identifying OSA patients needing extended postoperative care. This review emphasizes a multidimensional approach in managing OSA patients throughout the perioperative period, aiming to optimize patient outcomes and minimize adverse outcomes.

Enhanced recovery after surgery in elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery

BACKGROUND This study was designed to investigate the clinical outcomes of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in the perioperative period in elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). AIM To investigate the potential enhancement of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in postoperative recovery in elderly patients with NSCLC. METHODS We retrospectively analysed the clinical data of 85 elderly NSCLC patients who underwent ERAS (the ERAS group) and 327 elderly NSCLC patients who received routine care (the control group) after VATS at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital between May 2015 and April 2017. After propensity score matching of baseline data, we analysed the postoperative stay, total hospital expenses, postoperative 48-h pain score, and postoperative complication rate for the 2 groups of patients who underwent lobectomy or sublobar resection. RESULTS After propensity score matching, ERAS significantly reduced the postoperative hospital stay (6.96 ± 4.16 vs 8.48 ± 4.18 d, P = 0.001) and total hospital expenses (48875.27 ± 18437.5 vs 55497.64 ± 21168.63 CNY, P = 0.014) and improved the satisfaction score (79.8 ± 7.55 vs 77.35 ± 7.72, P = 0.029) relative to those for routine care. No significant between-group difference was observed in postoperative 48-h pain score (4.68 ± 1.69 vs 5.28 ± 2.1, P = 0.090) or postoperative complication rate (21.2% vs 27.1%, P = 0.371). Subgroup analysis showed that ERAS significantly reduced the postoperative hospital stay and total hospital expenses and increased the satisfaction score of patients who underwent lobectomy but not of patients who underwent sublobar resection. CONCLUSION ERAS effectively reduced the postoperative hospital stay and total hospital expenses and improved the satisfaction score in the perioperative period for elderly NSCLC patients who underwent lobectomy but not for patients who underwent sublobar resection.

Ultrasound Assessment of Prevalence of ‘At Risk Stomach’ in Children Undergoing Elective Surgery- Prospective, Observational Study

Children may be at increased risk of pulmonary aspiration because of retention of gastric contents caused by pain or inadequate fasting. We performed this study to analyze the use of ultrasound for evaluation of gastric ultrasound in children less than 12 years. Two hundred children, 1-12 years of age belonging to ASA physical status I to II, scheduled to undergo elective surgery were included in the study. Patients were scanned in supine position followed by right lateral decubitus position (RLD). In qualitative assessment, the antrum was judged to contain fluid if it appeared to have an endocavitary lumen with hypoechoic content and distended walls. All measurements were taken with antrum at rest (between contraction) to avoid underestimating volume. It was observed that majority of the children were in Perlas grade 0, 116(58%) followed by 75 children in grade 1 and 9 children in grade 2. Using Karl Pearson’s Correlation coefficient, low positive correlation was found between gastric volume and fasting status solid (in hours) and the variation (correlation) was found to be statistically non-significant (r=0.139; p&gt;0.05). There is no proportionate decline in gastric volume with increased duration of preoperative fasting. Ultrasonographic measurement of antral area can be of interest to anesthesiologist for accurate qualitative and quantitative estimation of preoperative gastric contents and volume. However, gastric ultrasonography has to be validated in further trials involving a larger patient population before it can become a routine standard of care in perioperative period.

Safety and complications of continuation of aspirin therapy in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic simple prostatectomy

To evaluate the safety and feasibility of continued perioperative aspirin at the time of robotic assisted simple prostatectomy (RASP). We performed a retrospective review of our IRB approved institutional database of patients who underwent RASP between 2013 and 2022. Comparative groups included patients taking aspirin in the perioperative period and those not taking aspirin pre-operatively. The primary outcome was any post-operative bleeding related complication using the modified Clavien–Dindo classification. Secondary outcomes included the identification of risk factors for increased blood loss in the entire study population, operative time, and blood transfusion requirement. 143 patients underwent RASP of which 55 (38.5%) patients continued perioperative aspirin therapy and 88 (61.5%) patients did not. Baseline demographics were similar between groups. Patients taking perioperative aspirin had a higher rate of hypertension (74.5% vs 58.0%, p = 0.04) and other cardiovascular disease (30.9% vs 11.4%, p = 0.007). Postoperative complications were similar between the groups (Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3; p = 0.43). Median blood loss (150 cc vs 150 cc, p = 0.38), percentage drop in hemoglobin (13.4 vs 13.2, p = 0.94) and blood transfusion rate (3.6 vs 1.1, p = 0.56) were also similar between groups. The median blood loss was 150 ml for the whole study population. On regression analysis, neither aspirin nor any other variable was associated with increased blood loss (> 150 ml). Aspirin can be safely continued perioperatively in patients undergoing RASP without any risk of bleeding related complications, blood loss, or increased transfusion rate.