Postanesthesia Care Unit Discharge Research Articles

The Effectiveness of Intraoperative Thoracic Epidural Analgesia in Major Abdominal and Thoracic Surgery and Its Prediction of Severe Pain at Discharge from the Post-Anesthetic Care Unit: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objective: To assess the factors associated with ineffective thoracic epidural analgesia (iTEA) in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) among patients requiring TEA. Material and Methods: This prospective cohort was conducted on 146 patients requiring post-operative TEA. The verbal numeric rating scale (VNRS) was employed to assess TEA effectiveness on PACU arrival at 10, 20, and 30 minutes after surgery; iTEA was determined if the VNRS score was more than 3 and 4 at rest and during activity, respectively. The patient characteristics, and intra- and post-operative epidural management were collected. The risk factors of iTEA were evaluated using mixed-effects models. Moreover, factors associated with severe pain at PACU discharge were evaluated using logistic regression analyses. Results: The incidence of iTEA on PACU arrival, and at 10, 20, and 30 minutes after PACU arrival were 53.4%, 51.4%, 50.7%, and 36.3%, respectively. Intra-operative intravenous morphine supplementation and the cumulative fentanyl equivalent dose (every 10 mcg) were significantly associated with preventing the risk of iTEA on PACU arrival (OR 0.27; 95% CI=0.07-0.92) and during PACU stay (OR 0.87; 95% CI=0.77-0.97) compared to those who did not receive opioids. Moreover, iTEA on PACU arrival was a significant risk for severe pain at 30 minutes (adjusted OR 4.77; 95% CI=1.57-18.10). Conclusion: This study demonstrates a high incidence of iTEA immediately after surgery, and that intravenous opioid supplementation during and after surgery reduces the risk of iTEA. Lastly, iTEA on PACU arrival is a strong predictor of severe pain at discharge from PACU.

Perioperative Intravenous Nefopam on Pain Management and Ambulation after Open Spine Surgery: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Study.

This was a randomized double-blind controlled study. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of intravenous nefopam regarding its ability to reduce morphine consumption and postoperative pain and improve recovery in patients undergoing open spine surgery. Multimodal analgesia, including nonopioid medications, is essential for pain management in spine surgery. Evidence regarding the use of intravenous nefopam in open spine surgery as part of enhanced recovery after surgery is lacking. In this study, 100 patients undergoing lumbar decompressive laminectomy with fusion were randomized into two groups. The nefopam group received 20-mg intravenous nefopam diluted in 100-mL normal saline intraoperatively, followed by 80-mg nefopam diluted in 500-mL normal saline, administered as a continuous infusion postoperatively for 24 hours. The control group received an identical volume of normal saline. Postoperative pain was managed using intravenous morphine via patient-controlled analgesia. Morphine consumption in the first 24 hours was recorded as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes, including postoperative pain score, postoperative function, and length of hospital stay (LOS), were assessed. No statistically significant differences in the total morphine consumption and postoperative pain score in the first 24 hours postoperatively between the two groups. At the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), the nefopam group demonstrated lower pain scores while at rest (p =0.03) and upon movement (p =0.02) than the normal saline group. However, the severity of postoperative pain between the two groups was similar from postoperative day 1 to day 3. LOS was significantly shorter in the nefopam group than in the control group (p <0.01). The time to first sitting and walking and PACU discharge between the two groups were comparable. Perioperative intravenous nefopam demonstrated significant pain reduction during the early postoperative period and shortened LOS. Nefopam is considered safe and effective as a part of multimodal analgesia in open spine surgery.

Triggers for medical emergency team activation after non-cardiac surgery.

Deterioration after major surgery is common, with many patients experiencing a medical emergency team (MET) activation. Understanding the triggers for MET calls may help design interventions to prevent deterioration. We aimed to identify triggers for MET activation in non-cardiac surgical patients. A retrospective cohort study of adult patients who experienced a postoperative MET call at a single tertiary hospital was undertaken. The trigger and timing of each MET call and patient characteristics were collected.Four hundred and one MET calls occurred after 23,258 surgical procedures, a rate of 1.7% of all non-cardiac surgical procedures, accounting for 11.7% of all MET calls over the study period. Hypotension (41.4%) was the most common trigger, followed by tachycardia (18.5%), altered conscious state (11.0%), hypoxia (10.0%), tachypnoea (5.7%), 'other' (5.7%), clinical concern (4.0%), increased work of breathing (1.5%) and bradypnoea (0.7%). Cardiac and/or respiratory arrest triggered 1.2% of MET activations. Eighty-six percent of patients had a single MET call, 10.2% had two, 1.8% had three and one patient (0.3%) had four. The median interval between post-anaesthetic care unit (PACU) discharge and MET call was 14.7 h (95% confidence interval 4.2 to 28.9 h). MET calls resulted in intensive care unit (ICU) admission in 40 patients (10%), while 82% remained on the ward, 4% had a MET call shortly after ICU discharge and returned there, 2% returned to theatre, and 2% went to a high dependency unit.Hypotension was the most common trigger for MET calls after non-cardiac surgery. Deterioration frequently occurred within 24 h of PACU discharge. Future research should focus on prevention of hypotension and tachycardia after surgery.

Perioperative temperature monitoring for patient safety: A period prevalence study of five hospitals

BackgroundMonitoring body temperature is essential for safe perioperative care. Without patient monitoring during each surgical phase, alterations in core body temperature will not be recognised, prevented, or treated. Safe use of warming interventions also depends on monitoring. Yet there has been limited evaluation of temperature monitoring practices as the primary endpoint. ObjectiveTo investigate temperature monitoring practices during all stages of perioperative care. We examined what patient characteristics are associated with the rate of temperature monitoring, along with clinical variables such as warming intervention or exposure to hypothermia. DesignAn observational period-prevalence study over seven days across five Australian hospitals. SettingsFour metropolitan, tertiary hospitals and one regional hospital. ParticipantsWe selected all adult patients (N = 1690) undergoing any surgical procedure and any mode of anaesthesia during the study period. MethodsPatient characteristics, perioperative temperature data, warming interventions and exposure to hypothermia were retrospectively collected from patient charts. We describe the frequencies and distribution of temperature data at each perioperative stage, including adherence to minimum temperature monitoring based on clinical guidelines. To examine associations with clinical variables, we also modelled the rate of temperature monitoring using each patient's count of recorded temperature measurements within their calculated time interval from anaesthetic induction to postanaesthetic care unit discharge. All analyses adjusted 95% confidence intervals (CI) for patient clustering by hospital. ResultsThere were low levels of temperature monitoring, with most temperature data clustered around admission to postanaesthetic care. Over half of patients (51.8%) had two or less temperatures recorded during perioperative care and one-third (32.7%) had no temperature data at all prior to admission to postanaesthetic care. Of all patients that received active warming intervention during surgery, over two-thirds (68.5%) had no temperature monitoring recorded. In our adjusted model, associations between clinical variables and the rate of temperature monitoring often did not reflect clinical risk or need: rates were decreased for those with greatest operative risk (American Society of Anesthesiologists Classification IV: rate ratio (RR) 0.78, 95% CI 0.68–0.89; emergency surgery: RR 0.89, 0.80–0.98), and neither warming interventions (intraoperative warming: RR 1.01, 0.93–1.10; postanaesthetic care unit warming: RR 1.02, 0.98–1.07) nor hypothermia at postanaesthetic care unit admission (RR 1.12, 0.98–1.28) were associated with monitoring rate. ConclusionsOur findings point to the need for systems-level change to enable proactive temperature monitoring over all phases of perioperative care to enhance patient safety outcomes. RegistrationNot a clinical trial.

Exceedance Probabilities of Log-normal Distributions for One Group, Two Groups, and Meta-analysis of Multiple Two-group Studies, With Application to Analyses of Prolonged Times to Tracheal Extubation

Many randomized trials measure means and standard deviations of anesthesia recovery time (e.g., times to tracheal extubation). We show how to use generalized pivotal methods to compare the probabilities of exceeding a tolerance limit (e.g., > 15min, prolonged times to tracheal extubation). The topic isimportant because the economic benefits of faster anesthesia emergence depend onreducing variability, not means, especially prevention of very long recovery times. Generalized pivotal methods are applied using computer simulation (e.g., using two Excel formulas for one group and three formulas for two group comparisons). The endpoint for each study with two groups is the ratio between groups of the probabilities of times exceeding a threshold or the ratio of the standard deviations. Confidence intervals and variances for the incremental risk ratio of the exceedance probabilities and for ratios of standard deviations are calculated using studies' sample sizes, sample means in the time scale of recovery times, and sample standard deviations in the time scale. Ratios are combined among studies using the DerSimonian-Laird estimate of the heterogeneity variance estimate, with Knapp-Hartung adjustment for the relatively small (N = 15) numbers of studies in the meta-analysis. We show larger absolute variability among studies' results when analyzed based on exceedance probabilities rather than standard deviations. Therefore, if an investigator's primary goal is to quantify reductions in the variability of recovery times (e.g., times until patients are ready for post-anesthesia care unit discharge), we recommend analyzing the standard deviations. When exceedance probabilities themselves are relevant, they can be analyzed from the original studies' summary measures.

Continuous Epidural Analgesia (CEA) via Single Catheter Providing Profound Analgesia for Pediatric Patients Following Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSF) in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS).

Posterior spinal fusion (PSF) is a commonly performed orthopedic procedure to correct scoliosis in children.Continuous epidural analgesia (CEA) is a proposed means of providing analgesia following PSF.Whether a single epidural catheter with the tip in the upper thorax can provide adequate analgesia for PSF, which often spans the upper thoracic to lower lumbar regions, is unresolved in the literature. In this single-center, retrospective study, we reviewed 69 consecutive patients undergoing PSF for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) with CEA at our institution from October 1, 2020 to May 26, 2022.Data for the entire cohort was divided into two time intervals before and after epidural removal, group epidural (Epi) and group no epidural (No Epi).Daily intravenous and oral opioid morphine equivalents per kilogram (OME/kg) plus mean and maximal visual analogue pain scores (VAS 0-10) were recorded from post-anesthesia care unit(PACU) discharge to the end of postoperative day (POD) three. Results: 57 patients were included in the study.Opioid usage was 4.5 times greater in the 19 hours following removal of the epidural catheter when compared to the entire period (mean 65 hours) the epidural was in place (Group Epi 0.154 OME/kg vs Group No Epi 0.690 OME/kg, p<0.001). 51% (29/57) of patients did not require opioids (intravenous or oral) while the epidural was in place, all patients required opioids after epidural removal.Mean opioid usage while the epidural was in place was 9.3 OME, equivalent to approximately 6 mg of oxycodone.Mean and maximum pain scores increased significantly after removal of the epidural on POD 3 (mean pain score: Epi 3.4 (1.8) vs No Epi 4.1 (1.7); p<0.001) (max pain score: Epi 4.9 (2.5) vs No Epi 6.3 (2.1); p<0.001). Conclusions: This is the first study we are aware of to report pain scores and cumulative opioid requirements for PSF patients receiving CEA with a single epidural catheter before and after epidural removal.Opioid usage increased over four times in the 19 hours after epidural removal compared to the total opioid requirements while the epidural was infusing.Mean and maximum pain scores increased significantly after removal of the epidural on POD 3. This study firmly establishes that CEA with a single epidural catheter can provide profound analgesia for patients having PSF for AIS.

Comparing Spinal Chloroprocaine to Hyperbaric and Isobaric Bupivacaine for Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasties: A Retrospective Study.

Spinal anesthesia is commonly used for total knee and hip arthroplasties (TKA/THA). The rising popularity of ambulatory TKA and THAs require anesthetic techniques that provide rapid recovery of motor and sensory function while minimizing side effects like postoperative urinary retention. This single-center retrospective observational study compares the recovery profile of patients undergoing TKA and THA under chloroprocaine spinals compared to hyperbaric and isobaric bupivacaine spinals. One hundred and twelve patients undergoing primary TKA and THA under spinal anesthesia at University of Florida Health were identified between September 1, 2019 and February 21, 2020. Their electronic medical records were reviewed. Patients were categorized based on the local anesthetic used in the spinal. Various demographic, intraoperative, and postoperative data were compiled and compared, including duration of surgery, time to physical therapy, time to post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) discharge, and time to spontaneous micturition. Timeto spontaneous micturition and PACU discharge were significantly lower in the chloroprocaine spinal group compared to the hyperbaric bupivacaine group by 193 minutes and 42 minutes, respectively. Fewer patients receiving chloroprocaine spinals had their first physical therapy session limited by residual motor weakness compared to those in both bupivacaine groups. Additionally, mean duration of surgery was shorter in the chloroprocaine group compared to both bupivacaine groups (89 minutes compared to 111 minutes). Time to physical therapy completion was not different. All groups had <10% conversion to general anesthesia. Chloroprocaine spinals can be feasible options for TKAs and THAs with improved postoperative recovery profiles compared to bupivacaine spinals.

The safety and efficacy of remimazolam tosylate for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing elective surgery: Study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, single-blind, positive-controlled clinical trial.

Introduction: Remimazolam is an ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine sedative agent commonly used in general anesthesia, procedural sedation, and intensive care unit (ICU) sedation. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of remimazolam versus propofol for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia in preschool-age children undergoing elective surgery. Methods and analysis: In this multicenter, randomized, single-blind, positive-controlled non-inferior clinical trial, one hundred ninety-two children aged 3-6years will be randomly allocated as a 3:1 ratio into two groups: Group R with an intravenous dose of remimazolam 0.3mg/kg for the induction of anesthesia followed by a constant infusion rate of remimazolam 1-3mg/kg/h to maintain anesthesia, and Group P with an intravenous dose of propofol 2.5mg/kg for the induction of anesthesia followed by a constant infusion rate of propofol 4-12mg/kg/h to maintain anesthesia. The primary outcome will be the rate of the successful induction and maintenance of anesthesia. The secondary outcomes will include the time to LoC, the Bispectral Index (BIS) value, awakening time, extubation time, post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) discharge time, usage of additional sedative drugs during the induction period, usage of remedial drugs in PACU, emergence delirium, pain in PACU, behavior scores at day 3 after surgery, parental and anesthesiologists' satisfaction, and adverse events. Ethics and dissemination: This study has been approved by the ethics review boards at all participating hospitals. The Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University (Reference No. LCKY 2020-380, November 13, 2020) is the central ethics committee.

Recovery time in target controlled infusion versus manual infusion of propofol in total intravenous anaesthesia for endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography procedure using laryngeal mask airway-gastro: A randomised comparative study.

This study aimed to compare manual infusion versus target-controlled infusion (TCI) in total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) utilising laryngeal mask airway (LMA)-gastro during endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) procedures. This was a single-blind randomised trial. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups. TCI group included 27 patients, where TCI of propofol was implemented with the Schnider pharmacokinetic model driven by a computer-controlled syringe pump. The TIVA group included 27 patients with a loading dose of 2 mg/kg of propofol, followed by manual infusion of 15 mg/kg/h for the first 15 min, 13 mg/kg/h for the next 15 min, then 11 mg/kg/h for 30 min and 10 mg/kg/h for 60 min and finally maintained at 9 mg/kg/h. The primary objective was to compare recovery time following cessation of propofol infusion in both groups. The difference in the total dose of propofol, time to achieve anaesthesia induction, first attempt success rate, ease of LMA-gastro insertion, ease of insertion, success rate of endoscope device and post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) discharge time were the secondary objectives. T-test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. The time required for the recovery was significantly less in the TCI group than in the TIVA group (mean ± standard deviation; 11.60 ± 2.27 versus 15.4 ± 3.25 minutes, P < 0.001). The duration of ERCP, ease of LMA and endoscope insertion were comparable between the groups. There was no post-operative recall of intra-operative events in the groups. TCI offers earlier recovery than TIVA in patients undergoing ERCP procedures using LMA-gastro.

The effectiveness and safety of a novel ultrasound-guided clavipectoral plane block for midshaft clavicle surgeries – a case series

Background: Clavipectoral plane block (CPB), a novel block first described in the 2017 European Society of Regional Anaesthesia Congress. Case: This study was a retrospective, descriptive, observational case series of seven patients with midshaft clavicle fractures. Two were given CPB; one under sedation and one under general anesthesia. Both had pain after Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) discharge up to 24 hours after surgery, but none required opioid medications post-operative. Among the five patients who had CPB with Superficial Cervical Plexus (SCP) block, four were under sedation and one under general anesthesia. All five patients had pain after PACU discharge up to 24 hours after surgery, and one patient previously under sedation had required opioid medication after PACU discharge. Conclusion: CPB with or without SCP block provided effective and safe anesthesia and analgesia to patients who underwent clavicle surgery under general anesthesia or intravenous sedation.

7547 Opioid-Sparing Versus Standard Postoperative Pain Regimen for Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

<h3>Study Objective</h3> This study investigated whether ICE-T, a multimodal opioid-sparing pain regimen using ice packs, acetaminophen (Tylenol), and ketorolac (Toradol) provided effective postoperative pain management compared with a standard pain regimen for total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH). <h3>Design</h3> This randomized controlled trial was designed to achieve over 90% power. Patients who underwent TLH were randomized to the ICE-T or standard pain regimen and outcomes were followed until postoperative day 4. <h3>Setting</h3> Intra-operatively patients were in dorsal lithotomy and Trendelenburg position. <h3>Patients or Participants</h3> Patients undergoing TLH for benign indications at the academic center from August 2019 until June 2021 were assessed for eligibility. Sixty-seven patients were enrolled preoperatively; 36 were randomized to the ICE-T regimen and 31 to the standard regimen. <h3>Interventions</h3> The ICE-T regimen prescribed around-the-clock ice-packs, acetaminophen and ketorolac. The standard protocol prescribed as needed ibuprofen and acetaminophen/oxycodone based on pain score. Both regimens included hydromorphone for breakthrough pain. These regimens were used inpatient and outpatient from post-anesthesia care unit discharge onwards. <h3>Measurements and Main Results</h3> Postoperative day 1 and 4 outcomes were evaluated using visual analog scales, validated Quality of Recovery Questionnaires, patient satisfaction scores, inpatient narcotic consumption and outpatient pain medication consumption. Patient and surgical demographics were evenly distributed. The median visual analog score and quality of recovery scores on postoperative day 1 were not significantly different; p=0.44 and p=0.85 respectively. However, the ICE-T arm median narcotic consumption on postoperative day 1 was significantly lower; 480.6 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) versus 619.2 MME, p=0.02. ICE-T arm postoperative day 4 median visual analog scores were also significantly lower in the per-protocol analysis (p=0.014). There were no significant differences in the postoperative day 4 median quality of recovery or satisfaction scores. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The ICE-T regimen is an effective multimodal opioid-sparing postoperative pain regimen for TLH. ICE-T has comparable pain control and patient satisfaction to the standard regimen while significantly decreasing narcotic consumption.

Analgesic effect of dexmedetomidine in colorectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery.

To evaluate the analgesic efficacy of intraoperative dexmedetomidine (DEX) for acute postoperative pain in colorectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. We retrospectively analyzed data of 190 colorectal cancer patients who had undergone laparoscopic surgery between October 2020 and May 2021 at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, with (n=74) or without intraoperative DEX (n=85) administration. The demographic, clinical, anesthetic, and postoperative data were compared. In total, 159 patients were enrolled. Demographic and clinical data were not different between the groups. The mean arterial pressure (p<0.001) and heart rate (p<0.001) were lower in the DEX group at the end of surgery and after extubation (p=0.003, p=0.001). The minimum alveolar concentration of sevoflurane was lower in the DEX group during surgery. At the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) admission and discharge, pain scores (p<0.001, p=0.027) and fentanyl consumption (p<0.001) were significantly lower in the DEX group. On postoperative days 1-3, pain scores and opioid consumption were not different between the groups. The incidence of postoperative complications was not different between the groups. Continuous intraoperative DEX administration had an intraoperative analgesic effect as indicated by lower hemodynamic and fentanyl consumption. Furthermore, there was immediate postoperative analgesia as suspected by the lower pain scores and fentanyl dose during the PACU. However, pain scores and opioid consumption after the PACU remained unaffected.

Effect of Dexmedetomidine Compared to Remifentanil During Bariatric Surgery on Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: a Retrospective Study.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) occurs frequently after bariatric surgery and is a major cause of adverse outcomes. This retrospective study investigated whether opioid-restricted total intravenous anesthesia using dexmedetomidine as a substitute for remifentanil can reduce PONV in bariatric surgery. The electronic medical records of adult patients who underwent laparoscopic bariatric surgery between January and December 2019 were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the agents used for anesthesia: Group D, propofol and dexmedetomidine; Group R, propofol and remifentanil. A total of 134 patients were included in the analyses. The frequency of postoperative nausea was significantly lower in Group D than that in Group R until 2h after discharge from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) (P = 0.005 in the PACU, P = 0.010 at 2h after PACU discharge) but failed to significantly reduce the overall high incidence rates of 60.5% and 65.5%, respectively (P = 0.592). Postoperative pain score was significantly lower in Group D until 6h after PACU discharge. The rates of rescue antiemetic and analgesic agent administration in the PACU were significantly lower in Group D than those in Group R. Opioid-restricted total intravenous anesthesia using dexmedetomidine reduces postoperative nausea, pain score, antiemetic, and analgesic requirements in the immediate postoperative period after bariatric surgery.

The Effect of Non-pharmacological Modalities for Pain, Anxiety and Length of Stay in PACU

<h3>Introduction</h3> Pain and anxiety are common post-operative complications in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) that can have negative implications on both short-term and long-term recovery including increased morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, and prolonged use of opioids ¹. Studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of nonpharmacologic therapies, like soothing music, on post-operative pain and anxiety. The use of perioperative music seems to be safe and patient-friendly ^{2, 3, 4}. <h3>Identification of the problem</h3> In line with current literature, increased pain and anxiety in the post-operative period is a commonly encountered issue in this Midwest teaching hospital's PACU. While pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are available for RNs to use to manage patients' pain and anxiety, non-pharmacologic interventions are inconsistently utilized. Additionally, patient-specific music has not been available for use within the PACU. <h3>EBP Question/Purpose</h3> <b>PICO question. Databases utilized</b>. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effect(s) of relaxation and music on post-operative pain, anxiety, and length of stay (LOS). The following PICO question was investigated: Do patients undergoing vaginal/abdominal hysterectomies and/or urogynecology complex procedures, who use iPads with alternative pain and anxiety management applications, have decreased pain, and/or LOS compared to a control group? Databases CINAHL, Ovid, and Pubmed were searched using the following terms: nonpharmacological interventions and surgical patients and music. Search was limited to articles available online, in English, and published between years 2020-2022. The search yielded 36 articles; 4 were selected as best-evidence to guide this project. <h3>Methods/Evidence</h3> Through grant funding, the study team procured iPads with music, game, and relaxation applications. Between March and August 2021, RNs identified appropriate patients and educated them on iPad use, pre-operatively. Patients' anxiety and pain levels were assessed prior to surgery using a verbal Likert scale. In the PACU, enrolled patients used the iPad in conjunction with current standards of care. Patients' pain and anxiety were assessed upon admission to the PACU and at discharge. LOS was also collected. <h3>Significance of Findings/Outcomes</h3> Pain and anxiety levels were collected and PACU LOS was documented on enrolled patients. Data was compared to a control group matched for surgery type. Control group included retrospective chart audit of similar surgical patients from March-August 2020. Patients enrolled in the iPad group reported lower severity of pain between PACU arrival and PACU discharge compared to the control group (iPad = 38.5% improvement v. control = 19.0 % improvement), suggesting that adjunct nonpharmacological management may impact the severity of pain experienced. No differences were noted in anxiety levels and PACU LOS between the two groups. <h3>Implications for perianesthesia nurses and future research</h3> Findings suggest that music and relaxation applications during the peri-operative period has positive effect on patients' pain. Further investigation into the effects of nonpharmacological modalities on anxiety is needed.

Compliance to Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Discharge Score Practice Among Nurses at Post-Anesthesia Care Unit in the Jimma Medical Center in Ethiopia: A Best Practice Implementation Project, 2021

Compliance to Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Discharge Score Practice Among Nurses at Post-Anesthesia Care Unit in the Jimma Medical Center in Ethiopia: A Best Practice Implementation Project, 2021

Intravenous amisulpride as rescue treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing oncologic surgical procedures.

12111 Background: Nausea and vomiting or retching after surgery can have significant adverse impacts, including increased length of stay, worse outcomes and patient dissatisfaction. Therefore, effective management remains a high priority. While more aggressive, multimodal prophylaxis has helped, options for treating those patients who fail are limited. Intravenous (IV) amisulpride has been shown to be safe and effective for the rescue treatment of Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV) in a large, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in a broad surgical population (Habib AS, Kranke P, Bergese SD, Chung F, et al. Anesthesiology 2019;130:203-212). We conducted a post-hoc analysis to investigate the safety and efficacy of amisulpride specifically in those patients undergoing oncologic surgery, predominantly excision of breast, gastrointestinal, or genitourinary malignancies. Methods: This subset analysis includes data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter phase III trial of a single 10 mg dose of IV amisulpride as rescue treatment of PONV occurring in patients failing pre/peri-operative prophylaxis, generally with ondansetron and/or dexamethasone (Habib AS, Kranke P, Bergese SD, Chung F, et al. Anesthesiology 2019;130:203-212). The subset includes only those patients identified as undergoing surgery related to a specified malignancy or a mass considered likely to be malignant. The primary efficacy outcome was complete response (CR), defined as no emetic episodes (vomiting or retching) or administration of antiemetic rescue medication in the 24 hours after dosing. Results: In total, 465 patients were treated with either 10 mg amisulpride or placebo and 112 (56 in each group) underwent oncologic surgery. Of these, 43 (38%) underwent surgery for a pelvic tumor, 37 (33%) had breast or axillary surgery, 13 (12%) had colorectal, hepatic or pancreatic surgery and 19 (17%) underwent procedures for other malignancies, such as nephrectomy or thyroidectomy. The CR rate at 24 hours in the amisulpride group was 38%, compared to 23% with placebo. This was comparable with the success rates for the whole study population (42% vs 29%). The CR rate after 2 hours was 66% in the amisulpride group and 39% in the placebo group, also in line with the overall study results (70% vs 49%). Among those patients whose PONV occurred in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), the mean length of PACU stay from treatment to PACU discharge was 156 minutes in the amisulpride group and 230 minutes in the placebo group. Treatment-emergent adverse effects (TEAE) were comparable in nature and incidence between amisulpride and placebo. Conclusions: Amisulpride at 10 mg IV is safe and effective as rescue treatment for PONV in cancer patients undergoing surgery and is associated with a marked reduction in PACU length of stay.

Music Listening as a Postanesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Nursing Intervention for Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy Patients: A Randomized Comparative Clinical Trial

PurposeRandomized comparative mixed method approach with qualitative inquiry study's aim sought to determine if there was a difference in pre/post-intervention State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores and postanesthesia pain scores between two music listening groups of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy patients. DesignProspective randomized comparative mixed method approach with a qualitative inquiry. MethodsSample size of 77 male participants assigned by a table of random numbers to Spotify patient-preferred music selection Group I (n = 37) or minimalist hypnotic music with guided relaxation breathing (MHMGRB) instructional narrative Group II (n = 40). Outcome measures used patients’ STAI questionnaire and reported PACU admission and discharge pain scores. ResultsBoth Groups I and II had reduced pain scores at discharge as compared to admission; both groups had a significant reduction (P = .046 Group I, and Group II (P = .002), but changes for comparative groups (I and II) were not significant between the two groups (P = .53). ConclusionsStudy revealed that both patient-preferred selected music and MHMGRB can meaningfully reduce patients’ anxiety and PACU pain scores.

The Effect of Low-Dose Dexmedetomidine on Pain and Inflammation in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Hysterectomy.

Dexmedetomidine has sedative, sympatholytic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the effects of intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion without a loading dose in the prevention of pain and inflammation after laparoscopic hysterectomy. In this study, 100 patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy under desflurane anesthesia were randomized to receive either 0.9% saline or dexmedetomidine (0.4 μg/kg/h) after induction to trocar removal. The primary endpoints were postoperative pain and inflammatory response presented by the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, and C-reactive protein (CRP). The secondary endpoints were hemodynamics during the anesthesia and surgery and postoperative nausea and vomiting. Postoperative pain was decreased in the dexmedetomidine group for every time point, and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) rescue fentanyl doses were decreased in the dexmedetomidine group. The inflammatory response representing TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and CRP were similar across the two groups. Postoperative nausea and vomiting from PACU discharge to 24 h post-surgery were reduced in the dexmedetomidine group. During anesthesia and surgery, the patient’s heart rate was maintained lower in the dexmedetomidine-receiving group. Dexmedetomidine of 0.4 μg/kg/h given as an intraoperative infusion significantly reduced postoperative pain but did not reduce the inflammatory responses in patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Spinal anesthesia in the hospital preoperative area before taking the patient to the operating room for total joint arthroplasty

BackgroundAs the number of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) cases continues to grow operating room (OR) suites can evaluate parallel processing strategies to reduce the length of time the patient is in the OR as a mechanism to increase throughput of cases. The goals of this study were to (1) assess the safety and success rate of performing spinal anesthesia in the hospital preoperative area and (2) measure the OR times for patients after the first case of the day undergoing total hip (THA) or knee arthroplasty (TKA) in an inpatient setting. MethodsA retrospective review of electronic medical records (EMR) was performed on all patients after the first case of the day who underwent unilateral THA or TKA via spinal anesthesia by three orthopedic surgeons between January 2017 and December 2018. Spinal anesthesia was performed based on anesthesiologist preference either in the OR or in the preoperative holding area. Measured OR times included time from patient entry into the OR to: incision, surgery closure end, OR exit, and discharge from the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). Spinal anesthesia failure (inability to perform surgery without conversion to general anesthesia), high spinals requiring airway management, hypotension or bradycardia needing treatment in the holding area, and cardiac arrest were the primary clinical adverse events abstracted from the EMR. ResultsTwenty-five% (n = 398) of a total of 1594 TJAs (720 THAs and 874 TKAs, 924 females and 572 males) received spinal anesthesia by 8 anesthesiologists in the preoperative holding area, with the remaining 1,196 patients receiving the spinal anesthetic in the OR. These 398 TJA patients had a mean and standard deviation (SD) of 70.7 (10.3) years of age, body mass index of 30.4 (6.7), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status of 2.3 (0.5) with 269 ASA 2 patients and 129 ASA 3 patients, with 36% males, and 42% undergoing THA. 100% of patients successfully had the spinal anesthetic with isobaric bupivacaine 0.5% (no additives) placed in the preoperative area, with no high spinals, and the time in minutes from entering the OR to: incision equaled mean (SD) of 42 (16), to surgery closure end 140 (21), OR exit 155 (20), and PACU discharge 297 (90). Complications included emesis (n = 2), and persistent hypotension (n = 4). ConclusionsAll 398 TJA patients had a spinal anesthetic successfully placed in the preoperative area with a minimal number of complications which provides evidence that anesthesiologists can choose patients in which spinal anesthesia is feasible and can be performed safely in the preoperative holding area.

Liposomal compared to 0.25% bupivacaine in patients undergoing hemorrhoidectomy: A pre- and post-implementation quality improvement evaluation

Study objectiveThe efficacy of infiltration of liposomal bupivacaine against an active comparator, such as bupivacaine, remains debated on acute postoperative pain control. We evaluated the analgesic efficacy, patient satisfaction, and side effects of liposomal bupivacaine compared to bupivacaine during hemorrhoidectomy procedures. DesignA pre- and post-implementation quality improvement evaluation. SettingOperating room and post-anesthesia care unit. PatientsNinety-four consecutive adult patients with hemorrhoid surgery between October 2019 and November 2020. InterventionsA preintervention control group of 0.25% bupivacaine (50 ml, 125 mg, n = 47) and a postintervention group of liposomal bupivacaine (30 ml, 266 mg, n = 47) for perianal local anesthetic administration. MeasurementsThe primary endpoint was analgesic efficacy of liposomal bupivacaine compared to bupivacaine based on a reduction in the number of patients administered opioids and patient-reported pain scores in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). Secondary endpoints included constipation, post-discharge patient-reported pain management satisfaction, and opioid prescription refill requests in telephonic interviews three days after surgery. Main resultsPACU peak pain scores were significantly higher in the bupivacaine compared to the liposomal bupivacaine group (median 3 [IQR 0–6] vs. 0 [IQR 0–4], p = 0.03), respectively with no differences in PACU discharge pain scores. There was no difference in the frequency of rescue opioid use (38.2% vs. 25.5%, p = 0.18) or the morphine milligram equivalents administered to each of those patients (median 15 [IQR 10–23] vs. 15 [IQR 15–25], p = 0.39) in the PACU comparing the bupivacaine and liposomal bupivacaine groups respectively. Secondary endpoints were similar in each group with respect to requests for opioid refills (10.6 vs. 12.8%, p = 0.75), >75% satisfied with their pain management (p = 0.94), and constipation reported on day 3 after surgery (p = 0.07). ConclusionsLiposomal bupivacaine compared to a bupivacaine perianal block reduces early PACU pain scores without affecting opioid refill requests, has a similarly low incidence of complications, and high satisfaction in both groups.