Cost consciousness among anaesthetic staff

BACKGROUND: Anaesthetists, like all other specialists, need to be aware of the costs of drugs, fluids and disposables commonly used in their clinical practice so that excessive costs and waste can be minimized without compromising patient care or safety. The present study describes cost consciousness among 120 anaesthetic staff members in two Danish anaesthetic departments. METHOD: A prospective study questioning 120 anaesthetic staff members (69 anaesthetic nurses, 35 senior anaesthetists and 16 junior anaesthetists) about the costs of 29 drugs, fluids and disposable used in routine anaesthetic practice. RESULTS: After the study period 107 questionnaires (90%) were available for analysis. Thirty-eight percent of all estimated costs were within 50% of the actual costs and 85% were within 100%. The costs of relatively expensive items such as isoflurane, enflurane, sevoflurane and hydroxyethyl starch were consistently underestimated, whereas cheaper items such as narcotic drugs, endotracheal tubes, intravenous tubing, plastic syringes and Quincke spinal needle were consistently overestimated. In general, the anaesthetic staff overestimated the costs by 69% (range -24% to 270%). The anaesthetic nursing group overestimated the costs by 49% (range -24% to 270%), junior anaesthetists by 94% (range 25% to 226%) and senior anaesthetists by 72% (range -14% to 135%). CONCLUSION: This study shows that the overall consciousness of the costs of anaesthetic drugs, fluids and disposables has to be improved in order to permit the staff to optimize resources.     

Desflurane: a new volatile anesthetic for cesarean section: Maternal and neonatal effects

Desflurane, a new volatile anesthetic agent with low blood/gas solubility, has recently been studied in clinical and animal trials but its use in obstetrics has not been adequately evaluated. This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the maternal and neonatal effects of desflurane in obstetrical patients. Seventy-five healthy parturients undergoing primary or repeat cesarean section were randomly assigned to one of three groups of 25 each, end-tidal 3% desflurane, 6% desflurane or 0.6% enflurane, combined with 50% N₂O and O₂. All patients had rapid sequence induction of anesthesia with thiopentone sodium followed by succinyl-choline for tracheal intubation. After delivery, anesthesia was maintained with reduced concentration of desflurane or enflurane with 67% N₂O in O₂, supplemented by butorphanol tartrate. Maternal hemodynamic parameters, blood loss and maternal awareness during surgery were monitored. Neonatal outcome was evaluated by Apgar scores, neurological and adaptive capacity scores (NACS), cord blood gas and acid-base status, and time to sustained respiraton (TSR). Maternal blood loss did not differ significantly between the three groups and none of the patients developed intraoperative awareness. All three groups responded to psychomotor performance equally fast. Patients in all three groups developed transient hypertension and tachycardia during induction of anesthesia which returned to baseline values in approximately 5 min. Neonatal outcome was equally good in the three groups. More neonates in the 6% desflurane group had TSR>90 s compared to the 3% desflurane group (P<0.05). It is concluded that desflurane in subanesthetic concentration is a safe supplement to N₂O-O₂ mixture for cesarean section with the advantage of rapid and smooth recovery. 3% desflurane in N₂O-O₂ seems to be an adequate concentration for cesarean section for the healthy parturient.     

A new ventilator converter with the Siemens Servo Ventilator - evaluation in a lung model

A ventilator converter device (Anmedic) for connecting a non-rebreathing ventilator (Servo Ventilator 900 B; Siemens-Elema) to a circle anaesthesia system was evaluated in a lung model. Recorded minute ventilation was slightly lower than dialled in most cases. We furthermore found inadequate expiratory expansion of the ventilator converter bellows, with progressive loss of tidal volume and consequently recorded minute volume, when fresh gas flow to the circle system was low (1 l.min-1), expiratory time was short (less than 40%) and respiratory obstruction was present.     

Iontophoresis of Drugs in the Bladder Wall: Equipment and Preliminary Studies

Abstract: lontophoresis is the active transport of ions into tissues by means of an electric current: J_i =– D_i Δ Ci /Δ _x + D_izeEC_i/kT . Where J_i is the total ionic flux, D_i the diffusion coefficient, C_i the concentration, z the valency, and E the electric field. The first expression on the right side of the equation is Fick's law of diffusion and approaches zero for bladder mucosa, which leads to uncertain results following intravesical administration of various therapeutic agents. The application of an electric field will potentially accelerate drug administration into the bladder wall in a controllable manner. To evaluate this concept, an appropriate source of electric current and electrodes was fabricated; then, studies were conducted in human cadaveric bladders and clinical trials in human subjects. Ionized dyes were applied in duplicate to 10 fresh cadaveric bladders. Electric currents (3.5–5.0 mA) were applied for 20 min to 10 solutions, and no current was used in 10 controls. Twenty-eight patients had 100 ml solutions of 1% mepivacaine or lidocaine with epinephrine infused into their bladders prior to endoscopic resections. Twenty-two patients received currents of 10–20 mA for 10–20 min, and 6 controls had either no drugs or a current of reverse polarity applied. Visually and on microscopy, the 10 control cadaveric bladder surfaces demonstrated only faint staining of the surface mucosa whereas the experimental surfaces showed full-thickness staining of the mucosa extending into the muscularis. The 6 control patients required supplemental anesthesia or abandonment of the operative procedure. Of the 22 experimental subjects, 16 tolerated procedures with up to 25 g of tissue removed by diathermic resection.     

Isoflurane or halothane for cesarean section: comparative maternal and neonatal effects

The maternal and neonatal effects of isoflurane and halothane combined with 50% N2O - 50% O2 were compared in 60 healthy parturients undergoing primary or repeat cesarean section. All patients had rapid sequence induction of anesthesia with sodium thiamylal 4 mg/kg followed by succinylcholine for tracheal intubation. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups of 20 each (inspired 0.5% isoflurane, 1% isoflurane or 0.5% halothane), combined with 50% N2O and O2. After delivery, 67% N2O in O2 was used, supplemented by butorphanol. Maternal blood loss did not differ significantly among the three groups and none of the patients developed intraoperative awareness. At the time of delivery, maternal plasma epinephrine levels were significantly above preinduction levels in the 0.5% isoflurane group but unchanged in the other two groups. Neonatal status as ascertained by Apgar scores, cord acid base status and the Neurologic and Adaptive Capacity Scores (NACS) was equally good in the three groups of patients. Serum inorganic fluoride concentrations in the mother after anesthesia were not significantly above preanesthetic levels in any of the groups and there was no biochemical evidence of renal toxicity. In all neonates fluoride ion concentrations in the first voided urine sample were less than 7 mumol/l, a value well below that associated with nephrotoxicity. It is concluded that isoflurane is a safe supplement to N2O - O2 mixture for cesarean section and is a safer alternative to halothane in situations when patients receiving beta-adrenergic therapy require cesarean section since halothane might potentiate arrhythmias caused by beta adrenergic agonists.     

Evaluation of the efficacy of elastic compression stockings in prevention of hypotension during epidural anaesthesia for elective caesarean section

The ability of graduated compression elastic stockings to prevent hypotension during elective epidural caesarean section was evaluated. Twenty women were randomly assigned to two groups of ten, one group being fitted with the stockings. The incidence and degree of hypotension were the same in both groups. Graduated compression elastic stockings are of no benefit in reducing the incidence of maternal hypotension during caesarean section.     

The effect of bupivacaine paracervical block on the neurobehavioural responses of newborn infants

The effects of maternal bupivacaine paracervical block on neonatal neurobehavioural responses were studied at the ages of 3 h, 1 day, 2 days and 4-5 days. Subjects were healthy, term neonates born vaginally to 10 mothers with paracervical block and to 12 mothers without analgesia. No statistically significant differences were found in the responses between the groups. It is concluded that paracervical block with a small dose of bupivacaine, applied by experienced obstetricians to non-risk parturients with healthy foetuses, has no detrimental effects on newborn behaviour or neurological recovery.     

The effect of segmental epidural analgesia on the neurobehavioural responses of newborn infants

The effects of maternal segmental epidural analgesia on neonatal neurobehavioural responses were studied at the ages of 3 h, 1 day, 2 days and 4-5 days. Subjects were healthy, term neonates born vaginally to 14 mothers with an epidural block and to 15 mothers without analgesia. The only statistically significant differences were found at the age of 1 day, when the epidural group infants habituated and oriented better to inanimate auditory stimuli. It is concluded that segmental epidural analgesia with a low dose of bupivacaine can be regarded as being a safe obstetric analgesic method as regards neonatal behavioural responses.     

Transcranial Doppler and anesthetics

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is widely used to investigate the effects of anesthetic drugs on cerebral blood flow. Its repeatability and non-invasivity makes it an ideal, first choice method. Anesthesia providers are required to be conscious of the cerebral hemodynamic effects of drugs given in their practice, especially in neurosurgery and in subjects with impaired brain functions. The purpose of this review is to present the basic concepts of the TCD technique and the effects on cerebral hemodynamics of the most popular anesthetic drugs evaluated using TCD ultrasonography.     

The effect of lumbar epidural analgesia on the neurobehavioural responses of newborn infants

The effects of maternal lumbar epidural analgesia (Th10-L5) on the neonatal neurobehavioural response were studied at the ages of 3 h, 1 day, 2 days and 4-5 days. The subjects were healthy, full-term neonates, born vaginally to 15 mothers with lumbar epidural block and 19 mothers without analgesia. Those delivered with epidural analgesia scored significantly better on alertness at the age of 3 h, 2 days and 4-5 days than the control group. No other statistically significant differences were found between the groups. The formation of the two groups according to the mothers' desire for epidural analgesia may have contributed to differences in the process of labour, but with this reservation it may be suggested that lumbar epidural analgesia may enhance the infant's recovery from the stress of labour and vaginal delivery.     

Comparison of spinal anaesthesia with epidural anaesthesia in paediatric surgery

202 children aged 2 months to 17 years, undergoing elective paediatric operations below the umbilicus, were allocated randomly to receive either spinal (SA) or epidural anaesthesia (EA). SA was more efficacious since 8 children of 102 needed supplementation with general anaesthesia, in contrast to EA where 24 children of 100 were supplemented with general anaesthesia and 6 with fentanyl. The haemodynamic stability was maintained during EA, whereas during SA 6 patients were given medication to increase heart rate/blod pressure. EA provided longer pain relief than SA in the recovery room. The incidence of postoperative side effects was similarly low following SA and EA. Complaints after discharge were also similar. General weakness (7% vs 8% after SA and EA, respectively), low back pain (6% vs 6%), headache (7% vs 4%), fever (6% vs 4%) and positional headache (PDPH) (5% vs 3%) were the most frequent side effects. PDPH was only observed following SA in children aged 11 years or older. Following EA, PDPH was also observed in the younger age group after accidental clural puncture. In conclusion, we prefer SA for minor paediatric operations due to its high efficacy.