Anesthesiology / 19.02.2026

[caption id="attachment_72508" align="aligncenter" width="500"]anesthesia-when-things-go-wrong.jpg Freepix[/caption]

You can do everything “right” and still get hurt

Most surgical patients show up on time, sign the forms, follow fasting rules, answer the allergy questions, and assume the scary part is the procedure itself. But anesthesia is its own world. It’s chemistry, physiology, monitoring, and teamwork under pressure. When something slips, the patient may not even know what happened until afterward. Or worse, they do know, but they can’t move or speak. That’s the nightmare scenario people whisper about, anesthesia awareness. So what actually goes wrong? How do patients recognize it? And what steps matter if an anesthesia-related injury is suspected?

The most common anesthesia error patterns

Anesthesia injuries often trace back to a few themes:
  • dosage mistakes (too much, too little, wrong medication)
  • failure to monitor oxygenation and vital signs
  • missed allergies or medication interactions
  • communication breakdown between surgical team members
  • equipment failure that wasn’t caught quickly
  • delays in responding to distress signals
The patient may wake up with severe confusion, respiratory problems, nerve injuries from positioning, unexpected cognitive changes, or trauma symptoms that feel “psychological” but are rooted in a very real experience. A useful grounding overview of how these cases are typically evaluated can be found on this anesthesia error attorney resource, especially for patients trying to understand what counts as negligence versus unavoidable complication.
Anesthesiology, Legal-Malpractice / 18.03.2025

[caption id="attachment_67234" align="aligncenter" width="500"]Proof Needed in an Anesthesia Error Case Source[/caption] Anesthesia is a critical part of medical procedures, ensuring patients do not experience pain during surgery. However, errors can occur, and when they do, the consequences can be severe, leading to complications, long-term injuries, or even fatalities. Victims of such mistakes may seek legal action to obtain compensation for their suffering.   In a large city like Chicago, with its advanced medical facilities and numerous hospitals, anesthesia errors can still happen. When they do, holding the responsible party accountable is crucial. If you or a loved one has suffered due to an anesthesia mistake, consulting a Chicago anesthesia error attorney can help you understand your legal options.
Anesthesiology, Legal-Malpractice / 28.02.2025

anesthesia-errors-malpractice.jpg Anesthesia plays a vital role in modern medicine, ensuring that patients remain pain-free during surgeries and other medical procedures. However, when anesthesia is not administered correctly, it can lead to severe health complications. Errors such as incorrect dosage, failure to monitor vital signs, or equipment malfunctions can cause serious injuries and even death. Phoenix, Arizona, is home to many reputable hospitals and surgical centers. However, even in well-established medical facilities, anesthesia errors can occur. If you or a loved one has experienced complications due to an anesthesia mistake, seeking legal guidance is essential. A Phoenix anesthesia error lawyer can help you understand your rights and options for compensation.
Anesthesiology, Pain Research / 29.10.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with a Vertex spokesperson.   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
  • We presented Phase 3 data for our investigational, oral pain signal inhibitor, suzetrigine, at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2024, the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ annual meeting. The Phase 3 data were previously announced in January 2024, and this is the first time the findings were presented to the medical community. The data were featured in the “Best Abstracts” session at the meeting.
  • Our Phase 3 acute pivotal program for suzetrigine included two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pivotal trials, one following abdominoplasty surgery and one following bunionectomy surgery, as well as a single arm safety and effectiveness study which enrolled patients with a broad range of surgical and non-surgical pain conditions. All three studies demonstrated compelling and consistent efficacy and safety across multiple acute pain conditions and settings.
  • Together, the data demonstrate suzetrigine’s potential to offer a safe, well tolerated and effective alternative to the current acute pain treatment paradigm, without addictive potential.
Anesthesiology, Pain Research, Pets / 29.10.2024

As a dog owner, ensuring your furry friend's health and happiness is a primary duty and yet a challenging task. Unlike humans, dogs can't vocalize their pain, so recognizing pain is all about understanding and observing the signs. As dogs are more sensitive pets, it is easy and essential to notice the changes that occur in them. Whether a minor injury, illness or something severe, early identification is crucial to prevent your dogs from further discomfort and complications. Professional support like Mesa Emergency Vet will provide immediate pet care, and it is the dog keeper's responsibility to convey what is really happening with your dog. As you scroll down to read further, you will learn about the symptoms of your dog's pain and what you can possibly do to help them. [caption id="attachment_64370" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Source[/caption]

Behavioral Changes

Dogs are typically energetic and social creatures, but if they are not feeling well, they suddenly withdraw, become lethargic, or avoid interaction, just like how humans react to a situation. Changes in the behavior are not only unusual actions, but they may also growl, snap or even get agitated in a situation where they wouldn't normally react; if so, it has to be treated as soon as possible. If they are whining, whimpering or licking a specific area, they communicate their distress. Paying close attention to its daily behavior and treating the discomfort could soon let them relax to a normal state.
Anesthesiology, Dental Research, Surgical Research / 05.08.2024

  [caption id="attachment_62725" align="alignleft" width="200"]https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-having-a-dental-check-up-3845625/ Image Source[/caption] Medical professionals often inquire about dental crowns before surgery due to potential complications linked to anesthesia and medical equipment. Crowns can interfere with certain procedures, such as the use of airway management tools, requiring extra precautions in the operating room. Patients with dental crowns may face risks like dislodgment or damage during intubation, highlighting the need for careful planning. This ensures both the safety and effectiveness of the surgery, minimizing unexpected issues. Understanding these considerations can ease concerns and foster better communication between patient and doctor. By informing the surgical team about dental work, individuals can help ensure their procedure goes smoothly.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Cannabis, JAMA, Opiods, Surgical Research, University Texas / 10.07.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60589" align="alignleft" width="160"]Paul Potnuru, MDAssistant Professor Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine The John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Dr. Potnuru[/caption] Paul Potnuru, MD Assistant Professor Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine The John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston UTHealth MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The use of cannabis is on the rise in the United States, as it becomes increasingly legally accepted and is viewed as harmless. Furthermore, the potency of cannabis is steadily increasing over time. There is some evidence from previous studies that compared to non-users, cannabis users require more anesthetics, have higher pain after surgery that requires more opioids, and have an increased risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Given this context of increased usage and potential risks during surgery, we conducted a study to examine the impact of cannabis use on patients undergoing surgery.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Columbia, JAMA, OBGYNE / 28.02.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Jean Guglielminotti MD,PhD Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology Columbia University Irving Medical Center New York 10032  MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  Response: An old study (2004-2006) conducted in France suggested that epidural analgesia during childbirth resulted in a decreased risk of postpartum hemorrhage, the first cause of preventable maternal morbidity and mortality. We believed it was important to replicate this study in the United States, because of the advances in obstetric and anesthesia care practices during the last 15 years, and because of the marked differences in the health care systems between the United States and France.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Science, UCSF / 10.11.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_58364" align="alignleft" width="150"]Art Wallace, M.D., Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Anesthesia School of Medicine, UCSF Chief of the Anesthesia Service Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco Dr. Wallace[/caption] Art Wallace, M.D., Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Anesthesia School of Medicine, UCSF Chief of the Anesthesia Service Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: I have spent the last 30 years working on perioperative risk reduction, developing medications and approaches to risk reduction. Part of this work utilized epidemiologic analysis of medication patterns of use to test if they are associated with reductions in morbidity and mortality. This work analyzed data in the VA Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW) which provides access to the VA, best in the world electronic health care record system, VISTA.  With the COVID-19 pandemic I realized that the analytic techniques we had utilized for perioperative cardiac risk reduction could be used to search for medications to reduce the risks for acute COVID-19 infection. We identified four classes of medications that reduced the risk of death in acute COVID-19 infection. We then turned our attention to medications to reduce the incidence, severity, and duration of long-term sequelae of COVID-19 infection also known as Long COVID or COVID Long Hauler Syndrome. One of the questions that people were asking was what was the effect of vaccination on Long COVID? We began that work by looking at the effect of vaccination on COVID infections and found the dramatic decrease in efficacy of vaccines with the spread of the Delta Variant. We published this work to notify the public and public health community of the decreased efficacy of the vaccines in the face of the Delta variant and reiterate the need for secondary public health prevention measures such as masks, social distancing, vaccination, and boosters.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Opiods, Surgical Research / 21.09.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_58139" align="alignleft" width="200"]Andres Zorrilla Vaca, MD Resident Physician Brigham and Women’s Hospital Boston, Massachusetts Dr. Zorrilla Vaca[/caption] Andres Zorrilla Vaca, MD Resident Physician Brigham and Women’s Hospital Boston, Massachusetts  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The background for this study was Enhanced Recovery After Surgery, also known as ERAS protocols. They basically consisted of a bundle of interventions that are performed preoperatively, intraoperatively and postoperatively with the aim of enhancing patient recovery and reducing complications. This protocol in our institution started with a thorough preoperative counseling which includes, smoking cessation, pain and analgesia education, ERAS program expectations, pulmonary rehabilitation based on pulmonary function tests and incentive spirometry. On the day of surgery, prolonged fasting is avoided and a carbohydrate loading is given orally 2 hours before surgery. Our protocol also included a standardized multimodal analgesic regimen consisting of tramadol ER 300mg p.o. and gabapentin 300mg p.o., intraoperative acetaminophen 1gm i.v., posterior intercostal nerve blockade with liposomal bupivacaine 266mg prior to incision, intraoperative 30mg ketorolac upon wound closure and scheduled postoperative acetaminophen 1g p.o. q 6hrs and ketorolac 15mg i.v. q 6 hrs, as well as additonal interventions recommended by ERAS Society Guidelines. As a general rule, preoperative sedatives (midazolam) are avoided as premedication and prophylaxis against nausea and vomiting (ondansetron, dexamethasone and scopolamine) is administered. Patients are kept euvolemic by using validated goal-directed fluid therapy algorithms (stroke volume variation and cardiac output) and normothermia is maintained throughout the procedure.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Cost of Health Care, JAMA / 18.08.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_57937" align="alignleft" width="165"]Ambar La Forgia, PhD Assistant Professor of Health Policy & Management Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Dr. La Forgia[/caption] Ambar La Forgia, PhD Assistant Professor of Health Policy & Management Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Over the past few years, there has been mounting pressure to protect consumers from surprise medical bills, which occur when a patient unknowingly receives care from an out-of-network practitioner at an in-network facility. In 2018, only six states had passed comprehensive surprise billing legislation, and by 2020, 17 states had passed legislation. In addition to protecting patients from financial liability for surprise medical bills, states adopted different methods for determining payments made by a patient’s insurer to the out-of-network practitioner. For example, some states, such as California and Florida, developed a payment standard that tied provider payments to median in-network rates, Medicare rates, or the usual and customary provider charges. Other states, such as New York, developed an independent dispute resolution process, which uses a third-party arbiter to resolve payment disputes between insurers and practitioners. However, little is known about how state laws influence the prices paid to out-of-network practitioners and whether spillovers existed to in-network prices. In this study, my co-authors and I study the association between the passage of surprise billing legislation in California, Florida, and New York, and prices paid to anesthesiologists in hospital outpatient departments and ambulatory surgery centers using commercial claims data from 2012-2017. We focused on anesthesiology because it is one of the specialties with the highest proportion of potential surprise bills since patients do not usually choose their anesthesiologist.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Cognitive Issues, Heart Disease, JAMA, Surgical Research, UCSF / 22.05.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_57417" align="alignleft" width="117"]Elizabeth L. Whitlock, MD, MSc John W. Severinghaus Assistant Professor In Residence Anesthesia & Perioperative Care UCSF Medical Center Dr. Whitlock[/caption] Elizabeth L. Whitlock, MD, MSc John W. Severinghaus Assistant Professor In Residence Anesthesia & Perioperative Care UCSF Medical Center MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: We have known for a while that, rarely, some older adults suffer substantial, durable cognitive decline after surgery, particularly after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery; a larger proportion experience a decline in cognitive test performance which doesn't necessarily affect function, but which has caused concern among researchers.  This cognitive decline was attributed, in part, to the cardiac bypass pump. ​Many of the studies had methodological limitations which made it difficult to be sure that the cognitive change was due to surgery and not due more generally to heart problems or atherosclerotic disease, which may also imply cerebrovascular atherosclerosis. Using a large database of older adults who undergo regular cognitive testing, we identified individuals who underwent CABG and compared them to those who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a minimally invasive, non-surgical method of opening blocked coronary arteries.  This allowed us to model the rate of memory decline before surgery - which hadn't been done in previous studies - and compare it to the rate of memory decline after surgery in older adults who had serious heart disease (some of whom were treated with CABG, and some treated with PCI).
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, OBGYNE / 13.04.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53884" align="alignleft" width="242"]Dr. Alicia Warlick, MD Anesthesiologist at UNC/Rex, American Anesthesiology Raleigh, North Carolina Dr. Warlick[/caption] Dr. Alicia Warlick, MD Anesthesiologist at UNC/Rex, American Anesthesiology Raleigh, North Carolina MedicalResearch.com: As a physician working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 battle, how are you addressing expecting mothers’ concerns about the disease and how it might impact their pregnancy? Response: While COVID-19 has disrupted nearly every aspect of healthcare, whether its virtual appointments or delayed surgeries; there are certain things that are inevitable – like childbirth. As this virus continues to take over the country and we learn more about it each day, pregnant women are facing new challenges and fears. For women approaching their due dates, questions about staying healthy, keeping their baby safe and limiting their risk of exposure while in the hospital are all leading to anxiety and stress. And while policies and guidelines are constantly changing, as physicians we need to remind our patients that we are there to alleviate their concerns, address their questions and remind them to not lose sight of the joy the comes with bringing a child into the world. It’s a scary time for everyone, but by working together and supporting one another, we will get through this.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Geriatrics, NEJM / 23.06.2019

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_49917" align="alignleft" width="128"]Yahya Shehabi  PhD, FANZCA, FCICM, EMBA, GAICD Director of Research, Critical Care and Peri-operative Medicine, Monash Health Professor, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University Professor Intensive Care Medicine, Clinical School of Medicine, University New South Wales Critical Care and Peri-Operative Medicine Lead – Monash Health Translational Precinct  Dr. Shehabi[/caption] Yahya Shehabi  PhD, FANZCA, FCICM, EMBA, GAICD Director of Research, Critical Care and Peri-operative Medicine, Monash Health Professor, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University Professor Intensive Care Medicine, Clinical School of Medicine, University New South Wales Critical Care and Peri-Operative Medicine Lead – Monash Health Translational Precinct MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: SPICE III was the final phase of a series of SPICE studies. SPICE I showed 2 important findings, first, deep sedation in the first 48 hours is strongly associated with higher mortality, longer ventilation time and higher risk of delirium. Second; that Dexmedetomidine is mainly used as an adjunct secondary agent 3-4 days after commencing mechanical ventilation and not as a primary sedative agent. In addition, albeit with several limitations, previous RCTs comparing Dexmedetomidine with conventional sedatives showed reduced iatrogenic coma, shortened ventilation time and reduced delirium with Dexmedetomidine treatment. So based on the above we hypothesized that using Dexmedetomidine soon after commencing ventilation as a primary sedative agent, through reducing early iatrogenic coma, ventilation time and delirium, would impact 90 day-mortality.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Duke, OBGYNE, Opiods, Pain Research, Surgical Research / 29.05.2019

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ashraf Habib, MDChief of the Division of Women’s Anesthesia and Professor of AnesthesiologyDuke University Ashraf Habib, MD Chief of the Division of Women’s Anesthesia Professor of Anesthesiology Duke University  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: This was a multicenter study conducted in 13 clinical sites in the United States enrolling patients undergoing elective Cesarean-section and receiving spinal anesthesia. 186 patients were enrolled and randomized to receive EXPAREL, a long-acting, non-opioid option to manage postsurgical pain, administered via transversus abdominis plane (TAP) field block, mixed with plain bupivacaine or TAP block with plain bupivacaine alone. A TAP block numbs the nerves that supply the abdominal wall. We presented the data at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) in Phoenix, AZ. We aimed to collect clinical evidence that a multimodal postsurgical pain regimen using a TAP block with EXPAREL (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) together with regularly scheduled acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could reduce opioid consumption more so than a standard multimodal pain control approach that combines TAP block with standard bupivacaine, regularly scheduled acetaminophen, and NSAIDs.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Heart Disease, NEJM, Surgical Research / 27.03.2019

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_48112" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Giovanni LandoniIntensive Care and Anesthesia Unit Associate professorUniversità Vita-Salute San Raffaele Dr. Landoni[/caption] Dr. Giovanni Landoni Intensive Care and Anesthesia Unit Associate professor Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?   Response: Patients undergoing cardiac surgery are still at risk for perioperative complications. Studies to improve clinical outcomes this setting are important. Inhaled anesthetics have pharmacological properties which reduce myocardial infarction size by 50% in laboratory and animal studies and which might decrease postoperative mortality according to aggregated published randomized data.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Dermatology, JAMA, NYU/NYMC, Pediatrics / 14.03.2019

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_47880" align="alignleft" width="150"]Roy G. Geronemus, M.D.Director, Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New YorkClinical Professor of DermatologyNew York University Medical CenterNew York, NY 10016 Dr. Geronemus[/caption] Roy G. Geronemus, M.D. Director, Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York Clinical Professor of Dermatology New York University Medical Center New York, NY 10016 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?  Response: We made the observation in clinical practice that port wine stain birthmarks can be safely and effectively treated in early infancy without the need for general anesthesia. This observation is particularly important because of the FDA warnings regarding multiple exposures to general anesthesia under the age of 3 and the potential impact on neurocognitive development as these patients require multiple treatments.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, JAMA, Surgical Research / 25.02.2019

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_47588" align="alignleft" width="180"]Bheeshma Ravi, MD, PhD, FRCSC Scientist Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Holland Centre Toronto, ON Dr. Ravi[/caption] Bheeshma Ravi, MD, PhD, FRCSC Scientist Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Holland Centre Toronto, ON MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Delirium is an acute change in mental status characterized by fluctuating disturbances of consciousness and attention. Elderly patients are prone to delirium after surgery; this contributes significantly to post-operative morbidity and can also lead to long-term disability. Our study found that among older adults undergoing hip fracture surgery, both an increased duration of surgery and a general anesthetic are associated with an increased risk for post-operative delirium.​ 
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, JAMA, Surgical Research / 07.02.2019

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_47280" align="alignleft" width="140"]Michael Avidan, MBBCh, FCA SA Dr. Seymour and Rose T. Brown Professor of Anesthesiology Chief of the Division of Clinical and Translational Research Director of the Infrastructure of Quality Improvement, Research and Informatics Washington University School of Medicine St Louis, MO Dr. Avidan[/caption] Michael Avidan, MBBCh, FCA SA Dr. Seymour and Rose T. Brown Professor of Anesthesiology Chief of the Division of Clinical and Translational Research Director of the Infrastructure of Quality Improvement, Research and Informatics Washington University School of Medicine St Louis, MO  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Postoperative delirium, a temporary state of confusion and inattention, is common in older adults after major surgery. Delirium can be distressing to patients, family members and clinicians. It is associated with longer hospital stays, other medical complications, cognitive decline, and death. Some previous studies have found that using electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring of the brain during general anesthesia decreases the occurrence of delirium following surgery. Therefore we conducted a rigorous study to determine whether using information from the EEG to guide the safe reduction of inhaled anesthetic drugs would prevent postoperative delirium and improve other outcomes in older adults following major surgery.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, JAMA, Pediatrics, Surgical Research / 08.11.2018

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: "Anesthesia" by Liran Szeiman is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0James D. O’Leary, MD Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Child Health Evaluative Sciences The Hospital for Sick Children Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: There is substantial evidence from laboratory studies that the developing brain is susceptible to injury from general anesthetic drugs, which culminated in the US Food Drug Administration issuing a safety communication in 2017 stating that the use of general anaesthetic drugs “for lengthy periods of time or over multiple surgeries or procedures may negatively affect brain development in children younger than 3 years”. Considering the substantial number of children who require general anesthesia every year (almost 3 million in the US annually) even small differences in child development outcomes after surgical procedures that require general anesthesia may have significant public health implications. Undertaking studies of anesthesia-related neurotoxicity in humans is difficult as adverse child development is a function of the complex interaction between many risk and protective factors. By examining differences between biological siblings in Ontario, Canada, this study seeks to mitigate differences in risk from biological vulnerability and environmental factors, to provide a more accurate estimate of the adverse effects of anesthesia and surgery on child development. In the current study, young children who had surgical procedures that require general anesthesia were not found to be at increased risk of adverse child development outcomes compared to their biological siblings who did not have surgery. These findings further support that exposure to anesthesia and surgery in early childhood is not associated with detectable adverse child development outcomes.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Opiods, Pain Research, Surgical Research / 29.10.2018

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: "Surgery" by Army Medicine is licensed under CC BY 2.0Dr. Nirmal B. Shah Anesthesia Resident PGY-IV (CA-III) Thomas Jefferson University Hospital MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?  Response: With the ongoing opioid epidemic, we believe it is important to understand patients’ perceptions of pain medications and pain control after surgery. We believe patients’ expectations and perceptions regarding perioperative pain medications has not been well understood. We were hoping to understand patients’ knowledge, concerns, and biases of pain medication along with information to optimize acute pain management. The goal of this survey study was to understand patient expectations regarding pain medications including opioids and non- opioids.  In the United States, over 100 million surgical procedures are performed every year. Nearly 80% of these patients will experience post-operative pain. Adequate treatment of post-operative pain has been shown to improve clinical and economic outcomes, thus there has been an increased effort towards improving post-operative pain control. Through our research, we demonstrated that patients expect to experience postoperative pain after a surgical procedure and expect to be prescribed a pain medication. Patients believe that opioid medications will be most effective in treating postoperative pain compared to non-opioid medications, which could be contributing to the opioid epidemic. 503 patients presenting for elective surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA were sampled during this survey. 76% of patients expected to be prescribed an opioid pain medication at discharge, 47% of patients expected to be prescribed acetaminophen (Tylenol) pain medication at discharge, while 30% of patients expected to be prescribed an NSAID (Motrin) pain medication at discharge. 94% of patients expecting to receive an opioid pain medication believe it would be effective in controlling their post-operative pain. This difference was not observed in patients expecting prescriptions for non-opioid pain medications. Overall, patients expect to experience pain after surgery and be prescribed analgesics they perceived to be most effective, opioids.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, ENT, Heart Disease, JAMA / 03.09.2018

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_44159" align="alignleft" width="155"]Henry E. Wang, MD, MS Professor and Vice Chair for Research University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston  Department of Emergency Medicine Houston, Texas  Dr. Wang[/caption] Henry E. Wang, MD, MS Professor and Vice Chair for Research University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Department of Emergency Medicine Houston, Texas MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: For over three decades, paramedics have performed endotracheal intubation (ETI) as the standard advanced airway management strategy in cardiac arrest. However, intubation is a difficult and error-prone intervention. Newer supraglottic airways such as the laryngeal tube (LT) offer easier insertion technique with comparable ventilation. However, intubation and laryngeal tubes have not been tested head-to-head in a randomized trial. Our study - the Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial (PART) - tested intubation vs laryngeal tube for airway management in adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. The trial included 27 EMS agencies from the Birmingham, Dallas-Fort Worth, Milwaukee, Portland and Pittsburgh communities. The trial randomized a total of 3,004 adult cardiac arrests to airway management with ETI or LT. We found that compared with traditional ETI, LT was associated with almost 3% better survival. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival in the US is less than 10%, so the observed difference is important. 
Addiction, Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Emergency Care, Pain Research / 23.07.2018

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_43379" align="alignleft" width="120"]Evan Schwarz, MD FACEP, FACMT Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine Medical Toxicology Fellowship Director Section Chief Medical Toxicology Advisory Dean in the Office of Student Affairs Division of Emergency Medicine Washington University School of Medicine Dr. Schwarz[/caption] Evan Schwarz, MD FACEP, FACMT Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine Medical Toxicology Fellowship Director Section Chief Medical Toxicology Advisory Dean in the Office of Student Affairs Division of Emergency Medicine Washington University School of Medicine  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?  Response: Ketamine is being increasingly used in the emergency department (ED) for a variety of conditions, including as an analgesic. While its usage continues to increase, there are limited studies evaluating ketamine as an analgesic in the emergency department. Most of the studies evaluating ketamine utilized it as an adjunct to an opioid, however, multiple recommendations on blogs and other websites recommend ketamine as a single agent. The purpose of the meta-analysis was to compare the analgesic effect of ketamine compared to an opioid in adult patients presenting with acute pain to the ED. In this study, we found that ketamine was non-inferior to opioids. We also found that the number of severe adverse events to be similar between both groups.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Pulmonary Disease / 03.06.2018

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr James Purcell University College Cork and South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital Cork, Ireland MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Nail varnish and acrylic nails  or newer trends like magnetic gel polish are common accessories and as such are commonly encountered by an array of healthcare professionals in various scenarios when SpO2 readings may be part of patient care.. Colloquially there was a wide variety of approaches and beliefs as to whether or not these treatments impacted on SpO2 readings. This is due to the fact that the Digital Pulse oximetry relies on the passing of a wavelength of light through a pulsatile nailbed to a sensor on the opposite side of the finger tip in order to read SpO2 levels. Any potential interference to this process by polish of certain hues, or acrylic was therefor believed to impact on the resultant readings As such it was decided to analyse the actual level of knowledge and variety of approaches to the issue by means of a multisite study involving Consultants, NCHDs, and nursing staff in areas where this issue may arise. A second, experimental part of the study was set up using healthy volunteers and venous congestion and hypoxia modelling. Nail varnish of differing hues and acrylic nails (magnetic nails were not studied) were applied and results of SpO2 readout in healthy and pathological models with and without nail treatments applies were analysed.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Critical Care - Intensive Care - ICUs, Mental Health Research / 04.03.2018

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_40380" align="alignleft" width="125"]Yoanna Skrobik MD FRCP(c) MSc McGill University Health Centre Canada Dr. Skrobik[/caption] Yoanna Skrobik MD FRCP(c) MSc McGill University Health Centre Canada MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: My clinical research interests revolve around critical care analgesia, sedation, and delirium. I validated the first delirium screening tool in mechanically ventilated ICU patients (published in 2001), described ICU delirium risk factors, associated outcomes, compared treatment modalities and described pharmacological exposure for the disorder. I was invited to participate in the 2013 Society of Critical Care Medicine Pain, Anxiety, and Delirium management guidelines, and served as the vice-chair for the recently completed Pain, Agitation, Delirium, Early Mobility and Sleep upcoming guidelines. Until this study, no pharmacological prevention or intervention could convincingly be considered effective in ICU delirium. Although Haloperidol and other antipsychotics are frequently used in practice, their lack of efficacy and possible disadvantages are increasingly being understood.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, JAMA, Stroke / 18.01.2018

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_39304" align="alignleft" width="128"]Dr. Claus Z. Simonsen, MD, PhD Department of Neurology Aarhus University Hospital Dr. Simonsen[/caption] Dr. Claus Z. Simonsen, MD, PhD Department of Neurology Aarhus University Hospital MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Retrospective studies find worse outcome when performing (Endovascular Therapy) EVT under General Anesthesia (GA). The main finding is that infarct growth in the Conscious Sedation (CS) and GA are not different. And that patients who had EVT under GA had a better outcome after 90 days. This is probably explained by better reperfusion rates under GA which was another part of the study that was surprising. Our neurointerventionalist are comfortable performing EVT under CS, but our study indicates that maybe it is easier to achieve reperfusion it the patient is anesthesized.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Opiods, Pain Research, Surgical Research / 31.10.2017

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Philipp Gerner MD Candidate - Class of 2018 University of Massachusetts Medical School MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Over 1 million patients undergo total joint replacement surgery in the United States alone every year, with many experiencing significant pain postoperatively. These procedures often require large amounts of pain medication to keep patients comfortable, which historically has been treated with opioids. Currently, increasing awareness of safe opioid prescribing has created an increased interest in other ways to effectively treat post-operative pain without the dangers and side-effects of opioids. As part of an analysis of the impact of multimodal pain management (i.e. multiple drug classes or procedures to treat post-operative pain) and opioid usage, we conducted this study to considered how trends have changed over the last 10 years. Our data shows that opioid use for post-operative pain has declined substantially in patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA & TKA), two very common and often painful orthopedic procedures. Patients being treated with opioids alone for THA decreased from 47.6% in 2006 to 7.5% in 2016, with similar trends being seen in TKA patients. Importantly, our data also showed that patients are increasingly being treated with a multimodal approach to pain control; especially patients being treated with 3 or more different pain modalities increased sharply in the last 10 years for both procedures in our study. This allows patients the benefit of managing their pain without many of the side-effect associated with large doses of a single pain medication. This trend was found to be especially true in small and medium sized hospitals, compared to larger hospitals. With increasing emphasis on limiting opioid use, this data shows us that the medical community is actively pursuing alternate possibilities for successfully treating post-operative pain.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Pediatrics, Surgical Research, Technology / 18.10.2017

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Sunghee Han Professor Seoul National Unversity College of Medicine Seoul National University Hospital Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicin What is the background for this new technology and study? What are the main findings? Response: The time from patient arrival in the operating theatre to induction of general anesthesia is one of the most stressful moments for children undergoing surgery. Various strategies such as 'pre-operative guided operating room tour' or 'therapeutic play intervention' have been developed in order to reduce children's pre-operative anxiety. Although these existing simulation-based approaches may be effective, they have not been widely used in real clinical settings with limited budget and resources such as manpower and space. Virtual Reality(VR), a relatively new technology in the field of healthcare, can allow the user to experience an immersive environment. In this study, using VR technology, we provided the children with a realistic trip to the operating theatre accompanied by ‘My best friend’ Pororo. “Pororo, The Little Penguin” is a very famous cartoon character in Korea and Asia. Most children in Korea watch Pororo in TV, play with Pororo toys since early yeas and perceive Pororo as a ‘close friend’. In the VR content used in this study, Pororo acts as a patient and is subjected to anesthesia and surgery himself. Pororo kindly brings his friend(the viewer; paediatric patient) to the theatre and shows all that is going on in there. Intervention with the VR content was able to reduce the level of anxiety in paediatric patients and promote collaborative behavior and acceptance of the invasive procedures, especially general anesthesia. Parental satisfaction level was also relatively higher in the VR group.
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, JAMA, Pediatrics, Pulmonary Disease / 26.09.2017

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_37063" align="alignleft" width="125"]Shabih U. Hasan, MD, DCH, FRCPC Professor and Staff Neonatologist, Alberta Health Services Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine University of Calgary Dr. Hasan[/caption] Shabih U. Hasan, MD, DCH, FRCPC Professor and Staff Neonatologist, Alberta Health Services Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine University of Calgary MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Approximately 8% of all infants are born prematurely (preterm birth <37 weeks postmenstrual age). Preterm infants have many challenges including establishment of adequate pulmonary gas exchange. Due to not yet fully developed lungs, preterm infants require respiratory support consisting of respirators and other forms of non-invasive ventilation modalities and supplemental oxygen.  Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the commonest morbidity among very low birth weight infants as 40% of survivors at postmenstrual age <30 weeks develop BPD. This is a serious condition as it can lead to short- and long-term pulmonary complications, increased hospital visits and neurodevelopmental impairment. BPD is defined where preterm infants require respiratory support and/or supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks postmenstrual age. A number of therapeutic and non-therapeutic modalities have been used to prevent BPD including inhaled nitric oxide (iNO).  In 2006, the NO CLD trial demonstrated that iNO prevented BPD (Relative benefit 1.81; CI 1.27-2.59, P = 0.006) if used according to the NO CLD Protocol (Ballard et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 355:343-353, 2006). Our study (NEWNO; Newborns treated with Nitric Oxide) was designed to replicate the NO CLD study.