Complementary Medicine a Costly Risk in Management of Chronic Knee Osteoarthritis? A Case Report

@#Knee osteoarthritis is the commonest cause of knee pain in the elderly. It is characterized by unresolved pain, limitation of motion and reduced quality of life. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a safe and effective method in treating chronic knee osteoarthritis. We report a rare case of a seventy-seven-year-old Chinese female with multiple comorbidities and bilateral degenerative osteoarthritis who had sought services of traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) for pain relief. The patient experienced unresolved pain and superficial skin scars following the unregulated procedure. This paper aims to outline the importance of awareness among surgeons regarding the unregulated practice of TCM that may exacerbate chronic osteoarthritis, joint synovitis, influence the surgical approach for future procedures with the presence of scars and prosthetic joint infection risk.

Perioperative factors associated with pressure ulcer development after major surgery / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pressure ulcers are important indicators of perioperative care quality, and are serious and expensive complications during critical care. This study aimed to identify perioperative risk factors for postoperative pressure ulcers. METHODS: This retrospective case-control study evaluated 2,498 patients who underwent major surgery. Forty-three patients developed postoperative pressure ulcers and were matched to 86 control patients based on age, sex, surgery, and comorbidities. RESULTS: The pressure ulcer group had lower baseline hemoglobin and albumin levels, compared to the control group. The pressure ulcer group also had higher values for lactate levels, blood loss, and number of packed red blood cell (pRBC) units. Univariate analysis revealed that pressure ulcer development was associated with preoperative hemoglobin levels, albumin levels, lactate levels, intraoperative blood loss, number of pRBC units, Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, Braden scale score, postoperative ventilator care, and patient restraint. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, only preoperative low albumin levels (odds ratio [OR]: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.05–0.82; P < 0.05) and high lactate levels (OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.07–2.71; P < 0.05) were independently associated with pressure ulcer development. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to assess the predictive power of the logistic regression model, and the area under the curve was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.79–0.97; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that preoperative low albumin levels and high lactate levels were significantly associated with pressure ulcer development after surgery.

N-terminal pro B type natriuretic peptide in high cardiovascular-risk patients for noncardiac surgery: What is the current prognostic evidence.

As millions of surgical procedures are performed worldwide on an aging population with multiple comorbidities, accurate and simple perioperative risk stratification is critical. The cardiac biomarker, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), has generated considerable interest as it is easy to obtain and appears to have powerful predictive and prognostic capabilities. BNP is currently being used to guide medical therapy for heart failure and has been added to several algorithms for perioperative risk stratification. This review examines the current evidence for the use of BNP in the perioperative period in patients who are at high‑cardiovascular risk for noncardiac surgery. In addition, we examined the use of BNP in patients with pulmonary embolism and left ventricular assist devices. The available data strongly suggest that the addition of BNP to perioperative risk calculators is beneficial; however, whether this determination of risk will impact outcomes, remains to be seen.

Valor predictivo del índice multifactorial de riesgo cardíaco de goldman para cirugía no cardíaca / Predictive value of the Goldman's cardiac risk multifactor rate for non-cardiac surgery

Introducción: Reconocer oportunamente las variables de riesgo perioperatorio permite predecir la morbimortalidad, para ello se han creado varias escalas de riesgo en pacientes portadores de enfermedad cardiovascular. Objetivo: Evaluar la sensibilidad, especificidad y valores predictivos del índice de riesgo multifactorial de Goldman en pacientes cardiópatas para cirugía no cardíaca. Método: Se realizó un estudio analítico transversal del total de pacientes portadores de enfermedad cardiovascular con enfermedad quirúrgica no cardiaca en el período comprendido de enero del 2010 a septiembre del 2010, en el Hospital Universitario Manuel Ascunce Domenech de la ciudad de Camagüey. La muestra estuvo constituida por 30 pacientes comprendidos en el universo que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. Las variables estudiadas fueron: edad, sexo, tipos y urgencia de la intervención, relación entre el riesgo y la presencia de complicaciones. Se aplicó prueba de sensibilidad, especificidad e intervalos de confianza. Resultados: Predominaron los pacientes comprendidos entre 50 y 69 años (57%), sexo masculino (20 pacientes), los procedimientos laparoscópicos (10 pacientes) y electivos (73%). Fue frecuente encontrar pacientes de bajo riesgo (20 pacientes), en los cuales la mayoría no sufrieron complicaciones (15 de ellos) y en aquellos predichos como de alto riesgo casi todos presentaron complicaciones en su evolución (9 de 10 pacientes). El Índice de Goldman mostró una elevada especificidad (93.7%) y valor predictivo positivo (90.0%). Conclusión: el Índice de Goldman presenta una alta probabilidad de predecir complicaciones en pacientes de alto riesgo, no obstante se deben emplear otras escalas para determinar con mayor exactitud el riesgo perioperatorio.

To recognize opportunely the perioperative risk variables allow us to predict the morbidity and mortality, thus some risk scales in patients presenting with cardiovascular diseases were designed. Objective: To assess the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of multifactor risk Goldman's rate in patients with heart diseases for a non-cardiac surgery. Method: A cross-sectional and analytical study was conducted in the total of patients presenting with cardiovascular disease and non-cardiac surgical disease from January, 2010 to September, 2010 admitted in the "Manuel Ascunce Domenech" Universitary Hospital of Camaguey city. Sample included 30 patients from the universe fulfilled the inclusion criterion. The study variables were: age, sex, types and urgency of intervention, relation between the risk and the presence of complications. Results: There was predominance of patients aged between 50 and 69 (57%), male sex (20 patients), laparoscopic procedures (10 patients) and elective (73%). There was a frequency of low risk patients (20) where most have not complications 15 of them) and those considered as of high risk presenting complications during their course (9 of 10 patients). The Goldman's rate showed a high specificity (93.7%) and a positive predictive value (90%). Conclusion: The Goldman's rate has a high likelihood to predict complications in high risk patients; however, it is necessary to use other scales to determine accurately the perioperative risk.

Comparison of Peri-operative Risks between General Anesthesia and Thoracic Epidural Blockade Combined with General Anesthesia for on Hepatectomy / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate risk factors for perioperative periods between general anesthesia (GA group) and thoracic epidural blockade combined with general anesthesia (CEA group) for consecutive hepatic resections. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was carried out regarding 85 patients who had undergone hepatic resections. We compared the effects of postoperative pain control in the two groups, including pulmonary complications and durations of hospital stay. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in demographic data between the two groups. The perioperative fluid requirement and transfusions were lower in the CEA group. Supplemental analgesics requirement was significantly lower in the CEA group than the GA group in the 3 days postoperatively. There were no statistical difference between the two groups in nausea, vomiting, urticaria, constipation or urinary retention, but hypotension was more pronounced in the CEA group than the GA group. Postoperative pulmonary and surgical complications were similar between the two groups, but the duration of hospital stay was longer in the GA group than the CEA group. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the thoracic epidural blockade combined with general anesthesia provided lower surgical blood loss and better postoperative analgesia and hospital stay than general anesthesia for hepatic resections.