Postoperative analgesic options after spine surgery: finding the optimal treatment strategies.

INTRODUCTION: Spine surgery is one of the most common types of surgeries performed in the United States; however, managing postoperative pain following spine surgery has proven to be challenging. Patients with spine pathologies have higher incidences of chronic pain and resultant opioid use and potential for tolerance. Implementing a multimodal plan for postoperative analgesia after spine surgery can lead to enhanced recovery and outcomes. AREAS COVERED: This review presents several options for analgesia following spine surgery with an emphasis on multimodal techniques to best aid this specific patient population. In addition to traditional therapeutics, such as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and opioids, we discuss intrathecal morphine administration and emerging regional anesthesia techniques. EXPERT OPINION: Several adjuncts to improve analgesia following spine surgery are efficacious in the postoperative period. Intrathecal morphine provides sustained analgesia and can be instilled intraoperatively by the surgical team under direct visualization. Local anesthetics deposited under ultrasound guidance by an anesthesiologist trained in regional techniques also provide the opportunity for single injections or continuous analgesia via an indwelling catheter.

Effect of Cognitive Prehabilitation on the Incidence of Postoperative Delirium Among Older Adults Undergoing Major Noncardiac Surgery: The Neurobics Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Postoperative delirium in older adults is a common and costly complication after surgery. Cognitive reserve affects the risk of postoperative delirium, and thus preoperative augmentation of reserve as a preventive technique is of vital interest. Objective: To determine whether cognitive prehabilitation reduces the incidence of postoperative delirium among older adults. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a prospective, single-blinded randomized clinical trial conducted from March 2015 to August 2019 at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. Patients 60 years and older undergoing major, noncardiac, nonneurological surgery under general anesthesia, with an expected hospital stay of at least 72 hours, were eligible for trial inclusion. Patients were excluded for preoperative cognitive dysfunction and active depression. Interventions: Participation in electronic, tablet-based preoperative cognitive exercise targeting memory, speed, attention, flexibility, and problem-solving functions. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was incidence of delirium between postoperative day 0 to day 7 or discharge, as measured by a brief Confusion Assessment Method, Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale, or a structured medical record review. Secondary outcomes compared delirium characteristics between patients in the intervention and control groups. Results: Of the 699 patients approached for trial participation, 322 completed consent and 268 were randomized. Subsequently, 17 patients were excluded, leaving 251 patients in the primary outcome analysis. A total of 125 patients in the intervention group and 126 control patients were included in the final analysis (median [interquartile range] age, 67 [63-71] years; 163 women [64.9%]). Ninety-seven percent of the patients in the intervention group completed some brain exercise (median, 4.6 [interquartile range, 1.31-7.4] hours). The delirium rate among control participants was 23.0% (29 of 126). With intention-to-treat analysis, the delirium rate in the intervention group was 14.4% (18 of 125; P = .08). Post hoc analysis removed 4 patients who did not attempt any cognitive exercise from the intervention group, yielding a delirium rate of 13.2% (16 of 121; P = .04). Secondary analyses among patients with delirium showed no differences in postoperative delirium onset day or duration or total delirium-positive days across study groups. Conclusions and Relevance: The intervention lowered delirium risk in patients who were at least minimally compliant. The ideal activities, timing, and effective dosage for cognitive exercise-based interventions to decrease postoperative delirium risk and burden need further study. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02230605.

The effect of supplemental high Fidelity simulation training in medical students.

BACKGROUND: Simulation-based education (SBE) with high-fidelity simulation (HFS) offers medical students early exposure to the clinical environment, allowing development of clinical scenarios and management. We hypothesized that supplementation of standard pulmonary physiology curriculum with HFS would improve the performance of first-year medical students on written tests of pulmonary physiology. METHODS: This observational pilot study included SBE with three HFS scenarios of patient care that highlighted basic pulmonary physiology. First-year medical students' test scores of their cardio-pulmonary curriculum were compared between students who participated in SBE versus only lecture-based education (LBE). A survey was administered to the SBE group to assess their perception of the HFS. RESULTS: From a class of 188 first-year medical students, 89 (47%) participated in the SBE and the remaining 99 were considered as the LBE group. On their cardio-pulmonary curriculum test, the SBE group had a median score of 106 [IQR: 97,110] and LBE group of 99 [IQR: 89,105] (p < 0.001). For the pulmonary physiology subsection, scores were also significantly different between groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of supplemental SBE could be an adequate technique to improve learning enhancement and overall satisfaction in preclinical medical students.

Levorphanol in the Perioperative Setting: Decreasing Opioid Requirements While Improving Pain Management.

Levorphanol is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved long-acting opioid. Most information on perioperative use of levorphanol comes from the early- and mid-1950s when this drug emerged in the field of experimental pharmacology and anesthesia. It was mainly studied during this period with some additional data being generated in the 1960s and 70s. Since this time, perioperative use has declined and research is limited. This review of literature aims to provide pharmacologic and historic description of levorphanol as a tool for perioperative pain management and as an aid to potentially decrease total postoperative opioid use during the current opioid crisis.

Intraoperative Fluid Management in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery: A Narrative Review.

Fluid management has been widely recognized as an important component of the perioperative care in patients undergoing major procedures including spine surgeries. Patient- and surgery-related factors such as age, length of the surgery, massive intraoperative blood loss, and prone positioning, may impact the intraoperative administration of fluids. In addition, the type of fluid administered may also affect post-operative outcomes. Published literature describing intraoperative fluid management in patients undergoing major spine surgeries is limited and remains controversial. Therefore, we reviewed current literature on intraoperative fluid management and its association with post-operative complications in spine surgery.

The Effects of Patient Positioning on the Outcome During Posterior Cranial Fossa and Pineal Region Surgery.

Background: Surgery on posterior cranial fossa (PCF) and pineal region (PR) carries the risks of intraoperative trauma to the brainstem structures, blood loss, venous air embolism (VAE), cardiovascular instability, and other complications. Success in surgery, among other factors, depends on selecting the optimal patient position. Our objective was to find associations between patient positioning, incidence of intraoperative complications, neurological recovery, and the extent of surgery. Methods: This observational study was conducted in two medical centers: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (USA) and The Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute (Russian Federation). Patients were distributed in two groups based on the surgical position: sitting position (SP) or horizontal position (HP). The inclusion criteria were adult patients with space-occupying or vascular lesions requiring an open PCF or PR surgery. Perioperative variables were recorded and summarized using descriptive statistics. The post-treatment survival, functional outcome, and patient satisfaction were assessed at 3 months. Results: A total of 109 patients were included in the study: 53 in SP and 56 in HP. A higher proportion of patients in the HP patients had >300 mL intraoperative blood loss compared to the SP group (32 vs. 13%; p = 0.0250). Intraoperative VAE was diagnosed in 40% of SP patients vs. 0% in the HP group (p < 0.0001). However, trans-esophageal echocardiographic (TEE) monitoring was more common in the SP group. Intraoperative hypotension was documented in 28% of SP patients compared to 9% in HP group (p = 0.0126). A higher proportion of SP patients experienced a new neurological symptom compared to the HP group (49 vs. 29%; p = 0.0281). The extent of tumor resection, postoperative 3-months survival, functional outcome, and patient satisfaction were not different in the groups. Conclusions: The SP was associated with, less intraoperative bleeding, increased intraoperative hypotension, VAE, and postoperative neurological deficit. More HP patients experienced macroglossia and increased blood loss. At 3 months, there was no difference of parameters between the two groups. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: registration number NCT03364283.

An Artificial Neural Network-based Predictive Model to Support Optimization of Inpatient Glycemic Control.

Background: Achieving glycemic control in critical care patients is of paramount importance, and has been linked to reductions in mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, and morbidities such as infection. The myriad of illnesses and patient conditions render maintenance of glycemic control very challenging in this setting. Materials and Methods: This study involved collection of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data, and other associated measures, from the electronic medical records of 127 patients for the first 72 h of ICU care who upon admission to the ICU had a diagnosis of type 1 (n = 8) or type 2 diabetes (n = 97) or a glucose value >150 mg/dL (n = 22). A neural network-based model was developed to predict a complete trajectory of glucose values up to 135 min ahead of time. Model accuracy was validated using data from 15 of the 127 patients who were not included in the model training set to simulate model performance in real-world health care settings. Results: Predictive models achieved an improved accuracy and performance compared with previous models that were reported by our research team. Model error, expressed as mean absolute difference percent, was 10.6% with respect to interstitial glucose values (CGM) and 15.9% with respect to serum blood glucose values collected 135 min in the future. A Clarke Error Grid Analysis of model predictions with respect to the reference CGM and blood glucose measurements revealed that >99% of model predictions could be regarded as clinically acceptable and would not lead to inaccurate insulin therapy or treatment recommendations. Conclusion: The noted clinical acceptability of these models illustrates their potential utility within a clinical decision support system to assist health care providers in the optimization of glycemic management in critical care patients.

Advanced Analgesic Drug Delivery and Nanobiotechnology.

Transdermal administration of analgesic medications offers several benefits over alternative routes of administration, including a decreased systemic drug load with fewer side effects, and avoidance of drug degradation by the gastrointestinal tract. Transdermal administration also offers a convenient mode of drug administration over an extended period of time, particularly desirable in pain medicine. A transdermal administration route may also offer increased safety for drugs with a narrow therapeutic window. The primary barrier to transdermal drug absorption is the skin itself. Transdermal nanotechnology offers a novel method of achieving enhanced dermal penetration with an extended delivery profile for analgesic drugs, due to their small size and relatively large surface area. Several materials have been used to enhance drug duration and transdermal penetration. The application of nanotechnology in transdermal delivery of analgesics has raised new questions regarding safety and ethical issues. The small molecular size of nanoparticles enables drug delivery to previously inaccessible body sites. To ensure safety, the interaction of nanoparticles with the human body requires further investigation on an individual drug basis, since different formulations have unique properties and side effects.

Impact of Demographic, Socioeconomic, and Psychological Factors on Glycemic Self-Management in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is reported as one of the most complex chronic diseases worldwide. In the United States, Type 2 DM (T2DM) is the seventh leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Individuals with diabetes require lifelong personal care to reduce the possibility of developing long-term complications. A good knowledge of diabetes risk factors, including obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, family history of DM, and sedentary lifestyle, play an essential role in prevention and treatment. Also, sociodemographic, economic, psychological, and environmental factors are directly and indirectly associated with diabetes control and health outcomes. Our review intends to analyze the interaction between demographics, knowledge, environment, and other diabetes-related factors based on an extended literature search, and to provide insight for improving glycemic control and reducing the incidence of chronic complications.

Intraoperative Tension Pneumothorax in a Patient With Remote Trauma and Previous Tracheostomy.

Many trauma patients present with a combination of cranial and thoracic injury. Anesthesia for these patients carries the risk of intraoperative hemodynamic instability and respiratory complications during mechanical ventilation. Massive air leakage through a lacerated lung will result in inadequate ventilation and hypoxemia and, if left undiagnosed, may significantly compromise the hemodynamic function and create a life-threatening situation. Even though these complications are more characteristic for the early phase of trauma management, in some cases, such a scenario may develop even months after the initial trauma. We report a case of a 25-year-old patient with remote thoracic trauma, who developed an intraoperative tension pneumothorax and hemodynamic instability while undergoing an elective cranioplasty. The intraoperative patient assessment was made even more challenging by unexpected massive blood loss from the surgical site. Timely recognition and management of intraoperative pneumothorax along with adequate blood replacement stabilized the patient and helped avoid an unfavorable outcome. This case highlights the risks of intraoperative pneumothorax in trauma patients, which may develop even months after injury. A high index of suspicion and timely decompression can be life saving in this type of situation.

Perioperative Cognitive Protection-Cognitive Exercise and Cognitive Reserve (The Neurobics Trial): A Single-blind Randomized Trial.

PURPOSE: The Neurobics Trial is a single-blind, parallel-group, randomized, controlled trial. The main study objective is to compare effectiveness of preoperative cognitive exercise versus no intervention for lowering the incidence of postoperative delirium. Enrollment began March 2015 and is ongoing. METHODS: Eligible participants include patients older than 60 years of age scheduled for nonemergent, noncardiac, nonneurological surgery at our institution. Patients provide consent and are screened at our Outpatient Preoperative Assessment Clinic to rule out preexisting cognitive dysfunction, significant mental health disorders, and history of surgery requiring general anesthesia in the preceding 6 months. Participants meeting criteria are randomized to complete 1 hour daily of electronic tablet-based cognitive exercise for 10 days before surgery or no preoperative intervention. Compliance with the effective dose of 10 total hours of preoperative exercise is verified on return of the patient for surgery with time logs created by the software application and by patient self-reporting. After surgery, patients are evaluated for delirium in the postanesthesia recovery area, and then twice daily for the remainder of their hospitalization. Additionally, postoperative quality of recovery is assessed daily, along with pain scores and opiate use. More comprehensive cognitive assessments are completed just before discharge for baseline comparison, and quality of recovery is assessed via telephone interview 7, 30, and 90 days post-surgery. The primary outcome is the incidence of delirium during the postoperative hospitalization period. Randomization is computer generated, with allocation concealment in opaque envelopes. All postoperative assessments are completed by blinded study personnel. FINDINGS: The study is actively recruiting with 19 patients having provided consent to date, and a total of 264 patients is required for study completion; therefore, no data analysis is currently under way (www.clinicaltrials.gov; NCT02230605). IMPLICATIONS: To our knowledge, the Neurobics Trial is the first randomized, controlled study to investigate the effectiveness of a significant preoperative cognitive exercise regimen for the prevention of delirium after noncardiac, nonneurological surgery in elderly patients.