Drugs errors in anaesthesia practice: four cases of non-fatal morbidity.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Anesthesiologists became more concerned about ensuring patient safety by a greater emphasis on outcome, quality patient care both in operation theatre and elsewhere in hospital. In the clinical practice, there is no aspect of Anesthesia that occupies a more important place in the safe management of the patients than the accurate drug administration. Medication errors represent a small part of anesthesia problems but still have potential for serious morbidity and legal consequences. The objective of this report was to describe four cases of unusual medical errors (ME) in the operation theatre, without harm to the patient, and how their analysis and identification had prevented more serious damage occurrence. CASE REPORTS: Four cases of inadvertent overdose in operation theatre previous to induction anesthesia. The same syringe was used to prepare and dilute two different drugs. This error was therefore caused by the presence of the second drug. Toxicity was manifested as brief respiratory depression and sedation, and assisted ventilation was required but no adverse outcomes happened. CONCLUSIONS: We explain how we identified the drug involved, the point at which the error occurred in order to improve clinical practice reducing medication errors. We focus on providing more information and education to each health care professional about new drugs and their preparation process, because this is should not be an acceptable practice in 2009.

Erros farmacológicos na prática anestésica: quatro casos de morbidades não fatais / Drugs errors in anaesthesia practice: four cases of non-fatal morbidity / Errores de medicación en la práctica de la anestesia: cuatro casos de morbilidad no fatal

Justificativa e objetivos: Os anestesistas estão se preocupando mais em garantir segurança aos pacientes, enfatizando o desfecho cirúrgico e qualidade do atendimento no centro cirúrgico e em outras áreas do hospital. Na prática, não existe nenhum aspecto da Anestesiologia que seja mais importante no manuseio seguro dos pacientes do que a administração correta de fármacos. Erros farmacológicos representam uma pequena percentagem dos problemas anestésicos, mas apresentam potencial de morbidade grave e consequências legais. O objetivo deste relato foi descrever quatro casos de erros medicamentosos (EM) raros no centro cirúrgico, sem consequências danosas para os pacientes e como sua análise e identificação evitaram o desenvolvimento de danos mais graves. Relato dos casos: Quatro casos de sobredoses acidentais no centro cirúrgico antes da indução anestésica. A mesma seringa foi usada para preparar e diluir dois medicamentos diferentes. Portanto, esse erro foi causado pela presença do segundo medicamento. A toxicidade se manifestou com depressão respiratória e sedação temporárias, havendo necessidade de ventilação assistida, mas sem desfechos adversos. Conclusões: Explicou-se como os medicamentos envolvidos e quando o erro cometido foram identificados para melhorar a prática clínica, reduzindo os erros medicamentosos. Enfatizamos a importância da informação e educação dos profissionais de saúde sobre novos medicamentos e seu processo de preparação, pois foi prática inaceitável em 2009.

Background and objectives: Anesthesiologists became more concerned about ensuring patient safety by a greater emphasis on outcome, quality patient care both in operation theatre and elsewhere in hospital. In the clinical practice, there is no aspect of Anesthesia that occupies a more important place in the safe management of the patients than the accurate drug administration. Medication errors represent a small part of anesthesia problems but still have potential for serious morbidity and legal consequences. The objective of this report was to describe four cases of unusual medical errors (ME) in the operation theatre, without harm to the patient, and how their analysis and identification had prevented more serious damage occurrence. Case reports: Four cases of inadvertent overdose in operation theatre previous to induction anesthesia. The same syringe was used to prepare and dilute two different drugs. This error was therefore caused by the presence of the second drug. Toxicity was manifested as brief respiratory depression and sedation, and assisted ventilation was required but no adverse outcomes happened. Conclusions: We explain how we identified the drug involved, the point at which the error occurred in order to improve clinical practice reducing medication errors. We focus on providing more information and education to each health care professional about new drugs and their preparation process, because this is should not be an acceptable practice in 2009.

Justificativas y objetivos: Los anestesiólogos están cada vez más preocupados sobre la seguridad de los pacientes, haciendo un gran énfasis en los resultados, en la cualidad de los cuidados en la salud, como también en el quirófano o en cualquier otro lugar dentro del hospital. En la práctica clínica, no existe un aspecto de la anestesia que sea más crucial en el aspecto del cuidado de la seguridad de los pacientes, que no sea la correcta administración de los fármacos. Los errores en la medicación representan una pequeña parte de los problemas de la anestesia pero todavía son un serio problema para la morbilidad, como también traen serias consecuencias legales. El objetivo de este artículo, fue describir cuatro casos de unos inusuales errores médicos (EM) en el quirófano, sin perjudicar al paciente y verificando cómo sus análisis e identificaciones pueden prevenir daños más serios. Reporte de casos: Cuatro casos de sobre dosis inadvertida en quirófano antes de la inducción de anestesia. Se usó la misma jeringuilla para la preparación y la dilución de dos fármacos diferentes. Por lo tanto, el error fue causado por la presencia del segundo fármaco. La toxicidad se manifestó con depresión y sedación temporales, necesitando ventilación asistida, no habiendo sido registrados resultados adversos. Conclusiones Hemos explicado cómo identificar los fármacos involucrados, y el punto en que ocurrió el error, en el sentido de perfeccionar la práctica clínica reduciendo los errores médicos. Nos concentramos en proveer más información y más educación de literatura médica sobre los nuevos fármacos y sobre sus procesos de preparación a cada médico, porque ésa no es una práctica aceptable en el 2009.

Anaesthesia for noncardiac surgery in the heart transplant recipient.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Anaesthetizing a patient who benefited from a heart transplant will undoubtedly fascinate any anaesthetist. Basic principles need to be adhered to in order to ensure that no unnecessary harm is caused to these patients. Furthermore, the conscientious anaesthetist will want to remain abreast of the advances in the understanding of physiological changes occurring over the years after transplantation and the continuous innovations in the field of immunosuppression. RECENT FINDINGS: Understanding of the mechanisms surrounding cardiac allograft vasculopathy and insight into the possibility of reinnervation are continuously evolving; but changes in therapeutic regimens in an attempt to lower side effects have probably a greater impact on day-to-day clinical practice. CONCLUSION: Understanding how to administer fluids adequately to a transplant patient; how to use direct vasoactive agents; how to manage the infectious risk; and the need to be aware of the multiple side effects of immunosuppressive regimens are essential to recognize, prevent or treat possible perioperative complications.

Adaptive support ventilation for gynaecological laparoscopic surgery in Trendelenburg position: bringing ICU modes of mechanical ventilation to the operating room.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to test the efficacy of adaptive support ventilation (ASV) to automatically adapt the ventilatory settings to the changes in the respiratory mechanics that occur during pneumoperitoneum and Trendelenburg position in gynaecological surgeries. METHODS: We prospectively studied 22 ASA I women scheduled for gynaecological laparoscopic surgery in the Trendelenburg position. After intravenous induction of general anaesthesia, patients were ventilated with ASV, a closed-loop mode of mechanical ventilation based on the Otis formula, designed to automatically adapt the ventilatory settings to changes in the patient's respiratory system mechanics, while maintaining preset minute ventilation. Respiratory mechanics variables, ventilatory setting parameters and analysis of blood gases were recorded at three time points: 5 min after induction (baseline), 15 min after pneumoperitoneum and Trendelenburg positioning (Pneumo-Trend) and 15 min after pneumoperitoneum withdrawal (final). RESULTS: A reduction of 44.4% in respiratory compliance and an increase of 29.1% in airway resistance were observed during the Pneumo-Trend period. Despite these changes in respiratory mechanics, minute ventilation was kept constant. ASV adapted the ventilatory settings by automatically increasing inspiratory pressure by 3.2 +/- 0.9 cmH(2)O (+19%), P < 0.01, respiratory rate by 1.3 +/- 0.5 breaths per minute (+9%) and the inspiratory to total time ratio (T(i)/T(tot)) by 43.3%. At final time, these parameters returned towards their baseline values. Adequate gas exchange was maintained throughout all periods. PaCO(2) increased moderately (+13%) from 4.4 +/- 0.6 (baseline) to 5.0 +/- 0.9 kPa (Pneumo-Trend), P < 0.01; and decreased slightly at final time (4.7 +/- 0.8 kPa), P < 0.05. Clinician's intervention was needed in only one patient who showed a moderate hypercapnia (PaCO(2) 6.9 kPa) during pneumoperitoneum. CONCLUSION: In healthy women undergoing gynaecologic laparoscopy, ASV automatically adapted the ventilatory settings to the changes in the respiratory mechanics, keeping constant the preset minute ventilation, providing an adequate exchange of respiratory gases and obviating clinician's interventions.