Perioperative use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors for diabetes mellitus.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an increasingly common long-term condition, and suboptimal perioperative glycaemic control can lead to postoperative harms. The advent of new antidiabetic drugs, in particular glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, has enabled perioperative continuation of these medicines, thus avoiding the harms of variable rate i.v. insulin infusions whilst providing glycaemic control. There are differences between medicines regulatory agencies and organisations on how these classes that are most often used to treat diabetes mellitus, (but also in the case of SGLT2 inhibitors chronic kidney disease and heart failure in those without diabetes) should be managed in the perioperative period. In this commentary, we argue that GLP-1 receptor agonists should continue during the perioperative period and that SGLT2 inhibitors should only be omitted the day prior to a planned procedure . The reasons for the differing advice advocated between regulatory agencies and what anaesthetic practitioners should do in the face of continuing uncertainty are discussed.

Core outcome set for peripheral regional anesthesia research: a systematic review and Delphi study.

BACKGROUND/IMPORTANCE: There is heterogeneity among the outcomes used in regional anesthesia research. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to produce a core outcome set for regional anesthesia research. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and Delphi study to develop this core outcome set. A systematic review of the literature from January 2015 to December 2019 was undertaken to generate a long list of potential outcomes to be included in the core outcome set. For each outcome found, the parameters such as the measurement scale, timing and definitions, were compiled. Regional anesthesia experts were then recruited to participate in a three-round electronic modified Delphi process with incremental thresholds to generate a core outcome set. Once the core outcomes were decided, a final Delphi survey and video conference vote was used to reach a consensus on the outcome parameters. RESULTS: Two hundred and six papers were generated following the systematic review, producing a long list of 224 unique outcomes. Twenty-one international regional anesthesia experts participated in the study. Ten core outcomes were selected after three Delphi survey rounds with 13 outcome parameters reaching consensus after a final Delphi survey and video conference. CONCLUSIONS: We present the first core outcome set for regional anesthesia derived by international expert consensus. These are proposed not to limit the outcomes examined in future studies, but rather to serve as a minimum core set. If adopted, this may increase the relevance of outcomes being studied, reduce selective reporting bias and increase the availability and suitability of data for meta-analysis in this area.

Femoral nerve blocks.

Femoral nerve blocks and indeed all peripheral nerve blocks have become a popular, safe and effective method of providing postoperative analgesia. The advantages of a femoral nerve block for lower limb surgery include good postoperative analgesia, a reduction in the need for opioids (thus reducing the associated complications of opioids such as nausea, vomiting, itching and confusion (Allen et al 1998, Wang et al 2002)) and the potential for earlier mobilisation and discharge from the hospital (Wang et al 2002, Ilfeld et al 2008).

Accidental intraneural injection into the musculocutaneous nerve visualized with ultrasound.

Ultrasound has become a widely used tool within the practice of regional anesthesia, offering real-time visualization of the nerves, needle, and local anesthetic during performance of a block. A successful ultrasound-guided axillary block was performed on a healthy adult male undergoing wrist surgery. Postoperative review of the ultrasound video recording of the block suggested that an intraneural injection had occurred during the procedure. The patient had an effective block and suffered no adverse neurological effects. Recording and reviewing ultrasound images of a regional block can be important for documentation and educational purposes.

Anaesthesia for day surgery.

The Department of Health (DH) proposes that 75% of elective surgery should be performed as a day case procedure (NHS Plan 2000). To achieve this some modification of the traditional selection criteria may be required and careful thought given to the patient pathway, including the anaesthetic technique. Successful anaesthesia for day case surgery requires a balanced anaesthetic technique and multidisciplinary input which commences at booking, runs through preoperative assessment and continues to a nurse-led discharge. Suitable patients need to be selected (Digner 2007), prepared both physically and psychologically, undergo minimally invasive surgery with a suitable anaesthetic technique encompassing good pain relief and the avoidance of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Pain and PONV are the most common causes for a patient to require unplanned admission (Junger 2001).