Cardiovascular aging and anesthetic implications.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G Alec Rooke.
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BACKGROUND: Sevoflurane is degraded to compound A (CpA) by carbon dioxide absorbents containing strong base. CpA is nephrotoxic in rats. Patient exposure to CpA is increased with low fresh gas flow rates, use of Baralyme, and high sevoflurane concentrations. CpA formation during low-flow and closed circuit sevoflurane anesthesia had no significant renal effects in surgical patients with normal renal function. Preexisting renal insufficiency is a risk factor for postoperative renal dysfunction. Although preexisting renal insufficiency is not affected by high-flow sevoflurane, the effect of low-flow sevoflurane in patients with renal insufficiency is unknown. METHODS: After obtaining institutional review board approval, 116 patients with a stable preoperative serum creatinine concentration 1.5 mg/dl or greater were assessable. Patients were randomized to receive either sevoflurane (n = 59, 0.8-2.5 vol%) or isoflurane (n = 57, 0.5-1.4 vol%) at a fresh gas flow rate of 1 l/min or less. Use of opioids was restricted to a minimum, and Baralyme was used to increase CpA exposure. Inspiratory and expiratory CpA concentrations were measured during anesthesia. Renal function (serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, urine protein and glucose, creatinine clearance) was measured preoperatively and 24 and 72 h after induction. RESULTS: Demographic patient data did not differ between groups. Patients received 3.1 +/- 2.4 minimum alveolar concentration-hours sevoflurane or 3.8 +/- 2.6 minimum alveolar concentration-hours isoflurane (mean +/- SD). Durations of low flow were 201.3 +/- 98.0 and 213.6 +/- 83.4 min, respectively. Maximum inspiratory CpA with sevoflurane was 18.9 +/- 7.6 ppm (mean +/- SD), resulting in an average total CpA exposure of 44.0 +/- 30.6 ppm/h. There were no statistically significant changes from baseline to 24- and 72-h values for serum creatinine or blood urea nitrogen, creatinine clearance, urine protein, and glucose, nor were there significant differences between both anesthetics. CONCLUSION: There were no statistically significant differences in measured parameters of renal function after low-flow sevoflurane anesthesia compared with isoflurane. These results suggest that low-flow sevoflurane anesthesia is as safe as low-flow isoflurane and does not alter kidney function in patients with preexisting renal disease.
BACKGROUND: Anesthesia simulators can generate reproducible, standardized clinical scenarios for instruction and evaluation purposes. Valid and reliable simulated scenarios and grading systems must be developed to use simulation for evaluation of anesthesia residents. METHODS: After obtaining Human Subjects approval at each of the 10 participating institutions, 99 anesthesia residents consented to be videotaped during their management of four simulated scenarios on MedSim or METI mannequin-based anesthesia simulators. Using two different grading forms, two evaluators at each department independently reviewed the videotapes of the subjects from their institution to score the residents' performance. A third evaluator, at an outside institution, reviewed the videotape again. Statistical analysis was performed for construct- and criterion-related validity, internal consistency, interrater reliability, and intersimulator reliability. A single evaluator reviewed all videotapes a fourth time to determine the frequency of certain management errors. RESULTS: Even advanced anesthesia residents nearing completion of their training made numerous management errors; however, construct-related validity of mannequin-based simulator assessment was supported by an overall improvement in simulator scores from CB and CA-1 to CA-2 and CA-3 levels of training. Subjects rated the simulator scenarios as realistic (3.47 out of possible 4), further supporting construct-related validity. Criterion-related validity was supported by moderate correlation of simulator scores with departmental faculty evaluations (0.37-0.41, P < 0.01), ABA written in-training scores (0.44-0.49, < 0.01), and departmental mock oral board scores (0.44-0.47, P < 0.01). Reliability of the simulator assessment was demonstrated by very good internal consistency (alpha = 0.71-0.76) and excellent interrater reliability (correlation = 0.94-0.96; P < 0.01; kappa = 0.81-0.90). There was no significant difference in METI versus MedSim scores for residents in the same year of training. CONCLUSIONS: Numerous management errors were identified in this study of anesthesia residents from 10 institutions. Further attention to these problems may benefit residency training since advanced residents continued to make these errors. Evaluation of anesthesia residents using mannequin-based simulators shows promise, adding a new dimension to current assessment methods. Further improvements are necessary in the simulation scenarios and grading criteria before mannequin-based simulation is used for accreditation purposes.