June 2005

Malignant Hyperthermia Syndrome: From Barnyard to Molecular Genetics Laboratory

June 10, 2005

Drs. M.A. Denborough and R.R. Lovell first formally described the syndrome we know today as malignant hyperthermia (MH) in a Letter to the Editor of Lancet titled “Anaesthetic Deaths in...

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Boston University Video Honors: Dr. Leroy Vandam

June 10, 2005

Dr. Leroy Vandam (1914-2004) was a great anesthesiologist, teacher, scientist, author, and artist. His career began in surgery and, under the leadership of Dr. Robert Dripps, became focused on anesthesiology....

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Carbon Dioxide Absorbent Desiccation Safety Conference Convened by APSF

June 10, 2005

There is increasing evidence that exposure of volatile anesthetics to desiccated carbon dioxide absorbents may result in exothermic reactions leading to fires in anesthetic breathing circuits and production of toxic...

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March 2005

High Airway Pressure Mandates Diagnosis and Remedy

March 10, 2005

To the Editor In the Fall 2004 issue of the APSF Newsletter, Dr. Nichols et al. stressed the importance of machine check, especially of the reusable pieces of equipment to...

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Reader Softens View of OR Reading

March 10, 2005

To the Editor I am replying to your article in the APSF Newsletter and offering you my perspective on the issue. I am in total agreement that the image we...

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PACU Pulse Ox Tone Touted

March 10, 2005

To the Editor I’m in total agreement regarding the special need to hear the pulse beep tone for pulse oximetry during anesthesia. Anesthesiologists can testify to the importance of the...

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Do Not Break Contact With the Patient

March 10, 2005

To the Editor I read with interest, and sadness of course, of the 3 examples of anesthetic accidents in the article “Turn Your Alarms On” in the winter issue of...

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Hypoxemia in the Hospital Frequently an Early Sign of Impending Catastrophe

March 10, 2005

To the Editor Dr. Stemp makes an interesting point, albeit with great drama: detection of transient hypoxemia is not nearly as vital to patient outcome as determination of cause. Summarizing...

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Surgeon Should Give Feedback to His Health Care Team First

March 10, 2005

To the Editor I am amazed by the response to the anonymous surgeon/patient’s perioperative experience recounted in the 2004-5 winter issue of the APSF Newsletter. I have been in practice...

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American College of Surgeons Collaborates With APSF to Develop Quality Program

March 10, 2005

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) Surgical operations, in contrast to medical treatments of chronic diseases, lend themselves to observation by outcome studies. Whether...

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Report of APSF Workshop on Postoperative Long-Term Outcome

March 10, 2005

Anesthesiologists have long been pioneers in seeking ways to improve the safety of patients. To date, most of our efforts have been directed toward reducing the likelihood of adverse events...

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The Costs of Clinician Fatigue and Its Prevention

March 10, 2005

In the course of studying and writing about the problem of fatigue in health care personnel, our group and others have suggested a multitude of possible countermeasures. In this Special...

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ACGME Recognizes Dangers of Fatigue

March 10, 2005

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has recently instituted a requirement for “Sleep Loss and Fatigue Management Training” in teaching specifications for all residency programs. Specifically, it is...

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Fatigue and Anaesthetists: The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland’s Approach

March 10, 2005

The membership of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) is totally medical, and currently 95% of the anaesthetists in the UK are members. It has in...

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Managing Fatigue 24/7 in Health Care: Opportunities to Improve Safety

March 10, 2005

If only it were that simple: just tell people to get their 8 hours of sleep and develop perfect work schedules, or invent a “magic bullet” that eliminates fatigue, manages...

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Cure for the Dopey Doc?

March 10, 2005

I was on call last night, and I was lucky. Although I worked moderately hard for 19 hours, the final 5 were spent dozing off and on in a noisy,...

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Cause of Ventilator Failure is Unclear

March 10, 2005

We would like to report an incident of anesthesia machine failure with possible patient safety implications. After the induction and intubation of an 8-year-old female and during the sterile skin...

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Performance-Enhancing Drugs Present A Double-Edged Sword

March 10, 2005

APSF Newsletter consideration of fatigue as a potential detriment to anesthesia safety. The editorial assignment was to outline arguments against use of performance-enhancing drugs as a counter-measure for excessive physician...

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Fatigue & the Practice of Anesthesiology

March 10, 2005

Everyone has seen it. For example, watching a colleague fall asleep at a meeting or watching an intern struggle to remain alert while holding a surgical retractor. Everyone has felt...

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December 2004

Reader Applauds Attention to Fatigue

December 10, 2004

To the Editor Bravo to Dr. Ellis for his remarks regarding fatigue and long work hours in the Fall 2004 issue. Now one even has to make sure that a...

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