Nondepolarizing Neuromuscular Blocking Agents, Reversal, and Risk of Postoperative Pneumonia

Residual Neuromuscular Blockade and Postoperative Pulmonary Complications: What Does the Recent Evidence Demonstrate?

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review is to assess how residual neuromuscular block impacts postoperative pulmonary complications and whether we can modify the risk by improving certain aspects in daily clinical care.

Recent findings

Postoperative respiratory impairment may be due to various causes, such as age, surgery type, comorbidity, smoking, preoperative anemia, and general anesthesia. However, increasing evidence suggests that residual neuromuscular block is an important risk factor for postoperative pulmonary complications and may affect the outcome. Conflicting data from some recent reports show that the use of quantitative neuromuscular monitoring alone does not preclude residual neuromuscular block and that improvements in the interpretation of neuromuscular monitoring may be required. Pulmonary complications seem to be reduced for train-of-four ratios > 0.95 before tracheal extubation compared with > 0.9.

Summary

This review stresses the need for appropriate management of neuromuscular block in the prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications but acknowledges that the causes are multifactorial.

Comparison of intubating conditions after induction with propofol and remifentanil or sufentanil : Randomized controlled REMIDENT trial for surgical tooth extraction

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to compare tracheal intubation conditions after induction of anesthesia with a bolus of propofol-sufentanil or propofol-remifentanil and a rapid induction technique.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 70 patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification I‑II) undergoing outpatient surgery under general anesthesia with intubation for tooth extraction were randomly assigned to two groups in this double-blind study. Patients received either a bolus of remifentanil (3 μg/kg) or sufentanil (0.3 μg/kg) together with 2.5 mg/kg propofol for intubation. The primary outcome was the percentage of excellent intubation conditions and the secondary outcomes were the percentage of patients with a decrease of over 20% in mean arterial pressure (MAP) or heart rate (HR), time to achieve spontaneous respiration, time between the end of surgery and extubation and time to achieve an Aldrete score of 10. VAS pain score was >3 or having laryngeal pain 15 min after arriving in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) were also analyzed.

RESULTS

Intubating conditions (perfect + good conditions) were significantly better with remifentanil than with sufentanil (88.5% vs. 68.6%; p = 0.01). When using remifentanil, the hemodynamic conditions were good. Using remifentanil did not significantly increase the pain score or the laryngeal pain in the recovery room. This was confirmed by no significant differences between the groups for morphine consumption. Remifentanil significantly decreased the time to achieve an Aldrete score of 10.

CONCLUSION

When intubation without muscle relaxants is required, intubating conditions are much better when a remifentanil bolus is used compared to a sufentanil bolus. The remifentanil/propofol rapid induction technique is a valuable technique to quickly intubate and achieve good conditions.

Guidelines on muscle relaxants and reversal in anaesthesia

OBJECTIVES

To provide an update to the 1999 French guidelines on "Muscle relaxants and reversal in anaesthesia", a consensus committee of sixteen experts was convened. A formal policy of declaration and monitoring of conflicts of interest (COI) was developed at the outset of the process and enforced throughout. The entire guidelines process was conducted independently of any industrial funding (i.e. pharmaceutical, medical devices). The authors were required to follow the rules of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE®) system to assess the quality of the evidence on which the recommendations were based. The potential drawbacks of making strong recommendations based on low-quality evidence were stressed. Few of the recommendations remained ungraded.

METHODS

The panel focused on eight questions: (1) In the absence of difficult mask ventilation criteria, is it necessary to check the possibility of ventilation via a facemask before muscle relaxant injection? Is it necessary to use muscle relaxants to facilitate facemask ventilation? (2) Is the use of muscle relaxants necessary to facilitate tracheal intubation? (3) Is the use of muscle relaxants necessary to facilitate the insertion of a supraglottic device and management of related complications? (4) Is it necessary to monitor neuromuscular blockade for airway management? (5) Is the use of muscle relaxants necessary to facilitate interventional procedures, and if so, which procedures? (6) Is intraoperative monitoring of neuromuscular blockade necessary? (7) What are the strategies for preventing and treating residual neuromuscular blockade? (8) What are the indications and precautions for use of both muscle relaxants and reversal agents in special populations (e.g. electroconvulsive therapy, obese patients, children, neuromuscular diseases, renal/hepatic failure, elderly patients)? All questions were formulated using the Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome (PICO) model for clinical questions and evidence profiles were generated. The results of the literature analysis and the recommendations were then assessed using the GRADE® system.

RESULTS

The summaries prepared by the SFAR Guideline panel resulted in thirty-one recommendations on muscle relaxants and reversal agents in anaesthesia. Of these recommendations, eleven have a high level of evidence (GRADE 1±) while twenty have a low level of evidence (GRADE 2±). No recommendations could be provided using the GRADE® system for five of the questions, and for two of these questions expert opinions were given. After two rounds of discussion and an amendment, a strong agreement was reached for all the recommendations.

CONCLUSION

Substantial agreement exists among experts regarding many strong recommendations for the improvement of practice concerning the use of muscle relaxants and reversal agents during anaesthesia. In particular, the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care (SFAR) recommends the use of a device to monitor neuromuscular blockade throughout anaesthesia.

Survey of neuromuscular monitoring and assessment of postoperative residual neuromuscular block in a postoperative anaesthetic care unit

INTRODUCTION

The use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) is common during general anaesthesia. Neuromuscular monitoring with a peripheral nerve stimulator (PNS) is essential to prevent postoperative residual neuromuscular block (PRNB), defined as a train-of-four (TOF) ratio < 0.9. PRNB remains a common complication and may contribute to morbidity in the postoperative anaesthetic care unit (PACU).

METHODS

An online survey was sent to anaesthesiologists in our department to assess their knowledge and clinical practices related to neuromuscular blockade. Next, a study was conducted on adult patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia requiring NMBAs. Upon admission to the PACU, TOF monitoring was performed.

RESULTS

A large proportion of anaesthesiologists showed a lack of knowledge of neuromuscular blockade or non-adherence to the best clinical practices associated with it. The majority (98.7%) stated that they did not routinely use PNS monitoring. In the clinical study, TOF monitoring was only used in 17.9% of the 335 patients who were assessed. The prevalence of PRNB was 33.4% and was associated with the elderly (age ≥ 65 years), a higher dose of NMBA used, a shorter duration of surgery, and a shorter duration between the last dose of NMBA and measurement of PRNB in the PACU. The incidence of adverse symptoms in the PACU was observed to be higher in patients with PRNB.

CONCLUSION

PRNB remains a clinically significant problem, but routine PNS monitoring is rare in our institution. This is compounded by inadequate knowledge and poor adherence to best clinical guidelines related to neuromuscular blockade.

Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine Guideline on Intraoperative Management of Adult Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The purpose of the Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine Guideline on Intraoperative Management of Adult Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is to present recommendations based on current scientific evidence. This guideline seeks to address questions regarding the intraoperative care of patients with OSA, including airway management, anesthetic drug and agent effects, and choice of anesthesia type. Given the paucity of high-quality studies with regard to study design and execution in this perioperative field, recommendations were to a large part developed by subject-matter experts through consensus processes, taking into account the current scientific knowledge base and quality of evidence. This guideline may not be suitable for all clinical settings and patients and is not intended to define standards of care or absolute requirements for patient care; thus, assessment of appropriateness should be made on an individualized basis. Adherence to this guideline cannot guarantee successful outcomes, but recommendations should rather aid health care professionals and institutions to formulate plans and develop protocols for the improvement of the perioperative care of patients with OSA, considering patient-related factors, interventions, and resource availability. Given the groundwork of a comprehensive systematic literature review, these recommendations reflect the current state of knowledge and its interpretation by a group of experts at the time of publication. While periodic reevaluations of literature are needed, novel scientific evidence between updates should be taken into account. Deviations in practice from the guideline may be justifiable and should not be interpreted as a basis for claims of negligence.

ANESTHESIA OF AQUARIUM-HOUSED WALRUS ( ODOBENUS ROSMARUS): A CASE SERIES

  Walruses are a challenging species to anesthetize as a result of their large mass, limited access for drug delivery, unique physiology, and small number of reports describing anesthetic procedures. Three aquarium-housed walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus) ranging in age from 3 to 11 yr old (344-1,000 kg) were anesthetized for dental or ophthalmic surgical procedures, with one animal anesthetized twice and one anesthetized three times. Preanesthetic medication was with intramuscular midazolam (0.1-0.2 mg/kg) and meperidine (2-3 mg/kg). A catheter was placed in the extradural intravertebral vein, and anesthesia was induced with propofol to effect. Orotracheal intubation was performed and anesthesia maintained with isoflurane in oxygen using a circle breathing system connected to a ventilator. Intermittent positive pressure ventilation was used in all procedures. For the ophthalmic surgery, the neuromuscular blocking agent, cisatracurium, was given intravenously to provide a central eye and optimal surgical conditions. The neuromuscular block was antagonized with edrophonium. Total anesthesia times ranged from 1.5 to 6 hr. Midazolam and meperidine were antagonized with flumazenil and naltrexone, respectively, in five of six cases. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents were provided for analgesia. Recoveries were calm and uneventful. The described anesthetic protocols and case management were successful under the conditions encountered.

Consensus Statement on Perioperative Use of Neuromuscular Monitoring

A panel of clinician scientists with expertise in neuromuscular blockade (NMB) monitoring was convened with a charge to prepare a consensus statement on indications for and proper use of such monitors. The aims of this article are to: (a) provide the rationale and scientific basis for the use of quantitative NMB monitoring; (b) offer a set of recommendations for quantitative NMB monitoring standards; (c) specify educational goals; and (d) propose training recommendations to ensure proper neuromuscular monitoring and management. The panel believes that whenever a neuromuscular blocker is administered, neuromuscular function must be monitored by observing the evoked muscular response to peripheral nerve stimulation. Ideally, this should be done at the hand muscles (not the facial muscles) with a quantitative (objective) monitor. Objective monitoring (documentation of train-of-four ratio ≥0.90) is the only method of assuring that satisfactory recovery of neuromuscular function has taken place. The panel also recommends that subjective evaluation of the responses to train-of-four stimulation (when using a peripheral nerve stimulator) or clinical tests of recovery from NMB (such as the 5-second head lift) should be abandoned in favor of objective monitoring. During an interim period for establishing these recommendations, if only a peripheral nerve stimulator is available, its use should be mandatory in any patient receiving a neuromuscular blocking drug. The panel acknowledges that publishing this statement per se will not result in its spontaneous acceptance, adherence to its recommendations, or change in routine practice. Implementation of objective monitoring will likely require professional societies and anesthesia department leadership to champion its use to change anesthesia practitioner behavior.

Evaluation of Neuromuscular Blockade Reversal on Postoperative Mechanical Ventilation Time in a Cardiovascular Surgery Population

OBJECTIVE

To report on postoperative outcomes related to the administration of neostigmine for reversal of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents in cardiovascular surgery patients, with a specific focus on the duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation as the primary endpoint.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study design was followed to achieve the study objectives.

SETTING

This was a single-center, chart review study conducted at a large academic medical center of adult patients post-cardiovascular surgery.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients were included if they had received a bolus dose of perioperative nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent and underwent one of the targeted cardiovascular surgeries.

INTERVENTIONS

Final analysis comprised of 175 patients, 95 of whom received neostigmine and 80 who did not receive neostigmine.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The primary endpoint was the duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation. When controlling for all covariates, neostigmine use was associated with a 0.34-hour reduction (∼20.4 min) in duration of mechanical ventilation (parameter estimate: 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.49-0.89; p = 0.0071). More patients who received neostigmine met the early extubation benchmark of less than 6 hours (55 v 34 patients; p = 0.04). Finally, neostigmine use was not found to be associated with increased risk of respiratory complications or postoperative nausea and/or vomiting.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of neostigmine was found to have a protective effect on the duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation without increasing the risk of adverse complications.

Anesthesiologists' Overconfidence in Their Perceived Knowledge of Neuromuscular Monitoring and Its Relevance to All Aspects of Medical Practice: An International Survey

BACKGROUND

In patients who receive a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drug (NMBD) during anesthesia, undetected postoperative residual neuromuscular block is a common occurrence that carries a risk of potentially serious adverse events, particularly postoperative pulmonary complications. There is abundant evidence that residual block can be prevented when real-time (quantitative) neuromuscular monitoring with measurement of the train-of-four ratio is used to guide NMBD administration and reversal. Nevertheless, a significant percentage of anesthesiologists fail to use quantitative devices or even conventional peripheral nerve stimulators routinely. Our hypothesis was that a contributing factor to the nonutilization of neuromuscular monitoring was anesthesiologists' overconfidence in their knowledge and ability to manage the use of NMBDs without such guidance.

METHODS

We conducted an Internet-based multilingual survey among anesthesiologists worldwide. We asked respondents to answer 9 true/false questions related to the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs. Participants were also asked to rate their confidence in the accuracy of each of their answers on a scale of 50% (pure guess) to 100% (certain of answer).

RESULTS

Two thousand five hundred sixty persons accessed the website; of these, 1629 anesthesiologists from 80 countries completed the 9-question survey. The respondents correctly answered only 57% of the questions. In contrast, the mean confidence exhibited by the respondents was 84%, which was significantly greater than their accuracy. Of the 1629 respondents, 1496 (92%) were overconfident.

CONCLUSIONS

The anesthesiologists surveyed expressed overconfidence in their knowledge and ability to manage the use of NMBDs. This overconfidence may be partially responsible for the failure to adopt routine perioperative neuromuscular monitoring. When clinicians are highly confident in their knowledge about a procedure, they are less likely to modify their clinical practice or seek further guidance on its use.

Improved Compliance With Anesthesia Quality Measures After Implementation of Automated Monthly Feedback

PURPOSE

Minimization of postoperative complications is important in patients with cancer. We wished to improve compliance with anesthesiology quality measures through staff education reinforced with automated monthly feedback.

METHODS

The anesthesiology department implemented a program to capture and report quality metrics. After staff education, monthly e-mail reports were sent to each anesthesiology physician and nurse anesthetist to detail individual compliance rates for a set of quality measures. For each measure, the proportion of patient cases that passed the measure before and after implementation of the program was compared using a two-sample proportion test.

RESULTS

After exclusions, we analyzed 15 of 23 quality measures. Of the 15 measures, 11 were process measures, and four were outcome measures. Of the 11 process measures, seven demonstrated statistically significant improvements (P < .01). The most improved measure was TEMP-02 (core temperature measurement), which increased from 69.6% to 85.7% (16.1% difference; P < .001). Also improved were PUL-02 (low tidal volume, less than 8 mL/kg ideal body weight; 15.4% difference; P < .001) and NMB-01 (train of four taken; 12.2% difference; P < .001). The outcome measure TEMP-03 (perioperative temperature management) had a statistically significant increase of a small magnitude (0.2% difference; P < .001). No other outcome measures showed statistically significant improvement.

CONCLUSION

After implementation of a comprehensive quality improvement program, our group observed significant improvements in anesthesia quality measure compliance for several process measures. Future work is needed to determine if this initial success can be preserved and associated with improved outcomes.

Reversal of mivacurium-induced neuromuscular blockade with a cholinesterase inhibitor: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Mivacurium is a short-acting non-depolarizing muscle relaxant, which is hydrolyzed by butyrylcholinesterase. The neuromuscular block (NMB) can be antagonized with cholinesterase inhibitors (CHEI), but the short duration of action of mivacurium questions the need. This systematic review evaluated if the use of CHEIs (neostigmine, pyridostigmine or edrophonium) facilitates reversal of mivacurium-induced NMB.

METHOD

Randomized controlled trials and crossover-studies comparing spontaneous recovery with CHEI reversal in patients with mivacurium-induced NMB, assessed with quantitative neuromuscular monitoring, were included. Mean time from injection of the CHEI or allowing of spontaneous recovery to an endpoint representing full recovery was used as outcome. First response to train-of-four nerve stimulation (T₁ ) described the level of NMB for administration of the CHEI. Moderate NMB refers to T₁  ≥ 5% and deeper NMB refers to T₁  < 5%. Systematic critical appraisal was performed using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guidelines. Overall quality assessment was done using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies with data from 546 patients were included. Low quality of evidence was found that neostigmine and edrophonium administered at moderate NMB accelerated recovery with up to approximately 5.5-6.5 and 6.5-9.0 minutes, respectively. At deeper NMB only edrophonium accelerated recovery. The effect of neostigmine was not clarified at deeper mivacurium-induced NMB. No studies with reversal by pyridostigmine were identified.

CONCLUSION

Low quality of evidence supports that neostigmine and edrophonium accelerate the recovery of mivacurium-induced NMB with 5-6.5 and 6-9.0 minutes respectively, when administered at moderate NMB. At deeper NMB only edrophonium accelerated the recovery.

Therapeutic doses of neostigmine, depolarising neuromuscular blockade and muscle weakness in awake volunteers: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised volunteer study

Neostigmine reverses non-depolarising neuromuscular blockade, but may cause muscle weakness when administered after full recovery of neuromuscular function. We hypothesised that neostigmine in therapeutic doses impairs muscle strength and respiratory function in awake healthy volunteers. Twenty-one volunteers were randomised to receive two doses of either intravenous (i.v.) neostigmine 2.5 mg with glycopyrrolate 450 μg (neostigmine group, n = 14) or normal saline 0.9% (placebo group, n = 7). The first dose was administered immediately after obtaining baseline measurements, and the second dose was administered 15 min later. All 14 volunteers in the neostigmine group received the first dose, mean (SD) 35 (5.8) μg.kg^-1 , but only nine of these volunteers agreed to receive the second dose, 34 (3.5) ?g.kg^-1 . The primary outcome was hand grip strength. Secondary outcomes were train-of-four ratio, single twitch height, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity ratio, oxygen saturation, heart rate and mean arterial pressure. The first dose of intravenous neostigmine with glycopyrrolate resulted in reduced grip strength compared with placebo, -20 (20) % vs. +4.3 (9.9) %, p = 0.0016; depolarising neuromuscular blockade with decreased single twitch height, -14 (11) % vs. -3.8 (5.6) %, p = 0.0077; a restrictive spirometry pattern with decreased predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s, -15 (12) % vs. -0.47 (3.4) %, p = 0.0011; and predicted forced vital capacity, -20 (12) % vs. -0.59 (3.2) %, p < 0.0001 at 5 min after administration. The second dose of neostigmine with glycopyrrolate further decreased grip strength mean (SD) -41 (23) % vs. +1.0 (15) %, p = 0.0004; single twitch height -25 (15) % vs. -2.5 (6.6) %, p = 0.0030; predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s -23 (24) % vs. -0.7 (4.4) %, p = 0.0063; and predicted forced vital capacity, -27.1 (22.0) % vs. -0.66 (3.9) %, p = 0.0010. Train-of-four ratio remained unchanged (p = 0.22). In healthy volunteers, therapeutic doses of neostigmine induced significant and dose-dependent muscle weakness, demonstrated by a decrease in maximum voluntary hand grip strength and a restrictive spirometry pattern secondary to depolarising neuromuscular blockade.

Nursing Considerations When Using Neuromuscular Blocking Agents to Assist With Intubation: A Review of Literature

The use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) in acute care settings during intubation is vitally important. The NMBAs increase first pass success rates significantly while protecting patients from gastric aspiration, tracheal injury, and death. During emergent intubations, succinylcholine and rocuronium are commonly used, but each comes with specific risks and individualized interventions. First pass success can be increased by ensuring correct dosing for overweight patients and employing the use of video laryngoscope. For planned, nonemergent intubations with sustained paralysis, the chosen NMBA can be individualized to fit the patient's needs. This includes dosages based on upregulation or downregulation of acetylcholine as well as speed of administration to prevent histamine release. Nurses must provide specific care when managing the treatment in high-risk patient populations (coronary artery disease, hyperkalemia, renal failure, liver failure, and traumatic brain injuries) who may receive certain types of NMBAs. Finally, because of the wide range of adverse effects with these drugs, close assessments are essential to prevent complications.

Reversal of residual neuromuscular block: complications associated with perioperative management of muscle relaxation

The use of anticholinesterases to reverse residual neuromuscular block at the end of surgery became routine practice in the 1950s. These drugs could only be used when recovery from block was established [two twitches of the train-of-four (TOF) count detectable] and concern was expressed about their cholinergic side-effects. By the 1990s, it was recognized that failure to reverse residual block adequately to a TOF ratio (TOFR) >0.7 was associated with increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (POPCs) following the long-acting non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking drug (NDNMBD) pancuronium. By 2003, and the introduction of acceleromyography, a TOFR ≥0.9 was considered necessary to protect the airway from aspiration before tracheal extubation. It was also considered that four, not two, twitches of the TOF should be detectable before neostigmine was given. Use of any NDNMBD was subsequently shown to be associated with increased risk of POPCs, but it was thought that neostigmine reduced that risk. Recently, there has been conflicting evidence that use of neostigmine might increase the incidence of POPCs. Although sugammadex has been shown to rapidly reverse profound neuromuscular block from aminosteroidal agents, there is currently no evidence that sugammadex is superior to neostigmine in its effect on POPCs. Other new antagonists, including cysteine to degrade CW002 and calabadion 1 and 2 to antagonize aminosteroidal and benzylisoquinolium NDNMBDs, are being studied in preclinical and clinical trials. Quantitative neuromuscular monitoring is essential whenever a NDNMBD is used to ensure full recovery from neuromuscular block.

Reevaluation and update on efficacy and safety of neostigmine for reversal of neuromuscular blockade

Postoperative residual neuromuscular block is a serious threat which endangers the patient safety. Neostigmine has been the most commonly used anticholinesterase for the pharmacological reversal of neuromuscular blockade. Although newer agents have been introduced recently, neostigmine has some irreplaceable advantages, including broad-spectrum reversal of all nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs, low cost, and availability of more related data for clinical practice to refer to. Neostigmine is also noticed to have some drawbacks, such as the inability to reverse profound and deep blockade, potential induction of muscle weakness, cardiovascular adverse effects, and so on. Data on the usage of neostigmine in the geriatric and the pediatric population are still insufficient. Some discrepancies are observed in the results from previous studies which need further investigation. However, recent studies offer some renewed information. Regarding both efficacy and safety, the key for successful reversal of neuromuscular blockade is to use neostigmine “appropriately,” optimizing the dosage and timing of administration under close monitoring.

Monitoring of Sugammadex Dosing at a Large Tertiary Care Pediatric Hospital

Introduction:

Anesthesiologists use sugammadex to reverse neuromuscular blockade (NMB) produced by rocuronium and vecuronium. Its mechanism involves encapsulation of the neuromuscular blocking agent. Sugammadex dosing is based on the depth of NMB, assessed by measuring the train-of-four (TOF).

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed procedures under general anesthesia in patients older than 1 year of age if they included sugammadex reversal of rocuronium-induced NMB. Documentation of TOF monitoring before and after reversal was noted, along with the dose of sugammadex administered. TOF was considered correctly documented if the anesthesia provider recorded the number of twitches before and after NMB reversal, or if they recorded 4 twitches before NMB reversal. We defined appropriate sugammadex dosing if it was within 10% of the recommended dose for the depth of NMB. We repeated this review after staff education and creating a reminder in the electronic health record system.

Results:

We included 100 patients in the preintervention analysis, of whom 30% had correct TOF documentation. Among patients with TOF assessment before sugammadex administration, the dose was appropriate in 34 of 40 cases. In the postintervention analysis, we reviewed 75 cases and found that correct documentation improved to 45% (P = 0.024). Among postintervention cases with TOF documented before sugammadex administration, sugammadex dosing was appropriate in 62 patients.

Conclusion:

Documentation of TOF was low (30%) before intervention and improved to only 45% after the interventions, suggesting that additional interventions are needed. Even before the intervention, with or without TOF documentation, the dose of sugammadex was generally consistent with recommendations.

Post-anaesthesia pulmonary complications after use of muscle relaxants (POPULAR): a multicentre, prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Results from retrospective studies suggest that use of neuromuscular blocking agents during general anaesthesia might be linked to postoperative pulmonary complications. We therefore aimed to assess whether the use of neuromuscular blocking agents is associated with postoperative pulmonary complications.

METHODS

We did a multicentre, prospective observational cohort study. Patients were recruited from 211 hospitals in 28 European countries. We included patients (aged ≥18 years) who received general anaesthesia for any in-hospital procedure except cardiac surgery. Patient characteristics, surgical and anaesthetic details, and chart review at discharge were prospectively collected over 2 weeks. Additionally, each patient underwent postoperative physical examination within 3 days of surgery to check for adverse pulmonary events. The study outcome was the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications from the end of surgery up to postoperative day 28. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for surgical factors and patients' preoperative physical status, providing adjusted odds ratios (OR_adj) and adjusted absolute risk reduction (ARR_adj). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01865513.

FINDINGS

Between June 16, 2014, and April 29, 2015, data from 22 803 patients were collected. The use of neuromuscular blocking agents was associated with an increased incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients who had undergone general anaesthesia (1658 [7·6%] of 21 694); OR_adj 1·86, 95% CI 1·53-2·26; ARR_adj -4·4%, 95% CI -5·5 to -3·2). Only 2·3% of high-risk surgical patients and those with adverse respiratory profiles were anaesthetised without neuromuscular blocking agents. The use of neuromuscular monitoring (OR_adj 1·31, 95% CI 1·15-1·49; ARR_adj -2·6%, 95% CI -3·9 to -1·4) and the administration of reversal agents (1·23, 1·07-1·41; -1·9%, -3·2 to -0·7) were not associated with a decreased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Neither the choice of sugammadex instead of neostigmine for reversal (OR_adj 1·03, 95% CI 0·85-1·25; ARR_adj -0·3%, 95% CI -2·4 to 1·5) nor extubation at a train-of-four ratio of 0·9 or more (1·03, 0·82-1·31; -0·4%, -3·5 to 2·2) was associated with better pulmonary outcomes.

INTERPRETATION

We showed that the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs in general anaesthesia is associated with an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Anaesthetists must balance the potential benefits of neuromuscular blockade against the increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications.

FUNDING

European Society of Anaesthesiology.

Postoperative complications with neuromuscular blocking drugs and/or reversal agents in obstructive sleep apnea patients: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBD) are administered intra-operatively to facilitate intubation and to achieve muscle relaxation for surgical procedures. Incomplete reversal of NMBD can lead to adverse events in the postoperative period. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be at higher risk of complications related to the use of NMBD. The objectives of this systematic review were to determine whether: 1) OSA patients are at higher risk of postoperative complications from the use of NMBD than non-OSA patients, and 2) the choice of NMBD reversal agent affects the risk of postoperative complications in OSA patients.

METHODS

A literature search of multiple databases was conducted up to April 2017. The inclusion criteria were: (1) adult surgical patients (≥18 years old) with OSA diagnosed by polysomnography, or history, or suspected by screening questionnaire; (2) patients who were given NMBD and/or NMBD reversal agents intraoperatively; (3) reports on postoperative adverse events, particularly respiratory events were available; (4) published studies were in English; and (5) RCTs or observational cohort studies. The quality of evidence was determined by the Oxford Center for Evidence Based Medicine levels of evidence.

RESULTS

Out of 4123 studies, five studies (2 RCTs and 3 observational studies) including 1126 patients were deemed eligible. These studies were heterogeneous precluding a meta-analysis of the results. Two of three studies (1 RCT, 2 observational studies) reported that OSA patients given NMBD may be at higher risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) like hypoxemia, residual neuromuscular blockade or respiratory failure compared to non-OSA patients. Two studies (1 RCT, 1 observational study) reported that OSA patients who were reversed with sugammadex vs. neostigmine had less PPCs and chest radiographic changes, but the quality of the included studies was Oxford level of evidence: low to moderate.

CONCLUSIONS

OSA patients who receive intraoperative NMBD may be at higher risk for postoperative hypoxemia, respiratory failure and residual neuromuscular blockade compared to non-OSA patients. There is some, albeit very limited evidence that NMBD reversal with sugammadex may be associated with less PPCs than neostigmine in patients with OSA. More high-quality studies are needed.

Geriatric Anesthesia-related Morbidity and Mortality in China: Current Status and Trend

Objective:

The population of elderly patients and the amount of geriatric anesthesia have been growing rapidly in China. Thus, understanding the morbidity and mortality associated with geriatric anesthesia in China is critical to the improvement of anesthesia quality and outcome. The aim of the review was to discuss the geriatric anesthesia-related morbidity and mortality in China, as well as to point out the future trend.

Data Sources:

Articles in this review were all searched from Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, PubMed, and Web of Science databases, based on the reports originated in China from January 2011 to December 2016.

Study Selection:

A total of 57 studies were selected for further study, including 12 retrospective studies, 35 prospective studies, 3 meta-analyses, 4 reviews, 1 viewpoint, and 2 case reports. Of the total studies, 42 studies were in Chinese while 15 were in English.

Results:

The mortality and morbidity associated with geriatric anesthesia in China are not yet completely reported. Some factors have been recognized, while some are yet to be identified and confirmed. Several studies addressed postoperative cognitive dysfunction and postoperative delirium, whereas only a few studies can be found on renal complications. Thus, a nationwide registry is essential for geriatric anesthesia-associated adverse outcomes. The mortality associated with geriatric anesthesia in China should be reported promptly. In the future, the perspective of geriatric anesthesia needs to be expanded into perioperative geriatric medicine to improve the perioperative management strategy based on the postoperative outcome-directed concept transformation.

Conclusions:

Anesthesiologists should evaluate the physiological and medical status and focus on the prevention of potential complications in the perioperative setting with the goal to enhance elderly patients’ long-term well-being and survival quality.

Study protocol for the Anesthesiology Control Tower-Feedback Alerts to Supplement Treatments (ACTFAST-3) trial: a pilot randomized controlled trial in intraoperative telemedicine

Background: Each year, over 300 million people undergo surgical procedures worldwide. Despite efforts to improve outcomes, postoperative morbidity and mortality are common. Many patients experience complications as a result of either medical error or failure to adhere to established clinical practice guidelines. This protocol describes a clinical trial comparing a telemedicine-based decision support system, the Anesthesiology Control Tower (ACT), with enhanced standard intraoperative care. Methods: This study is a pragmatic, comparative effectiveness trial that will randomize approximately 12,000 adult surgical patients on an operating room (OR) level to a control or to an intervention group. All OR clinicians will have access to decision support software within the OR as a part of enhanced standard intraoperative care. The ACT will monitor patients in both groups and will provide additional support to the clinicians assigned to intervention ORs. Primary outcomes include blood glucose management and temperature management. Secondary outcomes will include surrogate, clinical, and economic outcomes, such as incidence of intraoperative hypotension, postoperative respiratory compromise, acute kidney injury, delirium, and volatile anesthetic utilization. Ethics and dissemination: The ACTFAST-3 study has been approved by the Human Resource Protection Office (HRPO) at Washington University in St. Louis and is registered at clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT02830126). Recruitment for this protocol began in April 2017 and will end in December 2018. Dissemination of the findings of this study will occur via presentations at academic conferences, journal publications, and educational materials.

Study protocol for the Anesthesiology Control Tower-Feedback Alerts to Supplement Treatments (ACTFAST-3) trial: a pilot randomized controlled trial in intraoperative telemedicine

Background: Each year, over 300 million people undergo surgical procedures worldwide. Despite efforts to improve outcomes, postoperative morbidity and mortality are common. Many patients experience complications as a result of either medical error or failure to adhere to established clinical practice guidelines. This protocol describes a clinical trial comparing a telemedicine-based decision support system, the Anesthesiology Control Tower (ACT), with enhanced standard intraoperative care. Methods: This study is a pragmatic, comparative effectiveness trial that will randomize approximately 12,000 adult surgical patients on an operating room (OR) level to a control or to an intervention group. All OR clinicians will have access to decision support software within the OR as a part of enhanced standard intraoperative care. The ACT will monitor patients in both groups and will provide additional support to the clinicians assigned to intervention ORs. Primary outcomes include blood glucose management and temperature management. Secondary outcomes will include surrogate, clinical, and economic outcomes, such as incidence of intraoperative hypotension, postoperative respiratory compromise, acute kidney injury, delirium, and volatile anesthetic utilization. Ethics and dissemination: The ACTFAST-3 study has been approved by the Human Resource Protection Office (HRPO) at Washington University in St. Louis and is registered at clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT02830126). Recruitment for this protocol began in April 2017 and will end in December 2018. Dissemination of the findings of this study will occur via presentations at academic conferences, journal publications, and educational materials.

Sugammadex: Appropriate Use in the Context of Budgetary Constraints

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review is to assess how sugammadex impacts postoperative residual curarization using appropriate doses based on neuromuscular transmission monitoring and whether the advantages of sugammadex versus neostigmine outweigh its higher cost.

Recent Findings

An accurate assessment of neuromuscular blockade with monitoring is necessary before selecting neostigmine versus sugammadex for reversal at the end of surgery to overcome incomplete neuromuscular recovery. The main advantages of sugammadex over neostigmine are its predictability and its ability to extend the range of blockade reversal. The cost of sugammadex is greater when higher doses of sugammadex are required for antagonism of deep block. Sugammadex probably has the potential to be cost-effective compared with neostigmine if its time savings are put to productive use in clinical practice. However, to date, the economic benefits of the drug are unknown.

Summary

With sugammadex, almost any degree of neuromuscular block can be antagonized within 2–3 min; neostigmine is the only reversal agent effective against benzylisoquinolines and can ideally be used for reversal of lower levels of residual paralysis. The performance of the more expensive sugammadex on improving patient outcomes may depend on several elements of clinical strategy.

Preliminary Indications for the Use of Sugammadex After Its Addition to a Formulary at a Tertiary Care Children's Hospital

OBJECTIVES

Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are administered to facilitate endotracheal intubation and provide skeletal muscle relaxation in surgical procedures. Sugammadex (Bridion) recently received approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration for reversal of rocuronium and vecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade thereby providing an alternative to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as neostigmine. This quality improvement analysis sought to investigate the clinical reasons and common clinical perceptions for choosing sugammadex over neostigmine to reverse NMBAs.

METHODS

One hundred cases were reviewed where sugammadex was used for neuromuscular blockade reversal in the operating room. Cases were identified from electronic medical record reports. Anesthesia providers responsible for administering sugammadex were interviewed to obtain rationales for sugammadex use in the perioperative setting. Responses were reviewed to identify distinct reasons for using sugammadex. Two independent raters ranked the reasons according to prevalence. The study was exempt from Institutional Review Board approval as a quality improvement (QI) project.

RESULTS

Forty-two anesthesia providers (15 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, 5 anesthesiology trainees, and 22 attending anesthesiologists) were interviewed to identify reasons why sugammadex was administered intraoperatively in 100 surgical cases (69/31 male/female patients, age 9.4 ± 6.5 years). The author identified the top 19 common reasons respondents chose to use sugammadex for each case, and independent raters reviewed the response summaries for those 19 primary reasons sugammadex was used. The most common reasons for choosing sugammadex were: 1) beneficial pharmacokinetics of the agent; 2) sugammadex's perceived superior efficacy over neostigmine; and 3) concerns regarding adverse effects of neostigmine and/or the anticholinergic agent.

CONCLUSIONS

Sugammadex has recently been introduced for clinical use to reverse NMBAs at our institution. Primary reasons and perceptions for its use over neostigmine included a limited adverse effect profile, a greater sense of control and predictability of patients' response, and a limited incidence of residual neuromuscular blockade.

Reversal agents: do we need to administer with neuromuscular monitoring - an observational study

Background and Aims

In clinical practice, in the majority of patients, recovery from the effect of muscle relaxants is assessed using subjective methods such as head lift, eye-opening, or by sustained hand grip after giving anticholinesterases (neostigmine) at the end of surgery. We planned a prospective observational cohort study to test the hypothesis that objective neuromuscular monitoring can help us in avoiding the use of anticholinesterases for reversal.

Methods

The patients posted for surgery of <2 h duration were included in the study. The cohort of patients was formed on the basis of those who were exposed to objective neuromuscular monitoring of recovery (train-of-four [TOF] ratio of 0.9 or more; exposed group) and the patients who were not exposed to objective neuromuscular monitoring (non-exposed group) acting as a control. Using objective neuromuscular monitoring, the time required for recovery from muscle relaxation when neostigmine was not given for reversal was noted and it was then compared with that of the control group.

Results

A total of 190 patients were enrolled over a period of 3 years. With the use of TOF ratio of 0.9 for extubation, patients safely recovered from neuromuscular blockade, without using neostigmine, with no difference in the mean recovery time (14.48 ± 1.138 min) as compared to the control group (12.14 ± 1.067 min, P = 0.139). There was no incidence of reintubation in post-operative period.

Conclusion

With objective neuromuscular monitoring, we can ensure complete recovery from the neuromuscular blockade while avoiding the use of anticholinesterases.

Neostigmine Administration after Spontaneous Recovery to a Train-of-Four Ratio of 0.9 to 1.0: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effect on Neuromuscular and Clinical Recovery

BACKGROUND

When a muscle relaxant is administered to facilitate intubation, the benefits of anticholinesterase reversal must be balanced with potential risks. The aim of this double-blinded, randomized noninferiority trial was to evaluate the effect of neostigmine administration on neuromuscular function when given to patients after spontaneous recovery to a train-of-four ratio of 0.9 or greater.

METHODS

A total of 120 patients presenting for surgery requiring intubation were given a small dose of rocuronium. At the conclusion of surgery, 90 patients achieving a train-of-four ratio of 0.9 or greater were randomized to receive either neostigmine 40 μg/kg or saline (control). Train-of-four ratios were measured from the time of reversal until postanesthesia care unit admission. Patients were monitored for postextubation adverse respiratory events and assessed for muscle strength.

RESULTS

Ninety patients achieved a train-of-four ratio of 0.9 or greater at the time of reversal. Mean train-of-four ratios in the control and neostigmine groups before reversal (1.02 vs. 1.03), 5 min postreversal (1.05 vs. 1.07), and at postanesthesia care unit admission (1.06 vs. 1.08) did not differ. The mean difference and corresponding 95% CI of the latter were -0.018 and -0.046 to 0.010. The incidences of postoperative hypoxemic events and episodes of airway obstruction were similar for the groups. The number of patients with postoperative signs and symptoms of muscle weakness did not differ between groups (except for double vision: 13 in the control group and 2 in the neostigmine group; P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Administration of neostigmine at neuromuscular recovery was not associated with clinical evidence of anticholinesterase-induced muscle weakness.

VISUAL ABSTRACT

An online visual overview is available for this article.(Figure is included in full-text article.).

Intubation following high-dose rocuronium in a cat with protracted laryngospasm

CASE SUMMARY

An 11-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat with a history of laryngospasm at induction of general anesthesia presented for dental evaluation and treatment. The cat was premedicated with hydromorphone (0.05 mg/kg) and alfaxalone (0.5 mg/kg) intravenously, pre-oxygenated for 5 mins (3 l/min, face mask) and anesthesia was induced with alfaxalone (to effect) intravenously. Lidocaine (0.1 ml, 2%) was applied topically to the arytenoid cartilages following loss of jaw tone. Laryngospasm was not noted during or immediately following lidocaine application. However, after waiting 60 s for the onset of effect of the topical lidocaine, laryngospasm was apparent. Orotracheal intubation by direct visualization was unsuccessful after four attempts by three anesthetists (with increasing levels of experience). At this point, a failed intubation was declared and the non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking agent rocuronium (1 mg/kg IV) given, resulting in arytenoid abduction and appropriate conditions for intubation. Successful intubation occurred 9 mins after induction of anesthesia. Oxygen was continuously supplemented throughout and arterial hemoglobin saturation with oxygen was never <94%.

RELEVANCE AND NOVEL INFORMATION

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of the use of high-dose rocuronium to successfully resolve prolonged laryngospasm at induction of general anesthesia in a cat. Despite laryngospasm and a delay in achieving orotracheal intubation, low values for arterial hemoglobin saturation with oxygen (indicative of hypoxemia) were not observed, highlighting the benefits of pre-oxygenation and apneic oxygenation. The principles of the Difficult Airway Society 2015 guidelines were followed in managing this difficult intubation.