Patient safety education in anesthesia: current state and future directions

Knowledge and attitude of surgical patients and their families toward anesthesia

Introduction

Anesthesia plays a critical role in modern surgical procedures by ensuring patient pain management and safety. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and attitude of surgical patients and their families toward anesthesia.

Methods

This prospective, cross-sectional study included patients and their families in Wenzhou, China. Data collection and the measurement of knowledge and attitude scores were administered using a self-administered questionnaire.

Results

503 participants (69.98% patients, 30.02% families) were included. The mean knowledge and attitude scores were 7.93 ± 6.11 (possible range: 0-26), and 32.64 ± 2.59 (possible range: 8-40), respectively, indicating an inadequate knowledge and positive attitude. Moreover, a multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age [odd ratio (OR) = 0.394, p = 0.018], residence (OR = 0.424, p = 0.002), household income per month (OR = 0.297 ~ 0.380, p < 0.05), gender (OR = 1.680, p = 0.017), education (OR = 2.891, p = 0.017), and experienced anesthesia (OR = 4.405, p = 0.001) were independently associated with knowledge score. Additionally, knowledge score (OR = 1.096, p < 0.001), relationship with the patient (OR = 1.902, p = 0.009), and household income per month (OR = 0.545, p < 0.031) were independently associated with attitude score.

Discussion

In conclusion, surgical patients and their families in Wenzhou, China had inadequate knowledge while positive attitude towards anesthesia, which might be influenced by their sociodemographic characteristics, including age, gender, residence, education, household income, relationship with patient, and experienced anesthesia. These findings emphasize the necessity of customized educational programs aimed at improving anesthesia knowledge and attitudes of patients and their families, especially among those with older age and lower socioeconomic status.

Revitalizing Postoperative Pain Management in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery via Inter-departmental Collaboration Toward Precision Medicine: A Narrative Review

This narrative review explores the crucial aspects of postoperative pain management within the framework of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS). It emphasizes the significance of effective and secure pain management, highlighting its impact on patient well-being, surgical outcomes, and hospital stays. The inadequacy of perioperative pain relief increases the risk of persistent postoperative pain, emphasizing the need to challenge the notion that pain is expected after surgery. The goals of postoperative pain management extend beyond mere relief, encompassing comfortable sleep, pain-free rest, and liberation from pain during initial recovery. Inadequate pain management can lead to complications such as heightened postoperative bleeding and an increased risk of thrombosis. The review delves into various analgesic methods, their complications, and safety measures. ERAS programs, focused on reducing complications and medical costs, emphasize the importance of judicious postoperative pain management and active rehabilitation. The review discusses complications associated with analgesic methods like opioids, epidural analgesia, and adjuvant analgesics. Collaboration within the perioperative management team is crucial for effective postoperative pain relief. Interdepartmental collaboration is essential for evaluating surgical procedures, analgesic methods, and crisis management strategies. The review concludes by integrating precision medicine into postoperative pain management, emphasizing the potential of genetic information in assessing pain sensitivity. It underscores the importance of inter-departmental collaboration and information gathering for the successful implementation of precision medicine tailored to each facility's perioperative management systems. Additionally, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on preoperative risk assessment and innovative monitoring techniques is discussed, paving the way for the advancement of precision medicine in postoperative pain management.

Monitoring and evaluation of anesthesia depth status data based on neuroscience

Monitoring and analysis of anesthesia depth status data refers to evaluating the anesthesia depth status of patients during the surgical process by monitoring their physiological index data, and conducting analysis and judgment. The depth of anesthesia is crucial for the safety and success of the surgical process. By monitoring the state of anesthesia depth, abnormal conditions of patients can be detected in a timely manner and corresponding measures can be taken to prevent accidents from occurring. Traditional anesthesia monitoring methods currently include computer tomography, electrocardiogram, respiratory monitoring, etc. In this regard, traditional physiological indicator monitoring methods have certain limitations and cannot directly reflect the patient's neural activity status. The monitoring and analysis methods based on neuroscience can obtain more information from the level of brain neural activity.

PURPOSE

In this article, the monitoring and analysis of anesthesia depth status data would be studied through neuroscience.

METHODS

Through a controlled experiment, the monitoring accuracy of traditional anesthesia status monitoring algorithm and neuroscience-based anesthesia status monitoring algorithm was studied, and the information entropy and oxygen saturation of electroencephalogram signals in patients with different anesthesia depth were explored.

RESULTS

The experiment proved that the average monitoring accuracy of the traditional anesthesia state monitoring algorithm in patients' blood drug concentration and oxygen saturation reached 95.55 and 95.00%, respectively. In contrast, the anesthesia state monitoring algorithm based on neuroscience performs better, with the average monitoring accuracy of drug concentration and oxygen saturation reaching 98.00 and 97.09%, respectively. This experimental result fully proved that the monitoring performance of anesthesia state monitoring algorithms based on neuroscience is better.

CONCLUSION

The experiment proved the powerful monitoring ability of the anesthesia state monitoring algorithm based on neuroscience used in this article, and explained the changing trend of brain nerve signals and oxygen saturation of patients with different anesthesia depth states, which provided a new research method for the monitoring and analysis technology of anesthesia depth state data.

Does the type of anesthesia (regional vs. general) represent an independent predictor for in-hospital complications in operatively treated malleolar fractures? A retrospective analysis of 5262 patients

PURPOSE

The impact of the type of anesthesia (regional vs. general anesthesia) on in-hospital complications in ankle fractures has not been thoroughly studied yet. Identifying factors that place patients at risk for complications following ankle fractures may help reduce their occurrence. The primary goal of this study was (1) to describe the cohort of patients and (2) to evaluate independent risk factors for complications during hospitalization.

METHODS

We analyzed patients from 2005 to 2019 with an operatively treated isolated fracture of the medial or lateral malleolus using a prospective national quality measurement database. Patients were selected based on international classifications (ICD) and national procedural codes (CHOP). Uni- and multivariate analysis were applied.

RESULTS

In total, we analyzed 5262 patients who suffered a fracture of the malleolus; 3003 patients (57%) had regional and 2259 (43%) general anesthesia. Patients with regional anesthesia were significantly older (51 vs. 46 years), but healthier (23 vs. 28% comorbidities) than patients who received general anesthesia. The in-hospital complication rate was not significantly lower in regional anesthesia (2.2% vs 3.0%). The type of anesthesia was not an independent predictor for complications while controlling for confounders.

CONCLUSION

Type of anesthesia was not an independent predictor of complications; however, higher ASA class, age over 70 years, fracture of the medial versus lateral malleolus, longer preoperative stay, and duration of surgery were significant predictors of complications. Patient and procedure characteristics, as well as changes in medical care and epidemiological changes along with patient requests, influenced the choice of the type of anesthesia.

The Evolving Curriculum in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety in Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education: A Scoping Review

Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) has become an increasingly important area of focus within undergraduate and graduate medical education. A variety of different QIPS curriculums have been developed, but standardization and effectiveness of these curriculums is largely unknown. The authors conducted a scoping review to explore the status of undergraduate and graduate nondegree QIPS curriculum in the United States. A scoping review was performed using The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model as a guide. Two databases were screened from January 2019 to March 2022 to identify relevant articles. Forty-seven articles met eligibility criteria, with most articles (n = 38) focused on graduate medical education. Of those 38, 86.8% (33/38) were developed as curriculum specific to a particular specialty. The article highlights similarities and differences in structure, evaluation metrics, and outcomes, and subsequently offers insight into curriculum components that should help guide standardization of successful curriculum development moving forward.