Anaesthesia training designs across Europe: A survey-based study from the trainees committee of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care

BACKGROUND

Anaesthesiology training programs in Europe vary in duration, content, and requirements for completion. This survey-based study conducted by the Trainees Committee of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care explores current anaesthesia training designs across Europe.

METHODS

Between May and July 2018, we sent a 41-item online questionnaire to all National Trainee Representatives, members of the National Anaesthesiologists Societies Committee, and Council Representatives of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) of all member countries. We cross-validated inconsistent data with different country representatives.

RESULTS

Forty-three anaesthesiologists from all 39 associated ESAIC countries completed the questionnaire. Results showed considerable variability in teaching formats, frequency of teaching sessions during training, and differences in assessments made during and at the end of training. The reported duration of training was 60 months in 59% (n = 23) of participating countries, ranging from 24 months in Russia and Ukraine to 84 months in the UK.

CONCLUSION

This study shows the significant differences in anaesthesiology training formats across Europe, and highlights the importance of developing standardised training programs to ensure a consistent level of training and to improve patient safety. This study provides valuable insights into European anaesthesia training, and underlines the need for further research and collaboration to improve requirements.

Fatigue amongst anaesthesiology and intensive care trainees in Europe: A matter of concern

BACKGROUND

There is a growing awareness of the effects of fatigue on trainee wellbeing and health. Trainees in anaesthesiology and intensive care work long hours, switching work schedules frequently with insufficient rest. This may have unwanted long-term effects on mental and physical health and emotional well being, resulting in burnout and affecting patient safety.

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, severity, causes and effects of work-related fatigue in trainees in anaesthesiology and intensive care.

DESIGN

Online survey of trainees in anaesthesiology and intensive care.

SETTINGS

A total of 31 countries within Europe were included in the survey.

PARTICIPANTS

European anaesthesiology and intensive care trainees who responded to an invitation to take part by electronic mail or through social media.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Responses from a 29-item online survey to assess the realities within European countries with regards to work-related fatigue.

RESULTS

One thousand and two hundred trainees from 31 European countries answered the survey demonstrating that an alarming number of trainees were fatigued by their working patterns and night shifts. Trainees reported effects on personal well being, safe commuting and potential for clinical errors. Respondents described a lack of support from hospitals and management for recovery during and after night shifts.

CONCLUSION

Fatigue among trainees in anaesthesiology and intensive care has a significant impact on their well being and potentially, on the incidence of clinical errors. Current measures from authorities and hospital management are not sufficient to prevent serious fatigue, and therefore a fatigue risk management system should be considered. Failure to address this issue might lead to a further decline in trainees' wellbeing, their capacity to work in the speciality in the future, and potentially increase patient care errors.

Management practices for postdural puncture headache in obstetrics: a prospective, international, cohort study

BACKGROUND

Accidental dural puncture is an uncommon complication of epidural analgesia and can cause postdural puncture headache (PDPH). We aimed to describe management practices and outcomes after PDPH treated by epidural blood patch (EBP) or no EBP.

METHODS

Following ethics committee approval, patients who developed PDPH after accidental dural puncture were recruited from participating countries and divided into two groups, those receiving EBP or no EBP. Data registered included patient and procedure characteristics, headache symptoms and intensity, management practices, and complications. Follow-up was at 3 months.

RESULTS

A total of 1001 patients from 24 countries were included, of which 647 (64.6%) received an EBP and 354 (35.4%) did not receive an EBP (no-EBP). Higher initial headache intensity was associated with greater use of EBP, odds ratio 1.29 (95% confidence interval 1.19-1.41) per pain intensity unit increase. Headache intensity declined sharply at 4 h after EBP and 127 (19.3%) patients received a second EBP. On average, no or mild headache (numeric rating score≤3) was observed 7 days after diagnosis. Intracranial bleeding was diagnosed in three patients (0.46%), and backache, headache, and analgesic use were more common at 3 months in the EBP group.

CONCLUSIONS

Management practices vary between countries, but EBP was more often used in patients with greater initial headache intensity. EBP reduced headache intensity quickly, but about 20% of patients needed a second EBP. After 7 days, most patients had no or mild headache. Backache, headache, and analgesic use were more common at 3 months in patients receiving an EBP.

Sugammadex is changing the paradigm in neuromuscular blockade in patients with myotonic dystrophy

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is a rare neuromuscular disease that represents a challenge to anaesthetic management. Most of the literature does not recommend the usage of neuromuscular blocking agents, if general anaesthesia is needed in these patients. Depolarising neuromuscular blocking agents like suxamethonium are contraindicated, and there might be an increased sensitivity to non-depolarising agents like rocuronium with greater risk of postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade and consequent respiratory failure. Reversing neuromuscular blockade is also problematic as neostigmine can induce myotonic crisis, impairing normal ventilation. We discuss the use of sugammadex for neuromuscular blockade reversal, from a clinical case of a patient with myotonic dystrophy type 1 for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patient had a general anaesthesia with neuromuscular blockade with rocuronium. After the surgical procedure, neuromuscular blockade was safely reversed with sugammadex, guided by neuromuscular monitoring without any perioperative complications.

Anaesthesiology trainees and their needs: a Romanian perspective. Results from a European survey

Anaesthesiology training is going through continuous transformations worldwide. Recent data from a European Survey on anaesthesiology postgraduate trainees and their concerns have been published for the first time, following an initiative by the European Society of Anaesthesiology. Among the responders of this survey, 10.8% were represented by Romanian trainees. The main needs of the Romanian anaesthesiology trainees who completed the questionnaire were, in descending order educational contents/EDAIC, technical skills, exchange programmes, residency workload, residency costs and autonomy transition. Another observation coming from the analysed data is that Romanian anaesthesiologists in training are highly concerned and interested in the field of intensive care medicine. The results also pinpoint to the high costs associated with continuous medical education, leading to a high incentive for workforce migration.

Carbohydrate metabolism in sickle cell patients using a subdermal implant containing nomegestrol acetate (Uniplant)

Uniplant, a second-generation contraceptive implant, has been demonstrated to promote a significant improvement in the overall well-being of women with sickle cell anemia. It has been suggested that the discrete increase in blood glucose levels observed in Uniplant users could be a contributory factor for clinical improvement. Ten healthy sickle cell patients were enrolled in the study. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed prior to implant insertion and at 1, 6, and 12 months of therapy. Blood glucose and insulin were measured before and at 30, 60, 120, and 180 min after a 75-g glucose load. The glucose and insulin areas under the curves were calculated. Fasting glycosylated hemoglobin was also measured. No significant changes were observed in glycosylated hemoglobin, glucose or insulin. We conclude that Uniplant is a safe contraceptive for sickle cell patients.

Dialytic nutrition: provision of amino acids in dialysate during hemodialysis

Maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients are frequently malnourished, a condition associated with high morbidity and mortality. Amino acid (AA) losses in dialysate may enhance protein malnutrition in patients with low food intake. We studied the possibility of providing AA in dialysate during MHD to either prevent AA losses or as a nutritional supplement. Six clinically stable men were studied during three hemodialysis treatments. The first treatment was performed using the usual dialysate (0XAA). The two other treatments were performed using a dialysate containing an amount of AA equal to normal plasma AA concentrations (1XAA) or to three times the normal plasma AA concentrations (3XAA). During the OXAA treatment, the total AA losses were 10.0 +/- 0.9 (SEM) grams (g) and the total AA concentrations in plasma decreased by 49 +/- 4%. During the 1XAA treatment, the total AA balance was +0.8 +/- 1.8 g and there was no significant change in the postdialysis plasma total AA. With the 3XAA treatment, the patients gained 36.9 +/- 4.1 g of AA during the hemodialysis treatment and the plasma total AA levels increased by 45 +/- 9%. No side effects were observed. These findings indicate that it may be feasible to provide AA supplements to MHD patients by adding AA to hemodialysate.

Urethral cultures in female patients with a spinal cord injury

Quantitative cultures of the urethral meatus were obtained from women with SCI undergoing intermittent catheterization. When compared with the urethral cultures of a group of female subjects, women with SCI had a greater number of isolates of Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the urethral flora. However there was not a significantly greater number of isolates or log numbers of E. coli or Enterococcus sp. in the urethral flora. The E. coli and Enterococcus sp. isolated from the urine were not isolated from the urethra of female patients with SCI in one third of the patients. This poor correlation between the simultaneous urethral and urine cultures of female subjects with SCI may reflect colonization of the urine with organisms that were unable to adhere to the mucosa and colonize the urethra. To what extent these organisms colonize or are temporary residents may be important in the pathogenicity of the infection.

Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of 502U83 (an arylmethylaminopropanediol) in cancer patients

502U83, a novel arylmethylaminopropanediol, has proven active in vivo against a panel of murine leukemia and solid tumors as well as in a tumor clonogenic assay against a variety of fresh human cancers. A total of 35 previously treated cancer patients were enrolled in a phase I study of this compound. The maximally tolerated dose (MTD) appears to be 12,800 mg/m2/72 h by continuous intravenous infusion with severe granulocytopenia occurring in three of five patients. There were no objective clinical responses. Serum pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows: plasma terminal phase half-life (t1/2 beta) = 3.84 h; total body clearance (CLB) = 53.1 l/h/m2; volume of distribution at steady state (Vdss) = 127.9 l/m2; maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) = 3.7 micrograms/ml (at 12,800 mg/m2/72 h dose).