[Preoperative management of anemia in oncologic surgery]

Preoperative anemia in patients with cancer is highly prevalent, is associated with increased perioperative morbidity and is a risk factor for transfusion. There is evidence that patients who undergo transfusions have higher morbidity, increased cancer recurrence and poorer survival. The pathophysiology of anemia is multifactorial, with an inflammatory component to which chronic blood loss and nutritional deficiencies can be associated. Therefore, preoperative anemia in patients with cancer should be treated appropriately, given that there is sufficient time in the preoperative period. Of the currently available options, parenteral iron is an effective alternative, especially for those types of cancer that have an associated hemorrhagic component.

[Hypobaric metameric subarachnoid anaesthesia for anaesthetic management in vertebral reinforcement techniques. Our experience in 6 cases]

Vertebral reinforcement techniques, such as percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, are minimally invasive procedures used in the treatment of fractured or collapsed vertebras. The anaesthetic techniques employed during these procedures are diverse and with variable results. We report 6 cases, vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty using subarachnoid metameric anaesthesia with a hypobaric technique. Haemodynamic stability and analgesia were satisfactory in all of them.