To Örebro University

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate intra-peritoneal (ip) microdialysis after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) in patients developing intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH), requiring abdominal decompression.

Design: Prospective study.

Material and methods: A total of 16 patients with rAAA treated with an emergency EVAR were followed up hourly for intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), urine production and ip lactate, pyruvate, glycerol and glucose by microdialysis, analysed only at the end of the study. Abdominal decompression was performed on clinical criteria, and decompressed (D) and non-decompressed (ND) patients were compared.

Results: The ip lactate/pyruvate (l/p) ratio was higher in the D group than in the ND group during the first five postoperative hours (mean 20 vs. 12), p = 0.005 and at 1 h prior to decompression compared to the fifth hour in the ND group (24 vs. 13), p = 0.016. Glycerol levels were higher in the D group during the first postoperative hours (mean 274.6 vs. 121.7 mu M), p = 0.022. The IAP was higher only at 1 h prior to decompression in the D group compared to the ND group at the fifth hour (mean 19 vs. 14 mmHg).

Conclusions: lp l/p ratio and glycerol levels are elevated immediately postoperatively in patients developing IAH leading to organ failure and subsequent abdominal decompression.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of depth of anesthesia on POCD after major ENT surgery and to assess changes in postoperative inflammatory markers in patients undergoing major ENT surgery. Thirty two patients aged 40 to 94 yrs, scheduled for surgery under general anesthesia were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In group A (AEP group) depth of anesthesia (DOA) was measured with auditory evoked potential (AEP). In the control group (group C) DOA was monitored according to clinical signs. Cognitive function was evaluated using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ). Inflammatory markers were measured before and after anesthesia. Perioperative requirements for desflurane and fentanyl were significantly lower in group A. On the first postoperative day MMSE changes indicating POCD were noted in 1 patient in group A and 7 patients in group C (P<0.03). One month follow up did not show any difference between the groups regarding POCD. Our study indicates that AEP-guided anesthesia allows dose reduction of anesthetic agents including opioids leading to better cardiovascular stability and less early POCD. Anesthesia depth did not influence the inflammatory response to surgery.

Background: Post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) after non-cardiac surgery is a well known problem in some categories of patients. This study aims to evaluate the influence of auditory evoked potential (AEP)-guided anaesthesia on the requirement for anaesthetic drugs and their influence on POCD.

Methods: Four hundred and fifty patients aged between 18 and 92 years scheduled for ophthalmic surgery under general anaesthesia were assigned randomly to one of two groups. In group A (AEP group), the depth of anaesthesia (DoA) was aimed at an AEP index (AAI) between 15 and 25. In group C (control group), DoA was guided by clinical signs. Hypotension was treated with fluids and vasopressors using a standardised algorithm. A mini-mental test and the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire were used to evaluate cognitive function.

Results: Anaesthetic drug requirements were significantly lower in group A than in group C: propofol 92.526.5 vs. 103.839.5mg (P¼<0.001) and desflurane end-tidal concentration 2.50.58 vs. 3.30.79% (P<0.001). In group A, 36 patients (16%) received additional fluids and vasopressors compared to 65 patients (29%) in group C (P<0.01). AAI values differed significantly between the groups: 18 (11–21) in group A vs. 12 (10–19) in group C (P<0.001). The number of patients with POCD was 16 in group C compared to two in group A (P<0.001) at day 1 post-operation.

Conclusion: AEP monitoring allows dose reduction of anaesthetic agents, leading to better cardiovascular stability and decreased requirements for intra-operative fluids and vasopressors. Cognitive decline seen following minor ophthalmic surgery, even when anaesthesia is assessed clinically, is short-lived with no long-term sequelae.

Patients' memories of frightening ICU experiences may be a threat to later psychological recovery. The purpose of the study is to describe ICU patients' recall of their emotional reactions, from falling critically ill to hospital discharge; this at 3 and 12 months following discharge from the ICU. The study is qualitative and concerns eight ICU patients ventilated for more than 72h. The participants were interviewed twice and the data were subjected to qualitative content analysis. It emerged that the memories of emotions during the trajectory of critical illness were extensive, detailed and strong, and that unpleasant emotions were clearly stable over time. At 12 months as compared with 3 months, the unpleasant emotions were less intense and had less prominent; furthermore the ICU care was more greatly associated with a sense of security, and there was greater recall of caring doctors and nurses (though not of their names) as well as next of kin. CONCLUSIONS: The study generated knowledge not previously described about how ICU patients' recollection of their emotions during the trajectory of critical illness changes over time. This has implications regarding future study of patients' ICU memories and regarding patients' need for support in coping with such memories.

Intrathecal catheters have been used for many years to treat severe pain resistant to conventional treatment modalities. Previous studies have found a rate of serious infection of 2%-3% using these catheters in home situations. However, many authors used prophylactic antibiotics routinely in this group of patients, which are both costly and associated with a risk of developing antibiotic resistance. We were interested in studying whether improved hygiene during insertion and care of these catheters in the hospice or home environment would reduce the incidence of catheter-related infections. The results show that prophylactic antibiotic is not necessary, but a careful handling of the system with aseptic technique is important. The infections we registered appeared more than 2 weeks after insertion of the catheters. We now use this method routinely when inserting an intrathecal catheter with a subcutaneous port.

There is a lack of knowledge regarding how critically ill patients recall of the ICU and their life-threatening condition changes over time. The purpose of this study is to describe critically ill and ventilator-treated patients' recollections of both factual events and unreal experiences at 3 and 12 months following discharge from the ICU. The study is qualitative and encompasses nine critically ill ICU patients, ventilator-treated for more than 72 h. The participants were interviewed twice, at 3 and 12 months after their discharge from the ICU. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The patients in this study reported unreal experiences, memory confusion and/or disturbances before admittance to the ICU and before their respirator treatment. Their "unreal experiences" were far clearer than their memories of factual occurrences. Patients' fragmentary memories of factual events and their recall of unreal experiences were practically unchanged after 12 month. Their unreal experiences could still be recalled and related after 12 months, but not with the same expression and feeling as earlier (3 months). The unreal experiences were not - after 12 months - their initial recollections, as they had been after 3 months. Conclusions: Patients' recollections of both factual events and unreal experiences show very little variation between 3 and 12 months. The stability of long-term memory after 12 months shows that the recollection of their experiences had been both traumatic and emotionally charged. This study shows that critically ill patients were affected by cognitive disturbances and/or disturbed memory before their arrival at the ICU. This result indicates the need of ICU follow-up clinics.

Introduction: Trauma stress and neuro-inflammation caused by surgery/anaesthesia releases cytokines. This study analysed impact of Auditory Evoked Potential Index (AAI) depth-of-anaesthesia titration on the early plasma IL-6 release after eye surgery under general anaesthesia.

Method: This is a subgroup analysis of a prospective randomized study on the effect of auditory evoked potential guided anaesthesia for eye surgery. Plasma IL-6 levels taken before, 5 and 24 h after end of surgery from 450 patients undergoing elective ophthalmic surgery under desflurane anaesthesia were analysed. Minimal mental state examination (MMSE) was also tested at 24-hours.

Results: IL- 6 increased significantly at both 5 and further at 24 hours after surgery (3.2, 4.5 and 5.1 base-line, 5 and 24- hours respectively), the IL-6 increase showed different patterns between the 2 groups; IL-6 was significantly increased in the control group of patients between preoperative baseline and 24 h after surgery (p= 0.008) also between 5 h and 24 h, (p= 0.006) after surgery while the AAI-group had only minor non-significant changes. The 18 patients that showed a 24-hour MMSE score less than 25 had a significant higher 24-hour IL-6 compared to the 390 patients with a MMSE score > 24 (p = 0.002).

Conclusion: The IL-6 increase after surgery was less pronounced in patients where anaesthesia was titrated by AAI compared to anaesthesia adjusted on clinical signs only. IL-6 were also found to be higher in patients with a MMSE <25 at 24-hours. Further studies are warranted evaluating the role of depth of anaesthesia monitoring on the risk for early cognitive impairment and neuro-inflammation.

Introduction: In clinical practice efforts have mainly been focused on cardiovascular and pulmonary risks, there is less attention on postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD).

Methods: An online questionnaire regarding cognitive decline after anaesthesia and surgery was sent nationwide to a total of 2 626 anaesthesiologists and nurse anaesthetists. The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts, subjective preferences, routines and practices based on four typical case scenarios i.e. POCD, POD, emergence agitation (EA) and awareness.

Results: The response rate was n=417 (45%) and n=669 (55%) for anaesthesiologists and nurse anaesthetists respectively. Only 10% of the responders consider cognitive function, assessment of preoperatively and risk for cognitive side-effects postoperatively important. The concern regarding awareness was far greater (90%) than for EA, POD and POCD, 30- 45%. EEG based depth of anaesthetic monitoring (DOA) is used regularly by 10% and in 22% in patients with increased risk. Regarding treatment, investigation and follow-up routines, less than 15% had written structured protocols. Sixty percent of the respondents do not consider POCD as an important outcome. Anaesthesiologists have a better knowledge of screening methods, management and follow-up routines and drug treatment for POD, POCD and EA compared to nurse anaesthetists.

Conclusions: Our nationwide survey of anaesthesiologists and nurse anaesthetists shows that there is a general lack of knowledge about assessment and management of postoperative cognitive dysfunction. They are more concerned about awareness than the much more frequent and serious problems such as POD and POCD. In general DOA monitoring is not considered necessary. This survey shows that there is a clear need for improvement regarding knowledge of cognitive function.