Irén Sellbrant

Background: Wrist fracture is one of most common fractures frequently requiring surgical anaesthesia. There is limited information related to the anaesthetic practice and quality including 30‐day mortality associated with wrist fracture in Sweden in recent years.Aim: The aim of the present register‐based study was to investigate the anaesthesia techniques used and quality indices including 30‐day mortality associated with wrist fracture surgery in Sweden during the period 2018–2021.Materials and Methods: All fracture repositions, and surgical interventions related to wrist fracture requiring anaesthesia in patients aged >18 years registered in the Swedish Perioperative Register (SPOR) between 2018 and 2021 were included in the analysis. Information on age, ASA class, anaesthesia technique, severe operative events, most reported side‐effects during recovery room stay and all‐cause 30‐day mortality was collected.Results: The data set included 25,147 procedures split into 14,796 females and 10,252 males (missing information n = 99) with a mean age of 52.9 ± 18.7 years and a significant age difference between females and males, 60.3 ± 15.4 and 42.2 ± 17.7 years, respectively. Mean age and ASA class increased during the study period (2018–2021), from 52.8 ± 18.6 to 54.0 ± 18.4 and ASA class 3–5 from 8.1% to 9.4% (p < .001 and p < .041, respectively). General anaesthesia (GA), GA combined with regional anaesthesia (RA), RA with or without sedation and sedation only was used in 41%, 13%, 40% and 6% of procedures, respectively, with minor changes over the study period. Pain at arrival in the recovery room (RR), (3.4%), severe pain during RR stay (2.1%), hypothermia (1.4%), postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) (1.2%) and urinary retention (0.5%) were the most reported side‐effects during the RR stay. (RA) was associated with significantly lower occurrence of pain and PONV, and shorter RR stay, compared with GA (p < .001). The all‐cause 30‐day mortality was low (19 of 25,147 (0.08%)) with no differences over the period studied or anaesthetic technique.Conclusion: General anaesthesia or general anaesthesia combined with regional anaesthesia are the most used anaesthetic techniques for wrist fracture procedures in Sweden. Recovery room pain, PONV, hypothermia and urinary retention is reported in overall low frequencies, with no change over the period studied, but in lower frequencies for regional anaesthesia. All‐cause 30‐day mortality was low; 0.08% with no change over time or between anaesthetic techniques. Thus, the present quality review based on SPOR data supports high quality of perioperative anaesthesia care.

Background: Immobilisation following surgical treatment of distal radial fractures (DRF) is traditionally performed with a dorsal cast splint. There is an interest in changing the rigid cast to a removable brace. This can reduce the risk for cast-corrections, complications and improve recovery of function. The aim of the study was to compare quality of recovery (QoR) between brace and traditional cast for immobilisation during the first postoperative week. Methods: 60 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status 1–3, scheduled for surgical treatment of DRF under a supraclavicular block (SCB) in a day-surgery setting were randomised into two groups of immobilisation post-surgery; brace (n=30) versus traditional cast (n=30). Study objectives were: differences in self-assessed QoR using the QoR-15 questionnaire, postoperative oral oxycodone consumption, perioperative time events and unplanned healthcare contacts one week postoperatively. Results: 54 patients, 46 females/eight males were included in the analysis; 27 with brace and 27 with traditional cast. QoR-15 median scores improved significantly from baseline/preoperative to day 7 (brace p=0.001, cast p=0.001) with no differences between the two groups. The only difference found was that patients in the brace group had significantly worse pain score 24-hours post-surgery (p=0.022). No significant differences were seen in total median oxycodone consumption the first three postoperative days. No differences were found in perioperative events or unplanned healthcare contacts. Conclusions: Brace appears to be a feasible option to traditional cast for immobilisation following surgical treatment of DRF. The early QoR was similar in both groups apart from more pain in the brace group the first 24 postoperative hours.

Background: Supraclavicular block (SCB) with long-acting local anaesthetic is commonly used for surgical repair of distal radial fractures (DRF). Studies have shown a risk for rebound pain when the block fades. This randomised single-centre study aimed to compare pain and opioid consumption the first three days post-surgery between SCB-mepivacaine vs. SCB-ropivacaine, with general anaesthesia (GA) as control. Methods: Patients (n = 90) with ASA physical status 1–3 were prospectively randomised to receive; SCB with mepivacine 1%, 25–30 ml (n = 30), SCB with ropivacaine 0.5%, 25–30 ml (n = 30) or GA (n = 30) with propofol/fentanyl/sevoflurane. Study objectives compared postoperative pain with Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and sum postoperative Opioid Equivalent Consumption (OEC) during the first 3 days post-surgery between study-groups. Results: The three groups showed significant differences in postoperative pain-profile. Mean NRS at 24 h was significantly lower for the SCB-mepivacaine group (p = 0.018). Further both median NRS and median OEC day 0 to 3 were significanly lower in the SCB-mepivacaine group as compared to the SCB-ropivacaine group during the first three days after surgery; pain NRS 1 (IQR 0.3–3.3) and 2.7 (IQR 1.3–4.2) (p = 0.017) and OEC 30 mg (IQR 10–80) and 85 mg (IQR 45–125) (p = 0.004), respectively. The GA-group was in between both in pain NRS and median sum OEC. Unplanned healthcare contacts were highest among SCB-ropivacaine patients (39.3%) vs. SCB-mepivacaine patients (0%) and GA-patients (3.4%). Conclusions: The potential benefit of longer duration of analgesia, associated to a long-acting local anaesthetic agent, during the early postoperative course must be put in perspective of potential worse pain progression following block resolution. Trial registration: NCT03749174 (clinicaltrials.gov, Nov 21, 2018, retrospectively registered).

Background: Immobilisation following surgical treatment of distal radial fractures (DRF) is traditionally performed with a dorsal cast splint. There is an interest in changing the rigid cast to a removable brace. This can reduce the risk for cast-corrections, complications and improve recovery of function. The aim of the study was to compare quality of recovery (QoR) between brace and traditional cast for immobilisation during the first postoperative week. Methods: 60 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status 1–3, scheduled for surgical treatment of DRF under a supraclavicular block (SCB) in a day-surgery setting were randomised into two groups of immobilisation post-surgery; brace (n=30) versus traditional cast (n=30). Study objectives were: differences in self-assessed QoR using the QoR-15 questionnaire, postoperative oral oxycodone consumption, perioperative time events and unplanned healthcare contacts one week postoperatively. Results: 54 patients, 46 females/eight males were included in the analysis; 27 with brace and 27 with traditional cast. QoR-15 sum median scores improved significantly from baseline/preoperative to day 7 (brace p=0.001, cast p=0.001) with no differences between the two groups. The only difference found was that patients in the brace group had significantly worse pain score 24-hours post-surgery (p=0.022). No significant differences were seen in sum median oxycodone consumption the first three postoperative days. No differences were found in perioperative events or unplanned healthcare contacts. Conclusions: Brace appears to be a feasible option to traditional cast for immobilisation following surgical treatment of DRF. The early QoR was similar in both groups apart from more pain in the brace group the first 24 postoperative hours.

Anaesthetic technique for open surgery of acute distal for arm fracture in adults/elderly is not well defined. Regional anaesthesia, general anaesthesia or a combined general and regional block may be considered. General anaesthetic technique, the timing and drug/drug combination for the regional block must also be considered. This is a study around published studies assessing anaesthtic technique for wrist surgery. A systematic database search was performed and papers describing the effect of anaesthetic techniques were included. We found sparse evidence for what anaesthetic technique is optimal for open wrist fracture repair. In total only six studies were found using our inclusion criteria, which all supported the short term, early recovery benefits of regional anaesthesia as part of multi-modal analgesia. More protracted outcomes and putting the type of block into context of quality of recovery and patients’ satisfaction is lacking in the literature. The risk for a pain rebound when the block vanishes should also be acknowledged. Therefore, further high quality studies are warranted concerning the anaesthetic technique for this type of surgery.

Available general and local anaesthetics, third generation inhaled anaesthetics, propofol and amide class local anaesthetics are effective and reassuringly safe. They are all associated to low incidence of toxicology and or adverse-effects. There is however a debate whether anaesthetic drug and technique could exhibit effects beyond the primary effects; fully reversible depression of the central nervous system, dose dependent anaesthesia. Anaesthetics may be involved in the progression of neurocognitive side effects seen especially in the elderly after major surgery, so called Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction. On the other hand anaesthetics may exhibit organ protective potential, reducing ischemia reperfusion injury and improving survival after cardiac surgery. Anaesthetics and anaesthetic technique may also have effects of cancer reoccurrence and risk for metastasis. The present paper provides an update around the evidence base around anaesthesia potential contributing effect on the occurrence of postoperative cognitive adverse-effects, organ protective properties and influence on cancer re-occurrence/metastasis.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is one of the most common general surgical procedures. The aim of the present paper is to review current evidence and well-established practice for elective laparoscopic perioperative management. There is no firm evidence for best anesthetic technique, further high quality studies assessing short as well as more protracted outcomes are needed. Preventive multi-modal analgesia, combining non-opioid analgesics, paracetamol, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or coxib, and local anesthesia, has a long history. Local anesthesia improves postoperative pain and facilitates discharge on the day of surgery. Whether transversus abdominis plane-block has clinically important advantages compared to local infiltration analgesia needs further studies. Single intravenous dose steroid, dexamethasone, reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting, pain, and enhances the recovery process. Multi-modal analgesia is reassuringly safe thus having a positive benefit versus risk profile. Adherence to modern guidelines avoiding prolonged fasting and liberal intravenous fluid regime supports rapid recovery. The effects of CO₂ insufflation must be acknowledged and low intra-abdominal pressure should be sought in order to reduce negative cardiovascular/respiratory effects. There is no firm evidence supporting heating and humidification of the insufflated gas. The potential risk for CO₂/gas entrainment into vasaculture, gas emboli, or subcutaneous/intra-thoracic into the pleural space must be kept in mind. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in ASA 1-2 patients following a multi-modal enhanced recovery protocol promotes high success rate for discharge on the day of surgery.