Maggie S. Chen Methadone (also known as Dolophine), is a synthetic opioid that is commonly used during cases of opioid dependence as well as for other chronic pain therapy. Developed in the late 1930s in Germany, it was approved for usage in the US in 1947. Since then, methadone quickly became the analgesic drug of… Continue reading Methadone: Biological Mechanisms, Surgical Applications, and Side Effects
Maggie S. Chen The onset of the technological revolution has changed the way healthcare is practiced. Robotic surgery became popular as healthcare professionals moved toward more minimally invasive surgical techniques. These techniques, along with the technological innovations associated with them, led to benefits such as reduced wound access trauma, shorter hospital stay, improved visualization, less… Continue reading The Evolution of Robotic Anesthesia
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition in which the force of blood against artery walls is higher than expected.1 If it remains untreated, chronic hypertension can cause damage to the blood vessels and heart, ultimately leading to health problems such as heart attack and stroke.1 Like many other disorders, hypertension can… Continue reading Hypertension and Anesthesia Risks
Halothane, also known as fluothane, is a nonflammable, halogenated hydrocarbon and inhalational general anesthetic.1 Halothane was created in the 1950s by Charles Suckling, an English chemist, after two years of research and testing.2,3 At the time, ether and chloroform were common anesthetics, but their flammable nature made them dangerous in the operating room.4 Halothane, which… Continue reading Halothane: Biological Mechanisms, Surgical Applications and Side Effects
Groupon, an online coupon service that aims to offer “a vast mobile and online marketplace where people discover and save on amazing things to do, see, eat and buy,”1 has worked with over one million merchants since its founding in 2008.2,3 These days, many of those merchants are members of the health care field, who—through… Continue reading Groupons for Healthcare Treatment
The safe administration of general anesthesia requires an understanding of the technological advances in highly sophisticated anesthetic equipment. When using modern anesthetic workstations, it is important to understand the complex interaction between the delivery systems – which conduct anesthetic gases from an anesthetic machine to the patient – and the reservoir bag. The anesthesia reservoir… Continue reading Functions of anesthesia reservoir bag in a breathing system
Epidural anesthesia is well-known for its use for pregnant women during labor.1 One of the most common functions of epidural anesthesia is as a nerve block, which numbs spinal nerves and prevents pain signals from traveling to the brain.2 An epidural involves injecting a small amount of anesthetic into the epidural space of the lumbar… Continue reading Epidural Nerve Blocks
Research shows that debriefing, or rehashing the details, after incidents that are psychologically and physically taxing can aid in the prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).1 In particular, critical incident stress debriefing (CISD)—defined as a small-group, supportive crisis intervention serving as “psychological first-aid”—aims to mitigate the impact of a traumatic event, facilitate normal recovery and… Continue reading The Benefits of Debriefing after Critical Incidents in Anesthesia
According to a survey conducted by the Center for Healthcare Leadership and Management, 42% of physician assistants and 20% of nurse practitioners do not know whether claims are billed under their own name. Additionally, the same percentage in both groups of providers are unaware of whether claims are billed under their own national provider identification… Continue reading Communications Gap Between Providers and Billers