A @ lways Ane Av sth aila esio ble log Onl yNe ine ws. com
ASRA fall meeting issue
The Independent Monthly Newspaper for Anesthesiologists AnesthesiologyNews.com • N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1 • Volume 37 Number 11
Nagging Drug Shortages Defy Easy Fixes
A
s the crisis over the nation’s drug shortage deepens, responses are coming from two major fronts: legislators and regulators, and clinicians who have implemented several innovative strategies for mitigating the impact of the ever-tightening supplies on patient care. Although some might debate which approach is best, there’s general agreement that the scope of the problem is widespread. “By the end of the year, the number of drug shortages for the year will probably be close to 280,” said Erin Fox, PharmD, manager of the Drug Information Service at the University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics, in Salt Lake City. Dr. Fox added
‘Herculean’ Study of Airway Complications Finds Room For Improvement irway management experts are hailing a large-scale review of
A
airway-related complications in the United Kingdom as “herculean,” saying it yields important insights into the nature of airway management complications. Based on the results of the Fourth National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Difficult Airway Society (NAP4), up to 75% of the 184 serious airway complications reported could have been averted if better airway management practices were used (Br J Anaesth 2011;106:617-631).
see shortages page 26
see NAP4 page 16
Most Anesthesiologists Believe LMA ProSeal INside And Flexible Unsafe for MRI (Tip: They’re Not) 08 | COMMENTARY Physician, unplug thyself!
A
s many as 90% of anesthesi- others are safe for use in the scan“Most providers likely don’t have ologists erroneously believe ning machines. a good understanding of the labelthe LMA ProSeal ing terms used to describe and LMA Flexible cannot MRI compatibility for these be used during MRI scans, devices,” Richard Galgon, according to results of a new MD, MS, faculty anesthesisurvey. ologist at the University of However, according to Wisconsin School of Medthe researchers, who preicine and Public Health, in sented their findings at the Madison, and a collaborator 2011 annual meeting of the on the study, told AnesthesiSociety for Airway Manageology News. ment (abstract 13), these Dr. Galgon, a former metal-reinforced supraglotFDA scientific reviewer for tic airways, both from LMA medical devices, and his see mri page 30 North America, and some
18 | CLinical Anesthesiology Better binding can ease the pain of Bier blocks.
28 | Pain Medicine Major review probes mysteries of post-op analgesics.
32 | technology Online trainer boosts expertise in bronchoscopy—for free.
McMahonMedicalBooks.com Atlas of Image-Guided Intervention in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine James Rathmell
see page 31
Newproducts
GOBlock-SF™ from B. Braun Medical Inc.,
aScope™ 2 from Ambu,
SmartBlock™ from Ambu,
see pages 6 and 14.
see pages 5 and 28.
see pages 20 and 30.