Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Hypertonic Saline Versus Mannitol To Improve Brain Relaxation In Craniotomy: A Case Study, Morgan Cornell

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

In neurosurgical procedures, including craniotomy for tumor, neurosurgeons often require a reduction of brain swelling to optimally perform the surgery. The reduction of brain swelling is termed brain relaxation. The anesthesia professional can accomplish brain relaxation using multiple techniques. One such technique is the infusion of certain intravenous fluids to change the osmotic pressure within the cranial vault thereby reducing brain edema (Jaffe, 2014). Highly osmolar fluids such as mannitol and hypertonic saline can be infused to decrease brain edema. Currently, mannitol remains the gold standard for medical treatment of intracranial pressure in neurosurgical procedures (Marko, 2012). This review seeks …

The Impact Of Intraoperative Goal-Directed Fluid Therapy, Marc Yacovone

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

Anesthetists provide intra-operative fluid therapy by utilizing a variety of different methods. Deciding on the appropriate method is multifaceted, and the choice of method is a determinate of safe and effective outcomes. Camach-Navarro et al. (2015) determined that postoperative complications are linked to either giving too much or too little fluid. Unfortunately, the deleterious effects of improper fluid therapy are often overlooked.

Minor surgical procedures which result in little to no blood loss, often lead to positive outcomes using the fixed volume calculation approach to fluid therapy. However, when major surgical procedures are performed on sick patients a fluid management …

The Role Of Platelet Rich Plasma In Pain Management And Decrease In Opioid Use, Sara Cunha

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

Platelet-rich plasma, also known as PRP, has become increasingly popular for the treatment of orthopedic injuries and symptomatic pain that results from such injuries. By promoting a localized inflammatory response, PRP injections increase blood flow to the injured area and expedite the healing process, thereby leading to pain relief. PRP has the potential to be a key player in the future of pain management. However, current evidence of the impact of PRP on pain relief is controversial. This paper aims to review the most current randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of PRP in pain relief in a variety of …

Neurotoxic Effects Of Anesthesia On The Developing Brain, Nicole Hachey

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

Each year, thousands of neonates receive anesthesia and/or sedation for various surgical procedures. With advancements in neonatal care and surgical techniques, the number of infants receiving anesthesia globally will continue to increase. A relatively large and growing body of literature suggests that exposure to general anesthetics can be detrimental to the developing brain. Based upon various animal studies, it is thought that exposure of the immature brain to anesthetic agents may result in apoptosis, neurodegeneration and ultimately long-term cognitive deficiencies (Walters & Paule, 2016). This information presents a dilemma for practitioners when caring for a neonate requiring a surgical procedure, …

Thoracic Epidural Versus Continuous Intercostal Catheter For Patients Undergoing Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (Vats), Brittany Guilmet

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

Advances in technology have pushed many practitioners towards the implementation of minimally invasive surgery. Many different specialties have rapidly adopted this new approach and patient outcomes have improved as a result of this transition. One specialty, thoracic surgery, has evolved with this change through the development of video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Despite improved patient outcomes, thoracic surgery remains one of the most painful procedures that a patient can endure. Although there are many different analgesic modalities available, the gold standard for post-operative analgesia in this patient population remains unknown. The aim of this literature review is to compare the …

Regional Anesthesia And Breast Cancer Recurrence, Michael Dunnington

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women in the United States, and surgical resection is the definitive treatment. However, cancer recurrence and metastasis remains a concern for the lifetime of the patients affected. Therefore, much interest has been focused on how anesthetic technique may impact the rates of cancer recurrence and metastasis following breast cancer surgery. In this review, the potential for regional analgesia to reduce the recurrence rate of breast cancer post-operatively is discussed. Supporting evidence from multiple studies is presented, along with a discussion of potential areas of future research that is needed. At …

Dexmedetomidine In The Prevention Of Emergence Delirium In Children, Lauren Anderson

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

This review examines the use of intravenous dexmedetomidine in the role of decreasing or preventing emergence delirium in pediatric patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. The included randomized controlled trials evaluated the administration of dexmedetomidine, whether as a bolus, infusion, or in combination, and its effectiveness in preventing or reducing emergence delirium. The analysis scales for emergence delirium varied between studies, and it was noted that multiple scale components overlapped with pain scale components used in the trials. It has also been noted that differentiating between pain and emergence delirium can be challenging for clinicians (Somaini, Engelhardt, Fumagalli & Ingelmo, 2016). To …

Clinical Performance And The Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Alyson Cronan

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

The clinical component of graduate nurse anesthesia programs continues to be the key factor in evaluating and ensuring student success. Clinical experience has a direct correlation on student development in areas of self-awareness, psychomotor proficiency, critical thinking and professionalism. To effectively create a positive and motivating learning environment for the student registered nurse anesthetist (SRNA), the literature recommends instructors theoretically adapt to the individual learning style of the student, and incorporate various teaching techniques and modalities clinically. The overall goal of the clinical rotation is to establish an atmosphere where an individual can modify learning and skills. Positive, respectful and …

A Systematic Analysis On Opioid-Free General Anesthesia Versus Opioid-Based General Anesthesia For Bariatric Surgery, Ina Basha

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

One-third of the American adult population is considered overweight, a figure that is still on the rise. Obesity negatively impacts every organ system in the human body. When minimally invasive strategies such as life style changes fail, bariatric surgery procedures have become the other option. The purpose of this systemic analysis is to look at the outcomes of post-operative pain, post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and the length of stay required in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) in obese adults undergoing bariatric surgery using opioid-free general anesthesia compared to opioid-based general anesthesia. The studies included in this systematic analysis conclude …

Prophylactic Phenylephrine Infusion Versus Bolus Regimens During Spinal Anesthesia For Cesarean Section, Safira Iddriss

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

Hypotension is a well-recognized phenomenon associated with any spinal anesthesia. It is most particularly evident in the parturients as a higher block is required for cesarean section (C-section) (Nagelhout, 2014). These populations are also more prone to the effect of sympathectomy because of decreased sensitivity to endogenous vasoconstrictors in addition to increased synthesis of endothelium vasodilators (Miller, 2009). Sympathectomy results in hypotension and other adverse effects such as nausea and vomiting. Many studies over the decades have examined the best management option for the hypotension. This review seeks to determine the best management regimen for the use of the vasopressor …

The Effects Of Pain On Informed Consent, Bryan Aja

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

It is common for providers to withhold pain medication as opposed to treating pain prior to obtaining informed consent due to the concern of invalid informed consent. Pain’s influence on cognition can significantly impact the cognitive domains required to obtain valid informed consent. Determining if a patient has the capacity or competence to participate in the informed consent process has medical, ethical, and legal implications. The medical use of competence and capacity is not equivalent to the legal use of the same terminology. Legal implications concerning consent include signing consent while in duress or pain, signing under the influence of …

Utilizing Tranexamic Acid To Reduce Blood Transfusion In Hip Fractures, Katherine Balzano-Cowan, Morgan Guerrette

Nurse Anesthesia Student Capstones

Minimizing perioperative blood loss during orthopedic surgery has proven challenging for providers. Perioperative utilization of antifibrinolytic pharmacologic interventions, such as tranexamic acid (TXA), has been demonstrated as a safe and effective technique for decreasing blood loss and allogenic blood transfusion rates. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved on-label indications of TXA are for use in short-term treatment of hemophilia patients undergoing dental extractions and in management of patients experiencing menorrhagia (Mayeux, Alwon, Collins, & Hewer, 2016). Despite the current limited scope of FDA approval for TXA, use in elective surgery with otherwise clotting-uncompromised patients is not a new …

2017 University Of New England College Of Osteopathic Medicine Fellowship Recipients, University Of New England College Of Osteopathic Medicine

Peter Morgane Research Fellowships

2017 recipients of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine's Peter Morgane Research Fellowship.

Attenuation Of Postoperative Adhesions Using A Modeled Manual Therapy (Data Files), Geoffrey M. Bove, Susan L. Chapelle, Katherine E. Hanlon, Michael P. Diamond, David J. Mokler

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

These files include data and figures utilized to research and communicate the following:

Postoperative adhesions are pathological attachments that develop between abdominopelvic structures following surgery. Considered unavoidable and ubiquitous, postoperative adhesions lead to bowel obstructions, infertility, pain, and reoperations, and represent a substantial health care challenge. Despite over a century of research, no preventive treatment exists. Based on the hypothesis that postoperative adhesions develop from a lack of movement of the abdominopelvic organs, we proposed a relatively simple treatment approach using a modified manual therapy technique that mobilizes abdominopelvic structures in the immediate postoperative period while they are otherwise rendered …