Wearing Masks

An excellent video series about anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists, who have enormous risk for experiencing chemical dependency. Below is the first video in the series, which should be watched by anyone in the field including their close relatives.
AANA - Wearing Masks

Sepsis Song

YouTube - Sepsis The Highland Way

Brain Losing Consciousness

Time - Video: Brain Losing Consciousness Under Anesthesia
hat happens to your brain as it slips into unconsciousness? A new technique allows researchers to view real-time 3-D images of a patient undergoing anesthesia using the drug propofol, and the findings show that consciousness isn't suddenly switched off, but rather fades as though a dimmer is being dialed down.

Life Box

Lifebox is a not-for-profit organization saving lives by improving the safety and quality of surgical care in low-resource countries. Site - Lifebox

Periop Clinician Burnout

Conclusions: "Physicians (particularly residents) had the largest global burnout scores, implying increased risk of burnout. Improving overall health, increasing personal support, and improving work satisfaction may decrease burnout among perioperative team members."

PubMed - Risk Of Burnout In Perioperative Clinicians

ACLS 2010 Flow Chart

I use this for teaching purposes to try to simplify the skills testing (megacode) portion of Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

Feeble ASA Defense

Another viewpoint on this "debate"...that seems more ridiculous than useful.
Fighting Darwin - Myth: CRNA = MD/DO

A blog by an anesthesiologist who mentions the attempt at a defense put up by ASA regarding a study showing CRNAs provide equivalent care.
Great Zs - Feeble Defense

In another blog post Z MD responds to a CRNA who says "Anesthesiology value lies in critical care/intensivist role, clinical anesthesia does not routinely require the level of education mandated by ASA/ABA"

Z MD: "I wonder if it's even that much. Pulmonologists are very active in the critical care field and any surgeon will tell you that surgeons make the best post operative intensivists. Really the only function unique to anesthesiologists is Regional or Pain. If not for legislative obstacles the CRNAs are trying to infiltrate those fields too."

Intubation Robot

First there was McSleepyTM. Now it’s time to introduce the first intubation robot operated by remote control. This robotic system named The Kepler Intubation System (KIS), and developed by Dr. Hemmerling, McGill University specialist and his team, may facilitate the intubation procedure and reduce some complications associated with airway management. The world’s first robotic intubation in a patient was performed at the Montreal General Hospital earlier this month by Dr. Hemmerling.

McGill - Intubation Robot

Anesthesia Standard Of Care

A blog series dedicated to the discussion of anesthesia standard of care. It seems to favor nurse anesthetists providing lone anesthesia care. Some interesting and well thought out viewpoints.

Law Med Blog - Standard of Care

Anesthesia Homicides

A recent publication discussing the role anesthesiologists played in solving crimes.

Anesthesiology - Homicides Using Muscle Relaxants, Opioids, and Anesthetic Drugs: Anesthesiologist Assistance in Their Investigation and Prosecution

Case One: Homicide Using Rocuronium
Case Two: Homicide Using Succinylcholine
Case Three: Homicide Using Fentanyl
Case Four: Accidental Homicide from Fentanyl and Midazolam
Case Five: Attempted Homicide Using Pancuronium

Last year the Mahmoud al-Mabhouh assassination was big news not just because of his political position, but also because most of the process was videotaped and succinylcholine was found to be used.
Fighting Darwin - Assassination By Sux

Tiger Surgery

Anesthesia Resident's Day

Some parts are funny, some are not. Only worth your 10mins if you're completely bored right now. YOU SUNK MY BATTLESHIP!
YouTube - Day In Life Of Anesthesiologist

What Goes In Sharps?

No matter what hospital I'm in, I see tons of junk in the sharps containers. This is a potentially huge waste of money and even a safety hazard.

Study - Sharps Disposal in the Operating Room (Anesth Analg 1998;87:634-6)

So, what goes in the container? Generally:
* Loose needles, capped or open
* Syringes with uncapped needles
* Suture needles
* IV needles
* Surgical staples
* Surgical scalpel blades

What doesn't need to go in the sharps container? The big two are:
* Glass - yes even split ampules, they are not infectious
* Plastic - toss needle in sharps, syringe in trash