Tal Levy

Posts by Tal Levy:

A Summary of Research on Perioperative Neurotoxicity in the Elderly

March 13, 2015 By Tal Levy in Neuroscience

Scientists and clinicians from ten countries attended the International Workshop on Perioperative Neurotoxicity in the Elderly this past May in Stockholm, Sweden. In this month’s issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, Dr. Roderic G. Eckenhoff, Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and colleagues review the workshop proceedings […]

The accuracy of ETCO2 is based on nasal cannula design

January 23, 2015 By Tal Levy in Technology, Computing, and Simulation

Basic anesthesia care includes monitoring exhaled end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) concentration in patients undergoing sedation. The challenge is to measure end-tidal gas concentration through a cannula that is also tasked with delivering supplemental oxygen. In their article published in this month’s issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia titled “The Effectiveness of Oxygen Delivery and Reliability of […]

Anesthesia for MRI

January 15, 2015 By Tal Levy in Pediatric Anesthesiology

Pediatric anesthesiologists debate the best way to anesthetize children for diagnostic radiology, particularly MRI. Although some anesthesiologists believe that there is less of a chance of postanesthetic nausea and vomiting with propofol anesthesia and less likelihood of airway complications in a spontaneously breathing patient, others feel that patients wake up faster after anesthetic gas maintenance […]

Are caudal blocks safe in children?

January 9, 2015 By Tal Levy in Pediatric Anesthesiology

The caudal block is the most commonly performed regional anesthesia technique in children. Unfortunately, there is little data available to support the safety of the procedure. The Pediatric Regional Anesthesia Network (PRAN) database was created in order to fill gaps in available knowledge about the safety of regional anesthesia in children by collecting large-scale statistics. […]

Regional oximetry: the wave of the future?

December 12, 2014 By Tal Levy in Technology, Computing, and Simulation Tags: regional oximetry

Although traditional pulse oximetry is a standard monitor in anesthesia, it is limited in its ability to detect tissue hypoxia. Typical interventions used to increase SpO2 may not necessarily improve tissue oxygenation, particularly in ischemic organs. Regional oximeters measure a mix of arterial, capillary, and venous blood in brain or peripheral tissues. A new regional […]

When do patients become hypoxic in the PACU?

November 21, 2014 By Tal Levy in Patient Safety Tags: hypoxia, PACU

When are patients at risk for hypoxia in the PACU? The answer can help ascertain when an anesthesiologist should staff the area. Dr. Richard H. Epstein, Department of Anesthesiology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and colleagues from the Division of Management Consulting, Department of Anesthesia, University of Iowa, Iowa City, […]