MSK

Clinical Services Journal

Dr. Jim Corcoran, Clinical Director Perioperative Care, Salford Royal Hospital

Ultrasound guidance has proven invaluable for the regional neurosurgical center at the Salford Royal Hospital, outside Manchester, England. In addition to helping to improve patient safety, ultrasound is increasingly being used to guide regional anesthesia, offering a variety of benefits. Jim Corcoran, consultant neuroanesthetist and clinical director for perioperative care at the Salford Royal, says that ultrasound guidance also allows anesthetists to reduce the amount of anesthetic required to effectively block a nerve region (10-20 ml versus 30-40 ml using landmark/nerve stimulation techniques). Another benefit is a significant reduction in the length of stay required for patients who undergo shoulder surgery with regional nerve blocks – shoulder decompression used to require at least an overnight stay in the hospital, and is now regarded as an outpatient procedure with minimal in-hospital recovery time needed. Please read Dr. Corcoran's article to learn more.

Becker's Hospital Review

Nishant Shah, MD

During the year 2030, the number of Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) surgeries in the U.S. is projected to surpass 1.28 million. A recent study suggests that outpatient TKA can provide a cost savings of approximately $8,527 per patient (as compared to the standard length of stay group). Outpatient TKA also provides faster recovery time and fewer required opioid prescriptions through the use of targeted ultrasound-guided nerve blocks. Dr. Nishant Shah heads the outpatient total joint replacement program at Midwest Anesthesia Partners. In this article, Dr. Shah explains the many benefits of using ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia to enhance ERAS protocols.

Anesthesiology News

Alexis LaPietra, DO

With the opioid epidemic ever present in US hospitals, emergency physicians working with anesthesiologists to manage pain in the ED setting are on the front lines of this urgent public health crisis. Alexis LaPietra, DO, a medical director for pain management in the emergency department of St. Joseph’s Healthcare System, shares some key takeaways and lessons learned when developing and implementing a formal program focused on novel alternatives to opioid prescriptions for pain. The ALTO^SM (Alternatives To Opioids) program uses alternatives such as nitrous oxide, trigger point injections, Lidoderm patches, anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants and ultrasound-guided nerve blocks, whenever possible, for appropriate patients to manage their pain in the emergency department. Read Dr. LaPietra’s article to learn more about how a program such as ALTO^SM can be successful in your hospital.

Axis Imaging News

Diku Mandavia, MD, FACEP, FRCPC, Chief Medical Officer at FUJIFILM Sonosite

Vascular access is one of the most commonly performed procedures in U.S. hospitals as up to 70% of patients require a peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheter during their stay. Each year, 200 million PIV catheterizations are performed. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) recommended in a 2016 policy statement that procedural ultrasound be utilized to facilitate access. In this article, Dr. Mandavia discusses patient safety improvements that are achieved in vascular access with "the one-stick standard."

Anesthesiology News
Edward R. Mariano, MD, MAS

Con la creciente preocupación con respecto a la epidemia de opiacios en los Estados Unidos, el Dr. Edward Mariano, Jefe del Servicio de Anestesia y Cuidados Perioperatorios del Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System y Profesor del Departmento de Anestesiología, Perioperatorio y Medicina del Dolor de la Stanford University School of Medicine describe una serie de estrategias para el éxito de los hospitales al iniciar un programa de medicina para el dolor agudo. Iniciar un programa de medicamentos para el dolor agudo puede agregar un valor significativo a un hospital a través de un mejor control del dolor postoperatorio, una recuperación más rápida, una disminución de los efectos secundarios y una mayor satisfacción del paciente. El artículo publicado recientemente por el Dr. Mariano en una edición especial de Anesthesiology News muestra a los hospitales sobre cómo comenzar con un modelo de Perioperative Surgical Home, que incluye el uso de guía por ecografía al realizar técnicas de anestesia regional y tener éxito. Lea este artículo para obtener más información y vea el video asociado: 

In an article by FUJIFILM Sonosite's own Bill Medford, RDMS, RMSKS, Lead Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Specialist, he explains how as a clinical expert with over 17 years of experience, he sees the advances in ultrasound and in particular the X-Porte's significant contribution to the practice of musculoskeletal (MSK) medicine.

Dr. Byron Patterson,  is a partner in Primary Care Sports Medicine in Tarzana California, recently visted Sonosite headquarters and gave a presentation to Sonosite employees about ultrasound applications in sports medicine.