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Anesthesiology news
Dementia discovery explains link between delirium after surgery, cognitive decline
UVA Health researchers have discovered how a form of delirium that often strikes older patients after surgery may set the stage for dementia—and identified a drug that could reverse the underlying brain changes.
Aug 18, 2026
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Experimental pill targets nerve pain pathway, cutting opioid use after abdominal surgery
Opioids can be highly effective at relieving moderate to severe pain, whether it comes from surgery, an injury or conditions such as cancer. They work by activating opioid receptors in the brain and body, which block pain ...
Aug 17, 2026
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Brain receptors may act as biological brakes on chronic pain after nerve injury
Deep at the base of the brain, a tiny cluster of nerve cells serves as the body's natural pain reliever, dialing down pain signals traveling up the spinal cord. But nerve damage can flip this system into a hyperactive engine ...
Aug 17, 2026
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Ketamine and psychotherapy show promise as a combined approach to chronic neuropathic pain
Combining ketamine and psychotherapy is a safe and feasible approach with promising benefits for people experiencing chronic neuropathic pain, according to a new study by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital, the University ...
Aug 13, 2026
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Epidural may help turn breech babies, reducing need for C-section
Women carrying breech babies have a better chance of avoiding a cesarean delivery (C-section) when spinal or epidural anesthesia is used during external cephalic version (ECV), a procedure used to turn the baby head-down ...
Aug 12, 2026
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Balancing heart risk and surgical delays in complex preoperative care
In a new Annals "Beyond the Guidelines" feature, a general internal medicine physician and a cardiologist discuss how to evaluate and manage perioperative cardiovascular risk in an older patient with multiple chronic conditions ...
Aug 11, 2026
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Microglia reveal sex-specific brain recovery mechanism after ketamine anesthesia
During ketamine anesthesia, the brain's nerve cells fall silent—as consciousness returns, they begin to reconnect. For the first time, researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have shown that ...
Jul 31, 2026
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Researchers call for urgent overhaul of pain care amid opioid crisis
A new position paper from researchers at the University of Aberdeen warns that opioid use disorder in the U.K. is a "large and probably underestimated" problem, and that without urgent action, opioid addiction and opioid-related ...
Jul 30, 2026
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Clinical trial finds low-dose olanzapine reduces nausea after surgery
Many people feel that the worst part of surgery happens after they wake up. Countless patients who undergo general anesthesia worry about nausea and vomiting, common side effects after surgery. A clinical trial by Yale School ...
Jul 24, 2026
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Stroke center anesthesia practices may shape patient outcomes after mechanical thrombectomy
A hospital's overall experience with general anesthesia (GA) or conscious sedation (CS) may influence how anesthesia choice affects patient outcomes during mechanical thrombectomy, according to research presented at the Society ...
Jul 23, 2026
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Epidurals not linked to increased harm for newborns or children
Having an epidural during labor is not associated with clinically significant increased risks of harm to newborn babies, including brain injury, severe breathing problems, sepsis and death, or cerebral palsy later in childhood, ...
Jul 15, 2026
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Black and Asian doctors up to 30 times less likely to get training posts in some specialties
Black and Asian doctors in the UK are up to 30 times less likely to be offered medical training posts in some specialties than white candidates, data published exclusively by The BMJ today show.
Jul 15, 2026
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Don't blame the block: Study finds nerve blocks alone don't increase pain sensitivity in healthy volunteers
Nerve blocks—local anesthetic injections that block pain signals—are a valuable opioid-sparing technique for controlling pain after surgery. However, some patients experience temporary sharp increases in pain as the nerve ...
Jul 14, 2026
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A conscious choice: Local and spinal anesthesia emerge as safer alternatives in spine surgery
General anesthesia, once the default choice in spine surgeries, is increasingly giving way to local and spinal anesthesia as the preferred option for eligible patients. Since 2024, surgeons at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) ...
Jul 13, 2026
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Demystifying the molecular mechanisms of general anesthesia
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Birkbeck, University of London, have identified a site where a commonly used anesthetic binds to sodium ion channels, revealing a molecular mechanism that may explain how these drugs ...
Jul 12, 2026
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Many chronic pain patients can reduce opioid use with slow, voluntary taper
More than 50 million Americans live with chronic pain; among them, approximately 1 in 10 take prescription opioids regularly. A new large-scale study led by Stanford Medicine suggests that—with the right approach—many people ...
Jul 10, 2026
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Clinical trial offers strong evidence that nerve blocks can cut opioid use after cardiac surgery
A clinical trial led by St. Michael's Hospital researchers found that using nerve blocks, an anesthesia technique to numb targeted areas of the body, significantly reduced opioid use after cardiac surgery—findings the authors ...
Jul 7, 2026
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Boom in ketamine clinics and at-home delivery sparks safety concerns
The American Society of Anesthesiologists is calling on policymakers to address the fast-growing problem of home delivery of ketamine and the lack of physician oversight in ketamine clinics. In guidance updated this month, ...
Jun 22, 2026
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Inexpensive drug should be used in most major surgeries to prevent blood transfusion, clinical trial finds
A landmark clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that tranexamic acid reduced transfusions across major surgeries without increasing the risk of dangerous blood clots. The trial was coordinated ...
Jun 10, 2026
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Dreaming under anesthesia may make surgery feel less scary, study finds
A new study suggests anesthesiologists may be able to safely increase the likelihood that patients dream during surgery—and that those dreams are typically positive, calming and associated with a better overall surgical experience.
Jun 9, 2026
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At a Tennessee hospital, nurse stole fentanyl and AI missed it, state records say
About a year ago at Erlanger Baroness, the largest hospital in Chattanooga, anesthesia staff noticed that a nurse was slurring his words and struggling to stay awake while on duty in the surgery center, according to a Tennessee ...
Jun 9, 2026
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Major surgery may accelerate memory loss in 1 in 7 older adults
Going through surgery can take a significant toll on a patient's physical health and capabilities, especially if they are elderly. A recent study found that the effects extend far beyond mobility and pain management, as the ...
Laryngeal mask safe for pediatric adenotonsillectomies
A laryngeal mask (LM) is a safe alternative to tracheal tube (TT) intubation for pediatric patients with obstructive sleep apnea undergoing adenotonsillectomies, according to a review published in the European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, ...
Jun 1, 2026
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Obesity tied to longer operative time for pediatric adenotonsillectomy
Pediatric patients with obesity undergoing adenotonsillectomy (AT) face longer operating times, according to a study published online May 21 in the Ear, Nose & Throat Journal.
May 29, 2026
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'Pink noise' can help make anesthesia work better during surgery
In the brain, specific electrical waves are associated with different states of consciousness. For instance, delta waves—also known as slow waves—are especially prevalent during deep sleep, as well as during states of unconsciousness ...
May 21, 2026
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