https://medicalxpress.com/anesthesiology-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Anaesthesiology 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 induced by coma and general anesthesia. They are considered a "signature" of these altered states of consciousness. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-pink-noise-anesthesia-surgery.html Thu, 21 May 2026 16:40:07 EDT news698587502 Many people experience temporary cognitive impairment immediately after surgery. In people over age 60, however, about 1 in 10 continues to experience deficits in learning, memory, and executive function for more than three months after the surgery, a condition associated with increased morbidity and reduced quality of life. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-aging-brains-surgery.html Wed, 20 May 2026 13:40:03 EDT news698499903 Vitamin D deficiency is associated with more moderate to severe pain following breast cancer surgery and an increased consumption of opioid drugs, finds research published in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-vitamin-d-linked-pain-breast.html Tue, 19 May 2026 18:30:01 EDT news698407801 Perioperative medicine is emerging as a transformative, comprehensive, system-wide approach to patient care before, during, and after surgery—that reduces complication rates and hospital days, provides better health outcomes, and improves health system performance, according to a special article in Anesthesiology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-advancing-perioperative-medicine-central-future.html Thu, 14 May 2026 09:37:33 EDT news697970222 People often describe anesthesia as something that puts a patient in a "deep sleep." An anesthesiologist enters the operating room, and part of their mission is to ensure that the patient is completely unaware of what is happening around them until they wake up, often several hours later. Scientists and doctors have long debated what happens to the brain under anesthetic drugs during a surgical procedure. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-deep-anesthesia-brain-strange-state.html Wed, 13 May 2026 08:37:48 EDT news697880221 Icing a sprained ankle or sore muscle, long used to reduce pain and swelling, may in the longer run delay recovery and prolong pain, new research suggests. In a preclinical study published in Anesthesiology, McGill University researchers have found that even though cryotherapy (icing) eased pain in the short term, recovery time was more than doubled in some cases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-cold-comfort-icing-injuries-prolong.html Tue, 12 May 2026 18:20:07 EDT news697820461 A Hiroshima University study of more than 31,000 patients found that pneumonia occurred more often after breathing tubes were removed than during ventilation, with most cases developing within a 1–2 week window after surgery. The findings suggest this under-recognized condition may be a distinct clinical entity linked to swallowing dysfunction and that early assessment and intervention, including identification of high-risk patients, may be key to prevention and improved outcomes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-extubation-pneumonia-distinct-condition-surgery.html Thu, 07 May 2026 09:56:07 EDT news697366516 Air pollution has been linked to a host of poor health outcomes, from respiratory infections to suicide risk. Now, new research in the Wasatch Front of Utah—which occasionally experiences the worst air quality in the nation—has found an association between high air pollution and risk of post-surgical complications. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-heavy-air-pollution-linked-worse.html Wed, 06 May 2026 13:40:04 EDT news697292995 Baylor College of Medicine researchers have found that the human brain is capable of sophisticated language processing while in an unconscious state from general anesthesia. The findings, published in Nature, challenge what we know about the role of consciousness and cognition, and could open new ways of understanding memory, language and brain-computer interfaces. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-patients-lay-unconscious-anesthesia-brains.html Wed, 06 May 2026 11:40:06 EDT news697284361 A team of Marshall University researchers has published a new study suggesting a potential breakthrough in how doctors manage severe agitation caused by methamphetamine and/or cocaine use, particularly in cases in which opioids have also been used. Michael Hambuchen, PharmD, Ph.D., with Marshall's School of Pharmacy and Todd Davies, Ph.D., at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, are studying the use of dexmedetomidine-naloxone for treatment. Their preclinical study was published in the Journal of Pharmacy of Pharmaceutical Sciences and is available here. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-combination-treatment-safer-effective-drug.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 20:00:04 EDT news695911384 Most war amputees experience steady improvements in pain, psychological symptoms and quality of life over time, according to a new study that followed 156 Ukrainian amputees for one year and was led by Northwestern Medicine and collaborators in Ukraine. The findings are published in the journal eClinicalMedicine. The study is the first to track over time how anxiety, depression and quality of life interact with pain in an amputee population. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-ukraine-war-amputees-pain-trauma.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 19:30:01 EDT news695979875 Combining cannabis with an opioid did not improve acute pain for people with knee arthritis, according to results of a study published in Anesthesiology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-combining-cannabis-opioids-added-pain.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:40:03 EDT news695985146 Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) are the gold standard of medical research as random assignment approach helps eliminate bias and yields the most reliable evidence on whether a treatment truly works. Since RCTs sit at the top of the evidence hierarchy, retractions can send ripple effects across the entire system. A fraudulent study with fabricated data or results can influence the credibility of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and those distortions can quietly shape clinical practice guidelines that influence real-world medical care. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-tiny-circle-poisoned-100s-gold.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:00:02 EDT news695645888 A new study exposes challenges in reversing opioid overdoses with naloxone when potent synthetic drugs like fentanyl and sufentanil are involved, according to a study published in the May 2026 issue of Anesthesiology. The findings raise important alarms for health care professionals and the public as the opioid crisis continues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-limitations-naloxone-reversing-overdoses-powerful.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:40:01 EDT news695305133 Patients continuously monitored after surgery experienced significantly less time with dangerously low oxygen levels compared to those monitored using routine spot checks, a new study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-wearable-oxygen-surgery.html Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:00:01 EDT news693564751 As blood banks across the U.S. report dangerously low supplies of O-negative blood (red blood cells), anesthesiologists are calling for increased donation and changes in how hospitals use this "universal donor" blood type, according to a new Innovation in Practice article published online in Anesthesiology Open. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-blood-banks-neg-shortages-donations.html Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:00:01 EDT news693044337 When patients undergo general anesthesia, doctors can choose among several drugs. Although each of these drugs acts on neurons in different ways, they all lead to the same result: a disruption of the brain's balance between stability and excitability, according to a new MIT study published in the journal Cell Reports. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-anesthesia-drugs-effect-brain.html Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:00:11 EDT news692871121 Genetic testing can play an important role in identifying patients at risk for malignant hyperthermia (MH), guided by answering three simple screening questions, according to an article published online March 10 in Anesthesiology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-genetic-plays-role-malignant-hyperthermia.html Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:30:01 EDT news692455209 A major new study, led by Queen Mary University of London has been published in The Lancet Public Health. It found that out of the five million surgical procedures performed each year by the NHS, around 300,000 are carried out on individuals considered high-risk, and within 90 days of surgery, these high-risk patients account for four out of five deaths, over half of all hospital bed days and nearly one-third of emergency readmissions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-high-patients-account-surgery-deaths.html Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:00:05 EST news691241659 For children with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) undergoing adenotonsillectomy, postoperative respiratory volume monitoring is feasible and can predict low minute ventilation (MV), according to a study published online Feb. 17 in Anesthesia Critical Care & Pain Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-adenotonsillectomy-respiratory-volume-feasible-obstructive.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:10:02 EST news691339224 University of Queensland researchers have developed a less invasive way to test for a potential life-threatening reaction to an anesthetic. The work is published in the journal Anesthesiology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-life-threatening-reaction-anesthetic.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:00:08 EST news691260242 Military service members and veterans frequently experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is linked to a range of psychological challenges and adverse effects. Cognitive-behavioral therapies like cognitive processing therapy (CPT) are the main treatments for PTSD and are most effective when given daily. However, many patients continue to have PTSD symptoms after treatment, highlighting the need for more research to improve its effectiveness. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-combining-nerve-blocks-therapy-recovery.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:48:29 EST news690569281 New research published in Operations Research shows that health care systems can substantially reduce overtime, idle time, and overall staffing costs by adopting a multilocation, dynamic staff-planning model for anesthesiologists. The study is based on the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), which cut daily overtime and idle time across 11 hospitals, generating over $800,000 in annual cost savings. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-driven-staffing-major-health.html Fri, 13 Feb 2026 04:20:27 EST news690178802 A new study has found that several commonly used drugs could significantly reduce the risk of delirium in older people following surgery. Delirium—a sudden state of confusion and memory problems—affects around one in seven older adults after an operation. People who get delirium spend longer in hospital, are more likely to die in hospital or develop dementia later in life. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-commonly-drugs-delirium-surgery.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:19:28 EST news690131942 Ketamine, a decades-old anesthetic and fast-acting treatment for severe depression, may also offer some people rapid relief from chronic fatigue, according to a small proof-of-concept study led by researchers at Rutgers Health and the National Institutes of Health. The study is published in the journal Pharmacological Reports. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-ketamine-chronic-fatigue.html Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:58:38 EST news690123482 A new multicenter study led by Zachary Binder, MD, associate professor of pediatrics, provides compelling evidence that an ultrasound-guided nerve block can dramatically improve pain control for children with femur fractures, while reducing their need for opioids by nearly 75%. Published in Academic Emergency Medicine, the study is the first large, prospective evaluation of the technique in pediatric emergency settings and offers a promising new approach to managing one of childhood's most painful injuries. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-nerve-blocks-sharply-pain-opioid.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 15:20:01 EST news689512376 The brains of mammals continuously combine signals originating from different regions to produce various sensations, emotions, thoughts and behaviors. This process, known as information integration, is what allows brain regions with different functions to collectively form unified experiences. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-central-thalamus-anesthesia-neural-basis.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:20:01 EST news689595211 After surgery, some older adults don't simply recover—they unravel. Confusion, inattention, and agitation can set in, a condition known as postoperative delirium. For patients already living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, the episode can mark a turning point, accelerating long-term cognitive decline. Despite its prevalence, there are no FDA-approved treatments to prevent delirium after surgery. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-nerve-based-approach-older-adults.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 06:09:48 EST news688975742 Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in the tissue around oral cancers both increases nerve sensitivity and makes opioids less effective. The findings point to a shared mechanism underlying both oral cancer pain and opioid tolerance—and a possible new treatment strategy for both. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-underlies-oral-cancer-pain-opioid.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:10:01 EST news688748466 The pain management teams at the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) and Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) have introduced percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) as a novel treatment option for patients suffering from debilitating chronic facial pain. The teams began performing this sophisticated neuroablative procedure in 2024, and so far, 40 patients have benefited from this powerful and durable treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-percutaneous-balloon-compression-orofacial-pain.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:40:01 EST news687788858