https://medicalxpress.com/anesthesiology-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Anaesthesiology 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 immune cells in the brain play a critical role in this process—with differences between female and male brains. The findings were published in Science Advances. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-microglia-reveal-sex-specific-brain.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:00:08 EDT news704554981 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 deaths will continue to rise. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-urgent-overhaul-pain-opioid-crisis.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:20:01 EDT news704622234 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 of Medicine's Department of Anesthesiology finds that a small dose of olanzapine, an inexpensive antipsychotic medication, could curb those symptoms. The treatment could also ensure a smoother postsurgical recovery. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-clinical-trial-dose-olanzapine-nausea.html Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:00:02 EDT news704100722 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 of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) 23rd Annual Meeting. The findings suggest that the effectiveness of an anesthesia strategy depends not only on the technique itself but also on the institutional protocols and experience supporting its use. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-center-anesthesia-patient-outcomes-mechanical.html Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:40:01 EDT news704018532 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. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-black-asian-doctors-specialties.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:30:08 EDT news703314686 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, according to a study published in The BMJ. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-epidurals-linked-newborns-children.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:30:06 EDT news703314795 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 block wears off. This phenomenon, often termed "rebound pain," does not result from nerve hypersensitivity to painful testing (e.g., heat, pressure, punctate pain), reports a healthy volunteer study in the August issue of Anesthesiology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-dont-blame-block-nerve-blocks.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:00:06 EDT news703140818 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) have successfully performed more than 200 spine surgeries with patients remaining awake. While it might sound daunting, this new approach may be a safer option, especially for elderly patients and those with multiple or complex health conditions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-conscious-choice-local-spinal-anesthesia.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:20:05 EDT news703159648 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 dampen communication between neurons. Ion channels are proteins that regulate the flow of charged particles across cell membranes, enabling neurons to generate electrical signals. By reducing this signaling, inhaled anesthetics help suppress brain activity, producing unconsciousness and immobility during surgery. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-demystifying-molecular-mechanisms-general-anesthesia.html Sun, 12 Jul 2026 09:00:02 EDT news702808913 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 may be able to reduce their opioid use long term without increasing their pain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-chronic-pain-patients-opioid-voluntary.html Fri, 10 Jul 2026 07:00:04 EDT news702878581 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 say could reshape how the potentially addictive drugs are used after open-heart surgery. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-clinical-trial-strong-evidence-nerve.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:20:10 EDT news702648275 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, ASA emphasizes that ketamine used for non-anesthetic purposes should meet the same safety standards as other anesthetic drugs, including appropriate patient selection, monitoring and physician oversight. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-boom-ketamine-clinics-home-delivery.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:00:02 EDT news701361121 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 by the University of Manitoba (UM) and co-led by researchers at UM and The Ottawa Hospital. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-inexpensive-drug-major-surgeries-blood.html Wed, 10 Jun 2026 08:30:01 EDT news700216081 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 Board of Nursing consent order. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-tennessee-hospital-nurse-stole-fentanyl.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 23:20:01 EDT news700212720 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. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-anesthesia-surgery-scary.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:20:07 EDT news700224002 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, Head and Neck Diseases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-laryngeal-mask-safe-pediatric-adenotonsillectomies.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 22:20:01 EDT news699523837 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 operation may also lead to a significant loss of overall cognitive sharpness. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-major-surgery-memory-loss-older.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:20:07 EDT news699529058 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. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-obesity-longer-pediatric-adenotonsillectomy.html Fri, 29 May 2026 14:20:03 EDT news699281464 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