https://medicalxpress.com/anesthesiology-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Anaesthesiology 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 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