Greater Philadelphia Anesthesia Services

07/28/2025

Electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring assists with intraoperative patient surveillance during surgery by offering real-time insights into cardiac electrophysiology. During surgery, patients may experience varying degrees of physiological stress, electrolyte imbalances, anesthetic drug effects, and fluid shifts, all of which can lead to arrhythmias or cardiac ischemia. ECG monitoring allows anesthesiologists and surgeons to detect these potentially life-threatening events as early as possible, enabling them to intervene promptly and improve surgery outcomes.

Electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring assists with intraoperative patient surveillance during surgery by offering real-time insights into cardiac electrophysiology. During surgery, patients...

06/23/2025

Chloroprocaine is a local anesthetic with a number of indications. Its advantages include its rapid onset, short duration of action, fast recovery, and low risk of transient neurologic symptoms, which together make it a favorable choice for short procedures; it’s also favorable for caesarean deliveries since there’s very little risk of maternal or fetal toxicity.1 Different indications may require different chloroprocaine formulations.

Chloroprocaine is a local anesthetic with a number of indications. It can be injected into the spinal theca (intrathecal injection)...

12/17/2024

The evolution of pre-operative fasting guidelines reflects a broader shift in medical practice toward evidence-based and patient-centered care. Historically, the practice of fasting from midnight before surgery, commonly referred to as “NPO after midnight,” was implemented universally to mitigate the risk of pulmonary aspiration under anesthesia. This rigid approach emerged from early studies linking full stomachs to aspiration, which could lead to life-threatening complications. While effective at reducing aspiration incidents, this traditional guideline imposes significant burdens on patients, often resulting in discomfort, dehydration, and metabolic imbalances.

The evolution of pre-operative fasting guidelines reflects a broader shift in medical practice toward evidence-based patient-centered care.

11/22/2024

The field block is an anesthetic technique in which local anesthesia is injected into the tissues surrounding the area targeted for surgery to block pain transmission. This method creates an anesthetized field around the target area while leaving the surgical site itself unaffected by the injection of anesthetics. The technique is distinct from other, more common anesthetic methods, such as nerve blocks or general anesthesia, and is useful for several clinical situations.

The field block is an anesthetic technique in which local anesthesia is injected into the tissues surrounding the area targeted for surgery.

10/22/2024

Shortages of frequently used drugs are a problem within the United States and abroad, with multiple implications on patient care.1 Drug shortages can occur for many different types of medication, ranging from chemotherapy to ADHD drugs to agents used in anesthesia.

Drug shortages can occur for many different types of medication, ranging from chemotherapy to ADHD drugs to agents used in anesthesia.

08/07/2024

Effective handovers and transitions of anesthesia care are critical to ensuring patient safety and reducing adverse perioperative outcomes.

Ongoing evaluation and adaptation of these practices, based on new evidence and technological advances, is essential to sustaining improvements in anesthesia handovers and ensuring optimal patient outcomes.

07/23/2024

It is imperative that providers be aware of patients’ supplement usage, particularly in the pre-operative setting.

For providers, thoroughly investigating supplement use is necessary, and for patients, disclosing supplement use before a procedure can improve safety and outcomes.

06/14/2024

Undergoing surgery or a medical procedure that requires anesthesia can be a daunting experience.

Getting home and recovering after anesthesia involves careful planning and adherence to medical advice.

04/01/2024

Anesthetics play a crucial role in ensuring patient comfort and managing pain during medical procedures, tests, and surgeries.

03/05/2024

A genicular nerve block is a technique for providing relief to individuals suffering from chronic knee pain.

A genicular nerve block is a technique for providing relief to individuals suffering from chronic knee pain.

02/16/2024

Certain conditions can complicate IV insertion.

IV insertion can result in adverse effects, such as phlebitis, extravasation of IV fluids, bruising, and hematoma formation.

01/26/2024

Reconstructive plastic surgery is carried out in order to correct facial and body abnormalities caused by birth defects, developmental abnormalities, injury, infection, disease, tumors, or aging.

Reconstructive plastic surgery is carried out in order to correct facial and body abnormalities caused by birth defects, injury, etc.