Background: Obesity is a risk factor for airway-related incidents during anaesthesia. High-flow nasal oxygen has been advocated to improve safety in high-risk groups, but its effectiveness in the obese population is uncertain. This study compared the effect of high-flow nasal oxygen and low-flow facemask oxygen delivery on duration of apnoea in morbidly obese patients. Methods: Morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery were randomly allocated to receive either high-flow nasal (70 L min À1 ) or facemask (15 L min À1 ) oxygen. After induction of anaesthesia, the patients were apnoeic for 18 min or until peripheral oxygen saturation decreased to 92%. Results: Eighty patients were studied (41 High-Flow Nasal Oxygen, 39 Facemask). The median apnoea time was 18 min in both the High-Flow Nasal Oxygen (IQR 18e18 min) and the Facemask (inter-quartile range [IQR], 4.1e18 min) groups. Five patients in the High-Flow Nasal Oxygen group and 14 patients in the Facemask group desaturated to 92% within 18 min. The risk of desaturation was significantly lower in the High-Flow Nasal Oxygen group (hazard ratio¼0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11e0.65; P¼0.007). Conclusions: In experienced hands, apnoeic oxygenation is possible in morbidly obese patients, and oxygen desaturation did not occur for 18 min in the majority of patients, whether oxygen delivery was high-flow nasal or low-flow facemask. High-flow nasal oxygen may reduce desaturation risk compared with facemask oxygen. Desaturation risk is a more clinically relevant outcome than duration of apnoea. Individual physiological factors are likely to be the primary determinant of risk rather than method of oxygen delivery. Clinical trial registration: NCT03428256.

By reading this article you should be able to:Explain the indications and limitations of pointof-care gastric ultrasound. Describe the acquisition and interpretation of images for qualitative and quantitative analysis of gastric content for the purposes of pulmonary aspiration risk stratification. Discuss the role of gastric ultrasound in the management of obese, pregnant, and paediatric patients.

Acute hepatitis C infection in the context of HIV is an emerging problem in men who have sex with men (MSM). We conducted a retrospective cohort study of MSM diagnosed with and treated for acute hepatitis C infection over 10 years. Genotype 1 was the commonest type representing 69% of cases; the spontaneous clearance rate was 20%. The overall sustained virological response (SVR) rate on an intention-to-treat basis was 83%; SVR and was 92% for those completing 48 weeks of treatment. The presence of detectable RNA at week 12 had a 100% negative predictive value for SVR. This is the largest single cohort treated with 48 weeks of interferon and ribavirin and the treatment SVR is one of the highest reported. We propose that a 48-week treatment regimen may be superior to shorter (24-week) regimens though we acknowledge the need for a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose of Review This article aims to review the thoracic paravertebral block by discussing the relevant anatomy, and landmark and ultrasound-guided techniques. We will compare analgesic efficacy to established neuraxial techniques as well as discuss the complications. Recent Findings The quality of analgesia is comparable and non-inferior to epidural analgesia, especially for surgery involving a thoracotomy. The evidence regarding its use in abdominal surgery is not clear. There are long-term analgesic benefits for thoracic paravertebral blocks in breast surgery and it might potentially play a role in modulating cancer recurrence. Furthermore, latest research suggests an efficacious block can be achieved with a less invasive approach to the paravertebral space. Summary The paravertebral block can achieve analgesia comparable to thoracic epidural, the use of ultrasound improves block success, and the complication rates are low. Novel techniques are emerging which might change the approach to the block in the future.

Both intraoperative peak inspiratory pressure and FiO are independent factors significantly associated with development of a postoperative pulmonary complication in emergency laparotomy patients. Further studies are required to identify causality and to demonstrate if their manipulation could lead to better clinical outcomes.

Introduction: The use of intrathecal diamorphine is not commonplace in laparoscopic bariatric surgery. At our institution, a major UK bariatric centre, high-dose intrathecal diamorphine is routinely utilised. Methods: Data were analysed retrospectively. Fifty-three patients who had a spinal anaesthetic were matched against age, sex, body mass index and surgical procedure type to generate controls. Pain scores were recorded in the post-anaesthetic care unit on arrival, after 1 hour and on discharge to the ward. Post-operative nausea and vomiting; post-operative hypertension; pruritus; 24-hour morphine consumption and length of stay were measured. Results: Pain scores were better in the spinal anaesthetic group in all measured categories (p = 0.033, p < 0.01, p < 0.01); post-operative nausea and vomiting was less common in the spinal anaesthetic group (p < 0.01); post-operative hypertension was less common in the spinal anaesthetic group (p = 0.25); pruritus was more common in the spinal anaesthetic group (p < 0.01); morphine consumption was less common in the spinal anaesthetic group (p = 0.037). Length of hospital stay was reduced by 12.4 hours (p = 0.025). Conclusion: We propose that this is a practical and safe technique to adopt. A randomised-control trial will need to be conducted in order to find the most efficacious volume of local anaesthetic and dose of diamorphine

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The prevalence of obesity in the UK is increasing. Airway management in the obese patient can be challenging. Face mask ventilation is frequently difficult, and while the incidence of difficult laryngoscopy is only marginally raised, the consequences of failed intubation and the rate at which the obese patient desaturates makes this an unforgiving population. Emergence from anaesthesia requires particular care and attention. This article addresses the problems of airway management in the obese patient and looks at measures which can be taken to overcome them.