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Published on: January 13, 2018
Awareness during general anesthesia: analysis of contributing causes aided by automatic data capture.
William D Driscoll1, Mary Ann Columbia, Robert A Peterfreund
1Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Journal of Neurosurgical Anesthesiology
|September 26, 2007
Summary
Automated anesthesia information management systems (AIMS) can help identify causes of intraoperative awareness. Review of AIMS data revealed low anesthetic gas concentrations correlated with patient recall, suggesting insufficient delivery as a cause.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Medical Informatics
Background:
- Determining the cause of intraoperative awareness is challenging using traditional record-keeping methods.
- Insufficient delivery of anesthetic agents is a potential cause of awareness during general anesthesia.
Observation:
- Anesthesia Information Management Systems (AIMS) electronically capture detailed case data, preserving information that might otherwise be lost.
- A review of AIMS records for three cases of suspected intraoperative awareness was conducted.
- Anesthetic gas concentrations were correlated with the timing of reported awareness events.
Findings:
- AIMS data revealed low levels of inspired or expired inhalation agents during intervals corresponding to patient recall.
- The findings suggest that inadequate delivery of anesthetic gases contributed to awareness events in these cases.
Implications:
- Automated anesthesia information management systems can aid in identifying the causes of intraoperative awareness.
- This data can inform strategies to prevent awareness events, improving patient safety during general anesthesia.
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