Hemodynamic monitoring in Nigerian patients undergoing high-risk surgery

Hemodynamic monitoring (HM) and optimization of cardiac output and parameters of dynamic fluid responsiveness is said to improve perioperative outcome in high-risk surgical patients (HRSP). There is insufficient data to determine the burden of care and HM practices in HRSP in Nigeria. Hence, the need to assess and document the current hemodynamic management practices of anesthetists in Nigeria regarding patients undergoing high-risk surgery.

An electronic mail (E-mail) based survey was conducted among 180 consultant members of the Nigeria Society of Anaesthetists. The survey contained 24 questions that range from practice location, experience in the perioperative management of high-risk patients, expectations of care, to what is available to the anesthetists to provide such care. The survey was on for 3 months.

A total of 157 E-mail messages were delivered, and 73 responses were received, giving a response rate of 46.5%. The survey showed that 67 (91.8%) of respondents provide or directly supervise anesthesia for HRSP, 50 (84%) of them do this 1-5 times a week. Noninvasive blood pressure (83.6%) was routinely monitored while the central venous pressure (CVP 35.6%), invasive blood pressure (28.8%), and cardiac output (1.4%) monitored less often. Urine output, arterial blood pressure, pulse rate, and clinical experience were considered best indicators of volume expansion. Most respondents were of the opinion that oxygen delivery to tissues is of major importance during the management of HRSP.

Nigerian consultant anesthetists employ mostly noninvasive blood pressure, CVP, and invasive blood pressure for HM in HRSP. Though a good knowledge of hemodynamic goals was demonstrated, most rated their practice as inadequate.