FDA Warning For Sedation in Kids Under 3 Years and Pregnant Women

On 12/14/16, the FDA published a warning that prolonged or repeated sedation in kids under 3 years old and women who are pregnant during their third trimester may adversely affect childhood brain development. However, a single short exposure to a general anesthetic and sedation drugs in infants or toddlers is UNLIKELY to have any negative effects on the brain. Such short time exposure with minimal risk would apply to ear tube placements as well as tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy . This r…

12/16/2016 0

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Joan Rivers Underwent Unplanned Vocal Cord Biopsy Without Consent

Image by  David Shankbone  of  Wikipedia When it was first reported 8/28/14 that comedian Joan Rivers suffered some type of respiratory arrest during some type of sedated endoscopic procedure, it was unclear exactly what was done and what happened. According to initial reports, the endoscopy was done to "check her vocal cords." Media reports have emerged citing an anonymous source that state an unplanned, un-consented vocal cord biopsy was done during the planned endoscopy pr…

9/10/2014 1

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Esophagoscopy without Sedation [VIDEO]

Here is a video demonstrating how esophagoscopy can be performed in the office without any sedation. The esophagus is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. The exam, called trans-nasal esophagoscopy (TNE), can be performed in any patient as long as the nose is large enough to accommodate the endoscope and lack a severe gag reflex. A very thin disposable sheath (like a condom) is used to protect endoscope and maintain sterility between patient use.

4/12/2014 0

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Risk of Death From... Is...

Image courtesy of noomh / FreeDigitalPhotos.net When it comes to risk of death from surgical procedures, it is illustrative to compare it to more common experiences. Patients often become unduly concerned with certain risks including death without any true understanding of how rare the risk may be. Unfortunately, such rare risks may be THE reason why a patient may refuse a needed procedure in the erroneous belief that something rare has an unacceptably high chance of occurring to them. …

1/10/2014 0

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Ear Tube Placement in Kids WITHOUT Sedation (Starting at 12 Months of Age)

A recent report describes how using a relatively old technology, ear tube placement can now be performed in children starting at 12 months of age with chronic ear infections or hearing loss due to fluid buildup without the need for sedation of any kind nor aggressive restraints (ie papoose). Historically,  ear tube placement in the office without sedation is typically performed starting at around 12 years of age using standard local anesthesia techniques. Any younger, a child could not …

10/05/2013 0

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Problem with Medical Protocols (and Lawsuits Because of Them)

Over the past decade working in hospitals, I've seen the proliferation of "established procedures and protocols" for literally everything under the sun... • Chest Pain Protocol • Discharge Protocol • Pneumonia Protocol • Stroke Protocol etc, etc, etc Protocols are essentially standing orders that are supposed to be implemented whenever a given medical situation occurs. It is supposed to follow best evidence-based practices and make it easy for healthcare personnel know w…

11/17/2012 0

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