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Background: Studies have described different recovery profiles of sevoflurane and desflurane typically early after surgery., Methods: We conducted a randomized superiority trial to determine whether Overall Recovery 3 days after knee arthroscopy would be superior with desflurane. Adult participants undergoing knee arthroscopic surgery with general anesthesia were randomized to either desflurane or sevoflurane general anesthesia. Intraoperative and postoperative drugs and analgesics were administered at the discretion of the anesthesiologist. Postoperative quality of recovery was assessed using the "Postoperative Quality of Recovery Scale". The primary outcome was Overall Recovery 3 days after surgery and secondary outcomes were individual recovery domains at 15 minutes, 40 minutes, 1 day, 3 days, 1 month, and 3 months. Patients and researchers were blinded., Results: 300 patients were randomized to sevoflurane or desflurane (age 51.7±14.1 vs. 47.3±13.5 years; duration of anesthesia 24.9±11.1 vs. 23.3±8.3 minutes). The proportion achieving baseline or better scores in all domains increased over the follow-up period in both groups but was not different at day 3 (sevoflurane 43% vs. desflurane 37%, p = 0.314). Similarly, rates of recovery increased over time in the five subdomains, with no differences between groups for physiological, p = 0.222; nociceptive, p = 0.391; emotive, p = 0.30; Activities-of-daily-living, p = 0.593; and cognitive recovery, p = 0.877., Conclusion: No significant difference in the quality of recovery scale could be shown using sevoflurane or desflurane general anesthesia after knee arthroscopy in adult participants., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Initial validation and feasibility for the Post-operative Quality of Recovery Scale (PQRS) was published in 2010. Ongoing validation includes studies to determine whether this scale can discriminate differences in recovery between cohorts., Methods: A prospective cohort study included 61 patients, 18-40 years, and 61 patients, aged ≥ 65 years, undergoing knee arthroscopy under general anaesthesia; and 13 patients, aged ≥ 65 years, undergoing total knee replacement under general anaesthesia. Patients were assessed using the PQRS. Assessments were performed pre-surgery, at 15 and 40 min, 1 and 3 days, and 3 months after surgery., Results: The effect of age was assessed by comparing young versus older arthroscopy patients. There were minimal differences in recovery profiles, other than for the nociceptive domain, where pain recovery was significantly better in the older arthroscopy patients (P < 0.001). The effect of surgery was assessed by comparing older patients undergoing knee arthroscopy with knee replacement patients. Recovery was significantly worse for the knee replacement group for cognition (P = 0.015), nociception (pain and nausea, P < 0.001), activities of daily living (P < 0.001), emotive recovery (P = 0.029), and all-domains recovery (P < 0.001). Despite differences in quality of recovery, satisfaction was high in all cohorts., Conclusions: Knee replacement had a large effect on recovery compared with knee arthroscopy. Age had minimal effect on recovery after knee arthroscopy. The study showed the ability of the PQRS to discriminate recovery in different domains., (© 2014 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background/aim: To evaluate the frequency and geographical variation in knee arthroscopy for adults (>25 years) with a concomitant diagnosis of osteoarthritis., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of hospital separations involving an elective knee arthroscopy in public and private hospitals in Victoria, Australia. Participants included patients receiving knee arthroscopies with a diagnosis code indicating osteoarthritis (OA) from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009. Records were excluded if the patient was under 25 years or their arthroscopy involved a ligament reconstruction. Crude rates per 100 000 population and negative binomial regression offset by total knee arthroscopy volume were used to analyse differences by region., Results: There were 9620 arthroscopic procedures meeting the inclusion criteria. There were 5500 (57.2%) admissions where the principal diagnosis was knee OA (gonarthrosis) and 3510 (36.5%) where the principal diagnosis indicated a mechanical derangement and there was a primary or associated diagnosis of OA. When we examined the incidence rate ratios (IRR) by region, after adjustment for relevant factors and accounting for the total knee arthroscopy volume within each region, we identified significant variation in knee arthroscopy rates for patients with OA. The region with the highest adjusted IRR was Barwon South Western (IRR: 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16-1.36) and the region with lowest adjusted incidence rate ratio was the Gippsland region (IRR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80-0.98)., Conclusions: We identified considerable geographical variation in arthroscopies for people with OA across Victoria. Further investigation is needed to understand whether this variation is a reflection of differences in OA prevalence, clinical decision-making or access., (© 2014 The Authors; Internal Medicine Journal © 2014 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.)

Background: In contemporary clinical practice, the ability for orthopaedic surgeons to obtain true 'informed consent' is becoming increasingly difficult. This problem has been driven by factors including increased expectations of surgical outcome by patients and increasing complexity of surgical procedures. Surgical pamphlets and computer presentations have been advocated as ways of improving patient education, but evidence of their efficacy is limited. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of a computer-based multimedia (MM) presentation against standardized verbal consent and information pamphlets for patients considering knee arthroscopy surgery., Methods: A randomized, controlled prospective trial was conducted, comparing the efficacy of three methods of providing preoperative informed consent information to patients. Sixty-one patients were randomly allocated into MM, verbal consent or pamphlet groups 3-6 weeks prior to knee arthroscopy surgery. Information recall after the initial consent process was assessed by questionnaire. Retention of this information was again assessed by questionnaire at the time of surgery and 6 weeks after surgery., Results: The MM group demonstrated a significantly greater proportion of correct responses, 98%, in the questionnaire at the time of consent, in comparison with 88% for verbal and 76% for pamphlet groups, with no difference in anxiety levels. Information was also better retained by the MM group up to 6 weeks after surgery. Patient satisfaction with information delivery was higher in the MM group., Conclusion: MM is an effective tool for aiding in the provision and retention of information during the informed consent process., (© 2010 The Authors. ANZ Journal of Surgery © 2010 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.)