Preoperative Assessment Flashcards
What are seven golden questions that must be incorporated into a preoperative assessment?
Identify patient NPO status Allergies Medications Medical/surgical history General anesthesia in the past Evaluation of airway
What is the ASA physical status classification?
- Widely used classifications system (risk stratification)
- Grading system for “preoperative health”
- Universal coding system or “language” for anesthesia providers, used in billing and reimbursement
- Assigned to every anesthetic patient
When was the ASA physical status classification developed?
1963
What is the ASA physical status classification scale associated with?
increased mortality & Morbidity (questionable predictive capability)
The ASA physical is ________ in interpretation and score rendered.
highly variable
ASA I refers to a ______________ individual.
Healthy
ASA II refers to a ______________ individual.
Mild systemic disease
ASA III refers to a ______________ individual.
Moderate to severe disease with functional limits
ASA IV refers to a ______________ individual.
Severe disease & functional incapacity
ASA V refers to a ______________ individual.
Survival limited to less than 24 hours without intervention
ASA VI refers to a ______________ individual.
Organ donor
Review goals of a preoperative assessment
Slide 56
What is informed consent?
“Informed consent is grounded in an ethical and legal concept-that patients have the right to understand what is being done to their bodies (personal autonomy) and agree to the potential consequences of the healthcare intervention (self-determination and self-decision).” (Scheutzow, 2001 as cited in AANA, 2016)
True or False. Anesthesia consent is apart of surgical consent?
False: Once implied as part of the surgical consent; now separate process
What can occur without anesthesia consent (3)?
Without: risk of battery, negligence (to inform patient of risk and alternatives to care), and breach of contract
What are some questions you can ask yourself when evaluating a preop assessment (3)?
- Is this person in an optimal state of health?
- Can the patient’s condition be improved prior to surgery?
- Does the patient have any health conditions which may influence the perioperative period? (Can I improve any of these conditions? What do I need to avoid? What could possibly go wrong with this patient and given surgery and what can be done to prevent?)
Who should be evaluated for a preop assessment? (6)
Any person receiving: General anesthesia, Regional anesthesia, Monitored anesthesia care (MAC), Urgent cases, Emergency cases, trauma cases
What is important to notify your patients about regarding a DNR?
DNR is usually suspended during surgery, important the family and pt is aware of this information
What are the joint commission requirements of a preop assessment?
The Joint Commission does not dictate components of the evaluation per se (follow professional practice standards); dictates timing and who is eligible to evaluate and provide sedation and anesthesia
-Moderate sedation versus Deep sedation/Regional/General anesthesia
What is Standard TX 2.1?
A pre anesthesia or pre sedation assessment is performed for each patient before beginning moderate or deep sedation and before anesthesia induction.
What is intent TX 2.1?
BEFORE sedation is given the anesthesia provider should consider data from other assessments and collect information needed to select a safe and effective anesthetic.
Review CRNA scope of practice by the AANA
Slide 62-64
Lack of symptoms are not the same as a _______
healthy patient
Serious abnormalities can exist without a ______; Increase in ambulatory _________
Diagnosis; patient acuity
Ask appropriate questions about symptoms and activity to aid in ______________
identifying unknown disease
What does the AANA and joint commission say about preop assessment?
a patient is seen immediately before anesthesia and care updated accordingly
What are options regarding timing of preop evaluation?
Several options depending on patient and procedure: Several days pre-op, Day of surgery and immediately pre-op
What are the effects of doing a preop assessment several day before surgery?
An evaluation before DOS is not always possible and the timing does not always affect anesthesia outcome, person doing case usually not the one to initially evaluate patient
What are the effects of doing a preop assessment day of surgery?
- Older patients; complex procedures (challenge)
- OR turnover time pressures (time is money)
What are the effects of doing a preop assessment day if immediately pre-op?
urgent and must proceed having done a thorough assessment will guide your anesthetic interventions
What can a preop assessment DOS pick up (5)?
can pick up inappropriate fasting, airway issues, preexisting conditions, changing conditions, missed labs, etc.
What are characteristics of preop evaluation forms (4)?
- Many are using EHR
- Each institution/health system uses a standardized form to guide the assessment
- Forms may be tailored to outpatient versus inpatient procedures
- These forms are not standardized - quite variable
It is imperative to devise and practice a __________ that allows you to comprehensively evaluate yet individualize to a patient’s comorbidities, symptoms, and surgery
preop anesthesia assessment
An effective preop assessment should be _______ and _________
Systematic and complete
Review components of the preop evaluation
Slide 68
What should be included when evaluating patient history? (8)
- General health history
- Age, height, weight
- Activities of daily living
- Chronic conditions / Previous admissions
- Previous surgeries / Anesthetic issues
- Medications / Allergies
- Alcohol, tobacco, etc.
- Nutritional status
Why is important to obtain an anesthesia history?
Problems with anesthesia, intubation, bleeding, jaundice after anesthesia, PONV, family history of problems with anesthesia (MH), etc.
What information can be obtained by reviewing prior anesthesia records? (3)
Airway management, Requirements of anesthetics, Pre-existing conditions
What must be known about current medication history?
Name, Dosage (last taken), frequency
What must be known about allergies?
True allergies vs. side effects
Study of 1,800 patients:
28% claimed to have an allergy
50% of those were judged to be true allergies (Half of those claiming to have allergies actually had side effects)
Why is it important to understand what medications were taken DOS?
Important to get a sense of what is okay to take DOS and what needs to be held and for how long
Review medications that can/canont be taken DOS
Slide 72
What are the effects of giving antihyperglycemic DOS?
risk for hypoglycemia vs scheduling surgery/fasting vs. ability to monitoring intraop
What are the effects of giving anticoagulants DOS?
- important because of surgical bleeding risk and regional anesthesia
- Guidelines published by American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA); always check institutional guidelines as well - some even more conservative
What are components of social history (5)?
Non-prescription drugs, Nutritional status, Socioeconomic status, Spiritual needs, Preferred name/pronoun
What are two important components of social
(sexual) history?
- When in doubt, ask, especially given the fluidity of gender identity
- Careful with pronouns on how you introduce to other providers
What impact does tobacco have on the cardiovascular? (3)
Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, cerebral vascular disease
What impact does tobacco have on the respriatory? (2)
COPD, reduced lung function
What impact does tobacco have on the gi? (5)
Peptic ulcer disease, GERD, gum disease, tooth decay, cancer of the oropharynx
What ganglion stimulant effect does Nicotine have on the body (4)?
(Toxic alkaloid)
- Elevated HR
- Elevated BP
- Increased myocardial oxygen demands
- Increased peripheral vascular resistance
What effect does carbon monoxide have on the body?
Readily occupies the oxygen-binding sites of hemoglobin
__________times the affinity for hemoglobin compared with oxygen
250-300
What is the half life of nicotine?
40-60 minutes
What is the half life of CO at room air? What is the impact of oxygen? Hyperbaric oxygen?
Half-life of COat room air is 130-190 min. 100% oxygen reduces thehalf-lifeto 30-90 minutes; hyperbaric oxygen at 2.5 atm with 100% oxygen reduces it to 15-23 minutes
What is the shortest amount of time patients should stop smoking prior to anesthesia?
Patients should not smoke for at least 12-48 hrs prior to anesthesia
What will happen if a pt stops smoking at least 12-48 hours before anesthesia?
12 hrs will start to decrease the deleterious effects of nicotine and CO
What is the belief that some surgeons have regarding smoking cessation?
Some surgeons (plastics especially) require longer cessation to achieve better wound healing (3-4 weeks)
What is true regarding smoking cessation and preop assessment?
The preop assessment is being used and documented as a touchpoint to teach patients about smoking hazards and encourage cessation (may be more amenable at that point)
What are the short term effects of smoking cessation?
Reduces the detrimental effects of nicotine and CO on cardiovascular and respiratory function
What are the effects of smoking cessation for one night pre op?
- Reduces HR, BP, circulating catecholamines
- Allows carboxyhemoglobin levels to return to normal leading to better oxygenation
Heavy smokers: have a ____________ increase in postoperative pulmonary complications.
Six hold
How many weeks is needed before appreciable improvement is seen on pulmonary mechanics?
Eight weeks
What impact does eight weeks of smoking cessation have on pulmonary system (4)?
- Enhanced ciliary function
- Decreased mucus secretions
- Decreased small airway obstruction
- Improved immune function
What impact does second hand smoke have on the body (after 10 weeks)? (6)
- Increased reactive airway disease
- Abnormal pulmonary function tests
- Increased respiratory infections
- Laryngospasm
- Coughing on emergence and induction
- Postoperative desaturations
________ individuals are dependent on alcohol in U.S. alone
14 million
What is difficult regarding alcohol ingestion?
- Difficult to accurately assess patient’s usage (also true of illicit substances)
- Need to Type, Amount, Frequency
What is the definition of chronic alcoholism for women?
low-risk drinking is defined as no more than3 drinkson any single day and no more than7 drinksper week.
What is the definition of chronic alcoholism for men?
low-risk drinking is defined as no more than4 drinks on any single day and no more than14 drinksper week.
What is the surgical morbidity for those with alcohol use disorders?
Individuals with alcohol use disorders have 2-3 fold increase in surgical morbidity
What are some complications of chronic alcoholism?
Bleeding (liver), infection, cardiac insufficiency (increased tolerance or exaggerated effects to some anesthetic agents)
What is the effects of chronic alcohol use on the neurological system?
Dementia, cerebellar degeneration
What is the effects of chronic alcohol use on the cardiovascular system?
Cardiomyopathy, HTN, CVA
What is the effects of chronic alcohol use on the GI system?
Poor nutritional status, gastritis, pancreatitis, varices
What is the effects of chronic alcohol use on the hepatic?
Laennec’s cirrhosis, coagulopathies, hypoalbuminemia
What impact does acute ingestion have anesthesia requirements?
Decreased anesthesia requirements
What impact does chronic ingestion have anesthesia requirements?
Increased anesthesia requirements
What are the increased anesthesia requirements from chronic alcohol ingestion?
- Enzyme induction
- Volatile agents compete with ethanol for binding on neuronal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine receptors