<p>The aim of the study was to describe how anaesthetic nurses, within both advanced beginner and expert levels, experience their professional role as they perform a general anaesthetic.</p><p>The study had a descriptive design with a qualitative approach in which ten advanced beginners- and ten expert anaesthetic nurses from an operating theatre and an ambulatory surgical ward at a hospital located in the middle of Sweden, participated. All data was collected in an interview with semi-structured questions which focused on how the anaesthetic nurses experience their work. The data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. The results are presented in categories and themes. The themes were formed from the categories. Themes for the advanced beginners were: <em>support develops self confidence that gives the feeling of satisfaction</em> and <em>lack of support impedes further development of independency and gives the feeling of insecurity</em>. Themes for the experts were: <em>experience and new challenges in a supported environment give satisfaction</em> and <em>lack of support and own insecurity give dissatisfaction</em>. The advanced beginners described their experiences in a more descriptive way, while the experts had more difficult to describe what they experienced. The advanced beginners wanted more support from their colleagues while the experts wanted to be more independent and were also more confident in their professional role.</p> / <p>Syftet med studien var att beskriva hur anestesisjuksköterskor på avancerad nybörjarnivå respektive expertnivå upplever sin yrkesroll vid generell anestesi. Studien hade en deskriptiv design med kvalitativ ansats där tio avancerade nybörjare respektive tio expert anestesisjuksköterskor, från en allmän operations avdelning och en dagkirurgisk avdelning vid ett Mellansvenskt sjukhus, deltog i studien. Data samlades in via halvstrukturerade intervjufrågor som inriktade sig på anestesisjuksköterskors upplevelser av sitt arbete. Data analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet redovisas utifrån kategorier som bildade olika teman. Teman som för avancerade nybörjare var <em>stöd utvecklar självförtroende som ger en känsla av tillfredställelse</em> samt <em>brist på stöd hindrar utvecklingen av självständighet och ger känsla av osäkerhet</em>. Teman för experterna var <em>erfarenhet och nya utmaningar i en stödjande miljö ger tillfredställelse</em> samt <em>bristande stöd och egen osäkerhet ger otillfredsställelse</em>. Avancerade nybörjarna beskrev sina upplevelser på ett mer beskrivande sätt medan experterna hade svårare att beskriva vad de upplevde. Avancerade nybörjarna ville ha mer stöd medan experterna ville vara mer självständiga och var mer trygg i sin yrkesroll.</p>

Succinylcolin är ett icke-depolariserande muskelrelaxantia som används inom anestesisjukvård. En vanlig biverkning är postoperativ myalgi. Varför smärtan uppstår är inte helt klarlagd. Under många år har forskare runt om i världen försökt komma till rätta med problemet utan att helt lyckas.Olika läkemedel och strategier har prövats. En av de viktigaste uppgifter en sjuksköterska har är att förebygga och lindra lidande. Som anestesisjuksköterska finns det möjlighet att påverka den vård som ordineras. Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilka metoder som kan förebygga postoperativ myalgi orsakad av succinylcolin. En litteraturstudie baserad på tio vetenskapliga artiklar genomfördes. Resultatet visade att parecoxib preoperativt samt premedicinering med diklofenakplåster gav det bästa resultatet när det gäller reducerande av myalgi. Med hjälp av dessa så vanliga läkemedel kan onödigt lidande förebyggas och samhällsekonomiska resurser sparas.

Symptoms after surgery and anaesthesia influence the patient´s ability to resume daily activities. If postoperative symptoms are controlled rehabilitation may be accelerated. The aims of this dissertation were to identify disturbing symptoms reported by patients after gynaecological surgery, to investigate what effect prohylactic treatment with antiemetics has on these symptoms and whether or not sensory simulation of the P6-acupressure has an effect on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and motion sickness. Methods: Total 1138 women participated in three clinical trials (Studies I, II, III) and one experimental study (Study IV). A questionnaire investigating postoperative symptoms was constructed and validated. The questionnaire was used in a prospective, consecutive, doubleblind, randomised, multicentre, and controlled study to identify incidence, and intensity of postoperative symptoms and the effect of common antiemetics (droperidol and granisetron) (Study III). The patients were followed for 24 h. In two studies (I, II) P6-acupressure was compared (prospective, double-blind, ransomised, controlled) with placebo acupressure and a reference group where the effect on PONV was followed over 24 h. The effect of P6-acupressure and placebo acupressure on motion sickness induced by a nauseogenic motion challenge was studied (Study III). Results: A high incidence and severity of postoperative symptoms were found after gynaecological surgery in a group with a high risk (&gt;30%) for PONV. Sixty-four per cent (107/165) of the patients experienced disturbing symptoms after surgery and 46 % (76/165) scored their symptoms as moderate to very severe. Fourty-eight per cent (79/165) had two or more symptoms. A higher incidence of symptoms were reported in the groups with prophylactic treatment, granisetron 74% (123/165) and droperidol 80% (133/165) compared to the control group 41% (69/165) (P &lt;0.05). The relative risk reduction for PONV with granisetron or droperidol prophylaxis is 27% respective 22%. The relative risk increase for headache is 63% after granisetron, and 44% for difficulty with accommodation after droperidol. Less PONV was seen after P6-acupressure, 33% (44/135) compared to reference group 46% (63/136) (p = 0.019), number needed to treat (NNT) was 7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4- 6]. When comparing laparoscopic and vaginal surgery (subgroup analysis) the main effect was in the vaginal group (day-case surgery), 36% (27/75) in the reference group to 27% (23/86) in the placebo group and to 20% (17/84) in the P6-acupressure group, (P = 0.017), NNT for the vaginal group was 6 [95% CI 3-18]. P6-acupressure increased time to nausea after a laboratory motion challenge and reduced the total number of symptoms reported (p &lt;0.009). Conclusions: There is no clinical efficacy in the form of reduced postoperative symptoms after prophylactic antiemetics (droperidol and granisetron) in females with a high risk (&gt;30%) for PONV undergoing gynaecological surgery. P6-acupressure reduces the incidence of PONV after gynaecological surgery in females with a high (&gt;30%) risk for PONV. The effect seems to be most prominent after vaginal surgery. P6-acupressure increased tolerance to experimental nausogenic stimuli and reduced the total number of symptoms reported in females with a history of motion sickness. / On the day of the public defence the status of article IV was: Submitted.

Background: Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas, but it is also produced endogenously when haem is degraded. When produced in vivo, CO is believed to have positive biological effects. For example it activates the production of cyclic guanosine mono-phosphate and causes vasodilatation. CO is also believed to have anti-inflammatory properties by binding to Mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase. Several studies in cells, mice and rats support this opinion regarding both the circulatory as well as the anti-inflammatory properties. However, studies in larger animals regarding circulatory effects have demonstrated contradictory results. The only study in humans regarding anti-inflammatory properties of CO could not demonstrate such effects. Methods: This thesis consists of four different models. In paper I a method for analysis of CO in blood was developed using gas chromatography. In paper II a porcine model was used to investigate the elimination time for CO. The pigs in paper II had a high concentration of CO administered via blood, and CO concentrations were followed over time and kinetically parameters calculated. Circulatory parameters were also measured to evaluate if there were any circulatory changes after CO administration. In paper III CO´s anti-inflammatory properties were investigated in an endotoxin-induced systemic inflammatory model in pigs. Paper III was a randomized study where one group inhaled CO and the other group served as controls. Plasma cytokine concentrations were measured and followed over time as an indication of the inflammatory state. In paper IV, CO concentrations in blood from blood donors at the Blood Centre in Umeå were investigated. The blood donors also completed a questionnaire about age, smoking history and other possible sources for exogenous contamination of CO in the blood. Results and conclusions: In paper I we developed a method suitable for analysis of low concentrations of CO in blood. The half-life of CO at levels of 250 µM in pigs was found to be 60 minutes. CO did not show anti-inflammatory effects after an endotoxin-induced systemic inflammation in pigs. In banked blood CO was present at concentrations up to six times higher than normal concentrations. This could be a risk when transfusing such blood to susceptible patients.

The aim of the study was to describe how anaesthetic nurses, within both advanced beginner and expert levels, experience their professional role as they perform a general anaesthetic. The study had a descriptive design with a qualitative approach in which ten advanced beginners- and ten expert anaesthetic nurses from an operating theatre and an ambulatory surgical ward at a hospital located in the middle of Sweden, participated. All data was collected in an interview with semi-structured questions which focused on how the anaesthetic nurses experience their work. The data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. The results are presented in categories and themes. The themes were formed from the categories. Themes for the advanced beginners were: support develops self confidence that gives the feeling of satisfaction and lack of support impedes further development of independency and gives the feeling of insecurity. Themes for the experts were: experience and new challenges in a supported environment give satisfaction and lack of support and own insecurity give dissatisfaction. The advanced beginners described their experiences in a more descriptive way, while the experts had more difficult to describe what they experienced. The advanced beginners wanted more support from their colleagues while the experts wanted to be more independent and were also more confident in their professional role. / Syftet med studien var att beskriva hur anestesisjuksköterskor på avancerad nybörjarnivå respektive expertnivå upplever sin yrkesroll vid generell anestesi. Studien hade en deskriptiv design med kvalitativ ansats där tio avancerade nybörjare respektive tio expert anestesisjuksköterskor, från en allmän operations avdelning och en dagkirurgisk avdelning vid ett Mellansvenskt sjukhus, deltog i studien. Data samlades in via halvstrukturerade intervjufrågor som inriktade sig på anestesisjuksköterskors upplevelser av sitt arbete. Data analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet redovisas utifrån kategorier som bildade olika teman. Teman som för avancerade nybörjare var stöd utvecklar självförtroende som ger en känsla av tillfredställelse samt brist på stöd hindrar utvecklingen av självständighet och ger känsla av osäkerhet. Teman för experterna var erfarenhet och nya utmaningar i en stödjande miljö ger tillfredställelse samt bristande stöd och egen osäkerhet ger otillfredsställelse. Avancerade nybörjarna beskrev sina upplevelser på ett mer beskrivande sätt medan experterna hade svårare att beskriva vad de upplevde. Avancerade nybörjarna ville ha mer stöd medan experterna ville vara mer självständiga och var mer trygg i sin yrkesroll.

The esophageal sphincters constitute the anatomical protection against pulmonary aspiration. The aim of this thesis was to study the esophageal sphincters and how they are affected by different components of emergency anesthesia using high-resolution solid-state manometry. The effect of propofol (0.3 mg/kg) was studied in young and elderly volunteers. Propofol can be given as an anxiolytic agent for manometric studies of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) without affecting the results. However, propofol is not recommended for studies of the upper esophageal sphincter (UES). The effects of cricoid pressure (CP) and peripheral pain were studied in awake volunteers, with and without remifentanil infusion (5 ng/ml). Pain did not affect pressure in the LES, but CP or remifentanil induced a significant decrease in LES pressure. However, neither CP nor remifentanil affected the barrier pressure (LES-intra gastric pressure). When CP was applied during ongoing remifentanil infusion, no further decrease in LES pressure was measured. CP induced high pressures in the area of the UES independent of remifentanil infusion, indicating that CP is effective in preventing gastroesophageal regurgitation. Barrier pressure was also studied in anesthetized patients after rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg) administration and no decrease was measured. In addition, alfentanil (20 μ/kg) added during anesthesia induction with propofol did not decrease the barrier pressure. In conclusion, CP seems to be effective in preventing regurgitation and does not affect barrier pressure. Muscle relaxation with rocuronium does not risk gastro-esophageal integrity. In addition, opioids can be integrated, even during emergency anethesia, without increasing the risk for pulmonary aspiration.

<p>Many elderly undergo cardiac surgery. The prevalence of malnutrition in elderly is high and increases with comorbidity. This thesis aims to clarify some aspects on performing surgery in elderly concerning nutritional status, nutritional treatment and age-related physiology.</p><p>Study I: 886 patients were assessed preoperatively by body mass index (BMI) and S-albumin and postoperatively for mortality and morbidity.. Low BMI increased the relative hazard for death and low S-albumin increased the risk for infection. BMI and S-albumin are useful in preoperative evaluations</p><p>Study II: we followed energy intake in 31 patients for five postoperative days. Scheduled and unscheduled surgery did not differ in preoperative resting energy expenditure (REE). REE increased by 10-12% postoperatively, more in unscheduled CABG. Nutritional supplementation increased total energy intake. All patients exhibited postoperative energy deficits, less prominent in the supplemented group. There were no differences in protein synthesis or muscle degradation. </p><p>Study III: in 16 patients, .we measured stress hormones and insulin resistance before surgery and for five postoperative days Patients were insulin resistant on the first two days. We saw no clearly adverse or beneficial effects of oral carbohydrate on insulin resistance or stress hormone response. </p><p>Study IV: 73 patients, with early enteral nutrition (EN), were observed until discharge or resumed oral nutrition. EN started within three days in most patients. In a minority, problems occurred (gastric residual volumes, tube dislocation, vomiting, diarrhoea, aspiration pneumonia). In the cardiothoracic ICU individually adjusted early EN is feasible. </p><p>Study V: in 16 patients, splanchnic blood flow (SBF) enhancing treatments (dopexamine (Dpx) or EN) were compared. Dpx increased systemic blood flow, but had only a transient effect on SBF. EN had no effect on systemic blood flow or SBF. Neither Dpx, EN or the combined treatment, exhibited any difference between groups on systemic or splanchnic VO₂ or oxygen extraction ratio. </p>

Many elderly undergo cardiac surgery. The prevalence of malnutrition in elderly is high and increases with comorbidity. This thesis aims to clarify some aspects on performing surgery in elderly concerning nutritional status, nutritional treatment and age-related physiology. Study I: 886 patients were assessed preoperatively by body mass index (BMI) and S-albumin and postoperatively for mortality and morbidity.. Low BMI increased the relative hazard for death and low S-albumin increased the risk for infection. BMI and S-albumin are useful in preoperative evaluations Study II: we followed energy intake in 31 patients for five postoperative days. Scheduled and unscheduled surgery did not differ in preoperative resting energy expenditure (REE). REE increased by 10-12% postoperatively, more in unscheduled CABG. Nutritional supplementation increased total energy intake. All patients exhibited postoperative energy deficits, less prominent in the supplemented group. There were no differences in protein synthesis or muscle degradation. Study III: in 16 patients, .we measured stress hormones and insulin resistance before surgery and for five postoperative days Patients were insulin resistant on the first two days. We saw no clearly adverse or beneficial effects of oral carbohydrate on insulin resistance or stress hormone response. Study IV: 73 patients, with early enteral nutrition (EN), were observed until discharge or resumed oral nutrition. EN started within three days in most patients. In a minority, problems occurred (gastric residual volumes, tube dislocation, vomiting, diarrhoea, aspiration pneumonia). In the cardiothoracic ICU individually adjusted early EN is feasible. Study V: in 16 patients, splanchnic blood flow (SBF) enhancing treatments (dopexamine (Dpx) or EN) were compared. Dpx increased systemic blood flow, but had only a transient effect on SBF. EN had no effect on systemic blood flow or SBF. Neither Dpx, EN or the combined treatment, exhibited any difference between groups on systemic or splanchnic VO2 or oxygen extraction ratio.

Generell anestesi kan ges som inhalationsanestesi eller total intravenös anestesi (TIVA). En förutsägbar anestesi med snabbt uppvaknande och bibehållen vakenhet är en högt önskvärd egenskap oavsett anestesiform. Det råder en klinisk och vetenskaplig diskussion om vilken anestesiform som ger snabbast tidig postoperativ återhämtning. syftet med studien var att jämföra patienters tidiga postoperativa återhämtning efter inhalationsanestesi respektive efter total intravenös anestesi (TIVA). Metoden var en litteraturstudie baserad på 15 vetenskapliga artiklar. Dessa analyserades utifrån frågeställningen: Vilken anestesiform som ger den snabbaste tidiga postoperativa återhämtningen. Det framkom en indelning av resultatet i tre kategorier: snabbare tidig postoperativ återhämtning efter inhalationsanestesi, lika lång tid till återhämtning efter inhalationsanestesi som efter TIVA samt snabbare tidig postoperativ återhämtning efter TIVA. Resultatet visade att inhalationsanestesi gav snabbast tdiig postoperativ återhämtning. Anestesisjuksköterskans handhavande, planering och erfarenhet påverkar patientens uppvakande. därför skulle vidare forskning istället jämföra dessa båda anestesiformer på ett annat sätt. Tiden kunde istället mätas från det att anestesisjukskäterskan extuberat patienten och till payienten verkar adekvat orienterad för att erhålla ett mer jämförbart resultat. / General anesthesia includes both inhalations anesthesia and total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). After any anesthetic technique a de sirable characteristics is a predictably rapid emergence and sustained alertness. There is a clinical and scientific debate about which anesthetic technique who gives the most rapid emergence in the early postoperative recovery. The aim of this study was to compare patients early postoperative recovery after inhalations anesthesia and after total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). The methods are based on 15 research articles. They where analysized from the questionnaire: which anesthetic technique gives the most rapid emergence in the early postoperative recovery. The results showed that inhalations anesthesia gave the most rapid emergence in the earky postoperative recovery. The nurse anesthetist handling, planning and experience affect the patients awakening. Therefore further research instead could compare these anesthetic techniques in another way. The time after the nurse anesthetist has extubate the patient until the patient is adequate orientated, could be measured to find a more comparable result.

Severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH) are severe cerebral emergencies. They are common reasons for extensive morbidity and mortality in young people and adults in the western world. This thesis, based on five clinical studies in patients with severe TBI (I-IV) and SAH (V), is concentrated on examination of pathophysiological developments and of evaluation of therapeutic approaches in order to improve outcome after cerebral emergency. The treatment for severe TBI patients at Umeå University Hospital, Sweden is an intracranial pressure (ICP)-targeted therapy according to “the Lund-concept”. This therapy is based on physiological principles for cerebral volume regulation, in order to preserve a normal cerebral microcirculation and a normal ICP. The main goal is to avoid development of secondary brain injuries, thus avoiding brain oedema and worsened microcirculation. Study I is evaluating retrospectively 41 children with severe TBI, from 1993 to 2002. The boundaries of the ICP-targeted protocol were obtained in 90%. Survival rate was 93%, and favourable outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale, score 4+5) was 80%. Study II is retrospectively analysing fluid administration and fluid balance in 93 adult patients with severe TBI, from 1998 to 2001.The ICP-targeted therapy used, have defined fluid strategies. The total fluid balance was positive day one to three, and negative day four to ten. Colloids constituted 40-60% of total fluids given/day. Severe organ failure was evident for respiratory insufficiency and observed in 29%. Mortality within 28 days was 11%. Study III is a prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 48 patients with severe TBI. In order to improve microcirculation and prevent oedema formation, prostacyclin treatment was added to the ICP-targeted therapy. Prostacyclin is endogenously produced, by the vascular endothelium, and has the ability to decrease capillary permeability and vasodilate cerebral capillaries. Prostacyclin is an inhibitor of leukocyte adhesion and platelet aggregation. There was no significant difference between prostacyclin or placebo groups in clinical outcome or in cerebral microdialysis markers such as lactatepyruvate ratio and brain glucose levels. Study IV is part of the third trial and focus on the systemic release of pro-inflammatory mediators that are rapidly activated by trauma. The systemically released pro-inflammatory mediators, interleukin-6 and CRP were significantly decreased in the prostacyclin group versus the placebo group. Study V is a prospective pilot study which analyses asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) concentrations in serum from SAH patients. Acute SAH patients have cerebral vascular, systemic circulatory and inflammatory complications. ADMA is a marker in vascular diseases which is correlated to endothelial dysfunction. ADMA concentrations in serum were significantly elevated seven days after the SAH compared to admission and were still elevated at the three months follow-up. Our results show overall low mortality and high favourable outcome compared to international reports on outcome in severe TBI patients. Prostacyclin administration does not improve cerebral metabolism or outcome but significantly decreases the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators. SAH seems to induce long-lasting elevations of ADMA in serum, which indicates persistent endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction may influence outcome after severe cerebral emergencies.