Sepsis is a high burden syndrome associated with increased morbidity and mortality in both the acute and longer-term phases of illness. There remain multiple treatment uncertainties that require resolution through high quality research.

This new study aimed to identify the top 10 research priorities for sepsis research in the UK.

Monthly Editor podcasts are back!

This month, Dr Maryann Turner talks with Dr Mike Charlesworth, who was the previous Dissemination Editor for the journal. He talks about his time as Dissemination Editor, NAP7, Core Topics and his favourite part of being an Editor. 

Papers mentioned:

1. Rapid sequence induction: a modern-day example of Theseus' Paradox?

2. Regional anaesthesia for awake urgent upper limb surgery in children

3. Measurement and interpretation of central venous pressure: a narrative review

4. Anaesthesia support for transcatheter heart valve interventions: a narrative review

In the UK, approximately 70% of surgical procedures are undertaken as day-cases. Little information exists about recovery from day-case surgery, yet international data highlights patients are at risk of developing significant longer-term health problems including chronic post-surgical pain and persistent postoperative opioid use.

This paper outlines the methods for the POPPY study, the largest UK multicentre prospective observational study considering short- and longer-term outcomes following day-case surgery.

Join the authors and our Editor, Dr Helen Laycock, for a discussion about this excellent new methods paper.

Prehabilitation seeks to enhance functional capacity and preparedness before surgery with the aim of improving outcomes; it is generally based on exercise, diet and psychological interventions. While there is obvious appeal to this approach in terms of patient experience and resource use, the interventions are complex and the evidence base for prehabilitation before cancer surgery is heterogeneous. Prehabilitation requires patient understanding and motivation as well as commitment of resources. Programmes are challenging to design and implement, and can generate ‘intervention-based inequalities’ based on the capacity of patients to engage.

Find out why prehabilitation must be implemented carefully to avoid widening inequalities with this new podcast hosted by Professor Cliff Shelton and his coauthors. 

Full paper here.

2025 Special Issue on Oncoanaesthesia here.

Until more evidence becomes available, this pragmatic, multidisciplinary consensus statement aims to support shared decision-making and improve safety for patients taking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors during the peri-operative period.

This podcast was recorded live at the Association of Anaesthetists Annual Congress 2024 in Harrogate.

We spoke with keynote speaker Sir Julian Hartley (Chief Executive of NHS Providers) and Association of Anaesthetists President Dr Tim Meek about the role of the modern consultant in healthcare systems, HIT lists and whether or not the NHS is 'broken'.

This podcast was recorded live at the Association of Anaesthetists Annual Congress 2024 in Harrogate.

We recently published a new multidisciplinary consensus statement from the Association of Anaesthetists and the British Pain Society. We were delighted to join authors Dr Helen Laycock and Prof Kariem El-Boghdadly to discuss the need for this new document, how it was written and the key clinical implications for practice.

This podcast was recorded live at the Association of Anaesthetists Annual Congress 2024 in Harrogate.

We were delighted to be joined by Dr Sarah Marsden and Dr Stuart Edwardson to talk about a new scoping review from Winter et al. Dr Marsden is the Chair of the Association of Anaesthetists Trainee Committee having taken over the role from Dr Edwardson, who received the anniversary medal for his service to the Association. 

This podcast was recorded following the airway session at the Association of Anaesthetists Annual Congress 2024 in Harrogate.

Our dissemination Editor Dr Maryann Turner was joined by Prof Kariem El-Boghdadly, Dr Emilie Hoogenboom, Prof Ed Mariano and Dr Imran Ahmad. The discussion was around difficult airway management and how the choice between technique A vs. B vs. C vs. others never has an obvious 'correct' answer. For this session, even members of the expert panel chose different options, demonstrating the difficulties clinicians face in everyday practice. 

The 7th National Audit Project (NAP7) of the RCoA examined peri-operative cardiac arrest and each of the three phases captured the involvement of anaesthesia associates in clinical practice. In view of current interest and controversy concerning the roles and scope of practice of anaesthesia associates, the authors aimed to share a full account of information collected during NAP7 to add to the limited available data in this area. This likely represents the only national dataset which incorporates anaesthetists and anaesthesia associates. This interview accompanies the paper and includes the authors Prof Tim Cook and Lee Varney, as well of the President of the Association of Anaesthesia Associates, Sarah Massey. They talk about the paper and the wider associated issues. Essential listening for all.