TopMedTalk

Recorded at the Euroanaesthesia 2025 meeting in Lisbon, Portugal. Here the focus is on patient safety in anaesthesiology. We discuss the importance of patient safety preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively, with innovations in perioperative medicine and artificial intelligence. The ESAIC Patient Safety and Quality Committee developed a patient safety education project: the Safer Care...

In this piece we discuss the intricacies of right heart failure, the differences between the right and left ventricles, and the challenges of early detection and monitoring. With a focus upon research we discuss the Swan-Ganz IQ pulmonary artery catheter, with the FastCCO algorithm, from BD Advanced Patient Monitoring. We cover its innovative capabilities, explore its impact on patient care and lo...

Our guest, Chiara Robba , delves into her work on cerebral autoregulation in relation to critical illness. We explore the mechanisms of cerebral autoregulation in healthy and brain-injured patients, the potential of new monitoring technologies, and the importance of personalized patient care. The discussion also touches on the broader implications for managing blood pressure in various clinical sc...

Euroanaesthesia 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. Here we look at the history and progress of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. We speak about the amalgamation of three separate societies into one, the inclusion of intensive care, key milestones like the Helsinki, Glasgow and Mellon-Olsen Declarations, and the significance of involving trainees. We also highlight the Society's ef...

The TopMedTalk team takes you to Euroanaesthesia 2025: The European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care annual meeting in Lisbon, Portugal. The Society is dedicated to supporting professionals in anaesthesiology and intensive care by serving as the hub for development and dissemination of valuable educational, scientific, research, and networking resources. This year we're bringing you i...

This piece follows on from the previous interview with Manu Malbrian, but works as a standalone podcast. It is presented from the annual conference of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), the largest non-profit medical organization dedicated to promoting excellence and consistency in the practice of critical care. Here our guest very kindly shares his personal experience of critical care,...

This piece focuses upon an innovative device that has transformed patient care in Anesthesia; the Jaw Elevation Device (JED), a non-invasive tool designed to keep patients' airways open during moderate anesthesia care (MAC). The conversation explores the challenges of MAC, the device's adaptability across different patient demographics, and its impact on improving patient safety and practitioner e...

In this piece, we recap the last five days at the ANZCA Annual Scientific Meeting. We visit highlights from the plenary speaker presentations by Chris Connor , Alana Flexman , Ramani Moonesinghe , Kevin Fong and Eugenie Kayak . We talk about the original research presented at the meeting including the breaking trials session. Then we review the great discussions we had with journal editors at the...

In this piece we discuss breaking trial results with Chris Bain , a consultant anaesthetist and researcher, and Luke Perry , a trainee anaesthetist and PhD student*, both from Melbourne, Australia. We explore the effects of tissue trauma on inflammation and immune responses, and new results about the modifying effect of genetic expression with glucocorticoids. Then we delve into a pilot study on p...

In this piece we discuss the latest news in medical publishing with Hugh Hemmings , editor-in-chief of the British Journal of Anaesthesia and Laszlo Vutskits , editor of Anesthesiology. We discuss the increasing volume of manuscripts being received by journals; the challenges of peer review, and initiatives to find and support new reviewers. Then we delve into the use of AI by authors and journals...

In this piece we discuss perioperative medicine with Alana Flexman , an anaesthetist and researcher from Vancouver, Canada, and Maryanne Balkin , an anaesthetist and law graduate from Melbourne, Australia. We explore our guests' career journeys, and gender and equity issues, including unconscious bias and bullying, harassment, and discrimination, in the workplace. Finally we talk about the crazine...

In this piece we discuss risk in medicine with Kevin Fong , a consultant anaesthetist, retrieval medicine specialist, and broadcaster. In a wide-ranging conversation we talk about risk in anaesthesia, the effect of adverse events on individual practitioners and teams, and workforce issues in health. Presented by Andy Cumpstey and Kate Leslie on location at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aust...

In this piece we discuss all things EEG with Chris Connor , an anesthesiologist and researcher from Boston, USA, and Jamie Sleigh , an anesthesiologist and researcher from Hamilton, New Zealand. We start by discussing the engineering behind the BIS algorithm, then move to interpreting the raw EEG, the spectrogram and burst suppression. Finally we discuss the 'titration paradox' and how it might in...

In this piece we discuss blood management in emergency and elective surgery with Matthew Wiles , an anaesthetist from Sheffield, UK, and editor of the journal Anaesthesia, and Catherine Downs , an anaesthetist from Sydney, Australia. The episode delves into haemorrhage associated with trauma and major surgery, and the benefits of point of care testing. We also took the opportunity to discuss autho...

In this piece we discuss sustainability in healthcare with Eugenie Kayak , an anaesthetist from Melbourne, Australia, and Dan Lazzari , an anaesthetist from Cairns, Australia. The episode delves into Eugenie's journey with Doctors for the Environment Australia and her work as an educator in sustainability. We discuss national and international solutions, and local initiatives by Dan and his collea...

In this piece we discuss perioperative medicine with Ramani Moonesinghe , an anaesthetist and intensive care specialist from London, England, and Phuong Markman , an anaesthetist from Cairns, Australia. We explore access to and outcomes from surgery, particularly in relation to remoteness and socioeconomic deprivation. Then we talk about specific interventions to improve the patient experience, su...

In this piece we discuss pain medicine with Nadine Attal , a neurologist and pain medicine specialist from France, and Allen Finley , an anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist from Canada. The episode delves into neuropathic pain and the need to personalize its management, and efforts to standardize the management of paediatric pain in Canada. We talk about the ICD-11 which recognizes chron...

In this piece we discuss prevention of intraoperative hypothermia with Holly Tonkin , a trainee anaesthetist from Australia. Holly describes her study, in which she measured the prevalence of hypothermia using routine forced air warming and then the prevalence using the 3M™ Bair Hugger™ Universal Warming Gown. Significant reductions in hypothermia were observed. Holly's study was supported by Solv...

In this piece we discuss hot topics in anaesthesia and pain medicine with David Story , President of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and Dilip Kapur , Dean of the Faculty of Pain Medicine. The episode delves into the exciting presentations and events at the meeting, and discusses 'Future proofing' through developing emerging leaders, supporting research and advocating for s...

In this piece, Andy Cumpstey and Kate Leslie introduce listeners to the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and Faculty of Pain Medicine, being held in Cairns, in beautiful Far North Queensland, Australia. They discuss the history of the meeting, the role of the College and Faculty in CPD for specialists and the wonderful events coming up at the con...

Recorded at the close of the recent IARS (International Anesthesia Research Society) annual meeting held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Our co-editor in Chief Professor Mike Grocott 's arrival at the IARS from the UK was delayed by a fire at Heathrow airport. This piece turns his late arrival into your good fortune, as both Professor Kate Leslie and Professor Monty Mythen , TopMedTalk's founder, fill him in...

The Cipher HPI study focuses on continuous, iterative, perioperative, holistic risk evaluation using advanced hemodynamic monitoring data. The study, integrates preoperative and intraoperative data to predict the need for vasopressors or fluid after surgery. We discuss the study's methodology, results, and the potential implications for clinical practice, including the use of machine learning tech...

The PREPARE trial is a randomized control trial aimed at improving surgical outcomes for older patients with frailty through prehabilitation. This discussion covers the inspiration behind the trial, the structure of the prehabilitation program, and the trial's results. Despite not finding significant improvements in the primary outcomes across all patients, the trial revealed that those who adhere...

In this piece we discuss a ground breaking study on gender differences in surgical efficiency and outcomes with Anika Bald, a medical student from Germany, and Dr. Matthias Eikermann, a clinician scientist and department chair at Montefiore Einstein in New York. The study reveals that women surgeons have shorter delays to starting surgical add-on cases and better postoperative outcomes compared to...

Join us at the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS) and Society of Critical Care meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii. Here we look at the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) and speak about the latest advancements and key discussions from the conference. Major topics include the risks and management of intraoperative hypotension, gaps in patient communication, and new research findings...