Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider: Special needs patients require unique anesthetic approaches

Dear Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider,

Safe, successful dental treatments in special needs patients depend on choosing the right anesthetic methods and equipment and having a skilled staff, according to a study published in the Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. Read more in our Insider Exclusive.

Also in the Anesthesia & Pain Management Community, check out what oral and maxillofacial surgery expert Dr. Stuart Lieblich had to say about anesthetic procedures at the recent 2019 ADA FDI World Dental Congress in San Francisco. He emphasized the importance of patient and case selection and noted that patient safety must be a top priority.

Meanwhile, find out what three issues come up with every anesthesia-related claim submitted by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Dr. Colin Bell, who is a board member for a malpractice insurance company, sheds light on safe anesthesia administration.

In other news, a recent Journal of the California Dental Association study showed that medication errors and adverse events are not uncommon and appear to be occurring with increasing frequency. Find out the four ways dentists can help prevent patient harm from medications.

Finally, did you know that one of the most used opioid analgesics has the severe side effect of hypoglycemia? New research found that patients who used tramadol were significantly more likely to experience low blood sugar than those who used comparable medications.