Book Review: International Anesthesiology Clinics. Patient Safety in the Operating Room

Abstract

This collection of articles on selected aspects of patient safety in the operating room (OR) is preceded by a one-page introduction that sets the scene succinctly, if somewhat uncritically. The editors (supported by co-authors) then open with a thorough, up-to-date and thoughtful review of medication errors in the OR and an interesting case study of a comprehensive drug safety program in a perioperative setting, based on 'lean' methodology. Two interesting chapters on handovers follow, one in the intraoperative context and one concerning transfers from ORs to intensive care units. Best practices for central line insertion are summarised. Hand hygiene and environmental hygiene in the OR (including noise pollution) are addressedtopics about which relatively little has been written previously. Decision-making, situation awareness and communication are covered in some detail, followed by pressure ulcers and paediatric anaesthesia. The book ends strongly with a critical appraisal of checklists in the OR. I found this book interesting, up-to-date and generally well written, concise and thoughtful, although the chapters do vary in structure, style and quality. Despite the word "International" in the title of the series, the 26 authors are all from the USA-indeed, most are from Miami, St Louis (the editors' home towns) and Durham (the home of Duke University). It is therefore perhaps not surprising that no mention is made of the challenges faced by anaesthetists in low-income regions of the world, although these challenges are orders of magnitude greater than in affluent countries. Notably, measurement of anaesthetic mortality is also neglected. Nevertheless, the topics that are covered are important and certainly relevant to practice in Australia and New Zealand. I think many readers of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care will find this book useful and good value, both for money and for the time expended reading it.