Anesthesia Patient Safety Podcast

#288 Forty Years Of Perioperative Medication Safety Progress

Seconds define outcomes in the OR, and medication safety lives in those seconds. We take you inside four decades of work by the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation to show how our field shifted from relying on vigilance to building systems that make the right action the easy action. Along the way, guest contributor, Dr. Elizabeth Rebello, shares why standardization, technology, and culture are not buzzwords but lifelines when a single clinician must select, prepare, and administer drugs under pressure. We break down the STPC framework born from the 2010 Stoelting Conference—standardization, technology, pharmacy/pre-filled/pre-mixed, and culture—and translate it into real steps: standardized concentrations for high-alert medications, removal of concentrated lethal agents from the OR, barcode-based identification before draw-up or administration, and smart infusion pumps with user-friendly drug libraries. You’ll hear how prefilled syringes, automated dispensing, and clinical pharmacist integration reduce prep errors and free up attention when it matters most. The story moves forward with the 2018 focus on drug safety profiles and the stubborn challenge of shortages. We explore actionable ideas: building a standing shortage committee, communicating substitutions fast, simplifying carts and labels when suppliers change, and embracing multimodal analgesia.  By the end, you’ll have a clear map of what to implement now—printed labels, prefilled syringes, smart-pump integration with your anesthesia record—and what to champion next across your institution. Subscribe and share with a colleague who leads in the OR. Then tell us: which safety step will you push across the finish line this year? For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/288-forty-years-of-perioperative-medication-safety-progress/ [https://www.apsf.org/podcast/288-forty-years-of-perioperative-medication-safety-progress/] © 2026, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation

#287 A New Era For PONV: Safety, Guidelines, And Smarter Rescue

Nausea shouldn’t be the most memorable part of surgery. We take a clear, evidence-based look at postoperative nausea and vomiting, from identifying who’s at risk to building smarter prophylaxis bundles and choosing the right rescue when prevention falls short. With guest insights from Dr. Connie Chung, we unpack the Fourth Consensus Guidelines, translate them into practical workflows, and explore how Amisulpride—an atypical D2 antagonist—changes the game with an FDA indication for rescue after failed prophylaxis. We start by shrinking baseline risk: consider regional anesthesia when feasible, leverage TIVA with propofol, avoid nitrous and volatiles in longer cases, hydrate well, and spare opioids with multimodal analgesia. Then we scale prophylaxis to risk: dexamethasone at induction, 5-HT3 antagonists at the end, transdermal scopolamine for select patients, and low-dose Droperidol where appropriate. When prophylaxis fails, we explain why repeating ondansetron rarely helps and how switching classes boosts rescue success. Along the way, we map the safety terrain for D2 antagonists—QT prolongation, extrapyramidal risks, anticholinergic effects—so you can individualize care for elderly patients, those on antipsychotics, or anyone with potential drug interactions. We also dig into what’s new: contemporary analyses of Droperidol at antiemetic doses, and growing evidence that Amisulpride pairs well with Ondansetron or Dexamethasone to improve outcomes. Pediatric pearls include TIVA, fluids, and a two-drug prophylaxis backbone for longer or higher-risk cases. The result is a practical, stepwise approach you can apply tomorrow—reduce risk, layer mechanisms, and rescue smartly—to cut PACU delays, avoid unplanned admissions, and deliver a recovery that feels as good as the surgical fix. If this deep dive helps your practice, follow, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Tell us your go-to PONV bundle and whether your site stocks Amisulpride. For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/287-a-new-era-for-ponv-safety-guidelines-and-smarter-rescue/ [https://www.apsf.org/podcast/287-a-new-era-for-ponv-safety-guidelines-and-smarter-rescue/] © 2025, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation

#286 Pediatric Anesthesia Safety: Past Gains, Next Frontiers

Safety for children under anesthesia shouldn’t depend on luck or location. We walk through 100+ years of progress in pediatric anesthesia and focus on the next wave of innovations that can make first attempts safer, dosing smarter, and systems more reliable—especially for neonates and infants who face the highest risk. We start with the historical milestones that changed outcomes: pulse oximetry, capnography, standardized monitoring, and the rise of pediatric training and ICUs. Then we examine where progress must accelerate. Video laryngoscopy is improving first-pass success and reducing desaturation by giving teams a brighter, shared view of the airway. Ultrasound enhanced by AI promises needle guidance, better vascular access, and more consistent regional anesthesia. Gastric ultrasound could reshape fasting practices, reducing hypotension, nausea, and anxiety while safeguarding against aspiration. Alongside these tools, processed EEG helps tailor volatile agents and propofol to the developing brain, pushing practice from population averages to precision dosing. We also look ahead to artificial intelligence as a connective layer across perioperative care. Think risk stratification in the EHR, early-warning analytics for intraoperative instability, and smarter OR management that reduces cancellations and costs. With expert insights from pediatric anesthesiologist, Dr. Elizabeth Malinzak, we name the real barriers—training, cost, bias, regulation—and stake a claim for proactive safety science over reactive fixes. The goal is equitable, high-quality anesthesia care for every child, in every setting. If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review. Your support helps spread practical tools and ideas that keep our smallest patients safe. For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/286-pediatric-anesthesia-safety-past-gains-next-frontiers/ [https://www.apsf.org/podcast/286-pediatric-anesthesia-safety-past-gains-next-frontiers/] © 2025, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation

#285 Safer Smiles

A routine dental visit should never turn into a medical emergency. We sit down with Dr. Rita Agarwal, pediatric anesthesiologist and patient safety advocate, to unpack why dental anesthesia operates on a separate track from hospital-based care—and how that gap can put patients at risk. From the heartbreaking story of six-year-old Caleb Sears to the hard truths about monitoring requirements, staffing models, and training, this conversation brings clarity to a topic most families and many clinicians assume is standardized. We dive into what “sedation” really means in dentistry, why route-based labels can hide true depth of anesthesia, and how inconsistent state rules leave dangerous blind spots. Dr. Agarwal explains the pillars of safer dental sedation: careful patient selection, a separate and qualified anesthesia provider for deep sedation or general anesthesia, and the ability to rescue from the next deeper level, including effective bag-mask ventilation and the timely use of reversal agents. We also explore the role of capnography, reliable oxygen supply, and scenario-based drills that make rapid response second nature. Safety grows when systems learn. That’s why we spotlight the urgent need for robust data: routine reporting of outcomes and near misses from dental offices using a simple, standardized tool. Pair that with harmonized terminology aligned to ASA levels, simulation training, and clear emergency protocols, and dentistry can match the reliability gains anesthesia has achieved in hospitals. For parents and patients, we offer direct, practical questions to ask before consenting to sedation—who monitors, what training they have, what equipment is on hand, and whether sedation is truly necessary. If this conversation gave you new tools or changed your perspective, help us spread the word. Subscribe, share with a colleague or a parent who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find evidence-based guidance on dental anesthesia safety. For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/285-safer-smiles/ [https://www.apsf.org/podcast/285-safer-smiles/] © 2025, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation

#284 Safer C-Section Pain Control with Ruth Landau, MD

The fastest way to improve post-cesarean recovery is to start before the first incision—by setting expectations, testing the block, and validating what patients feel. We sit down with Dr. Ruth Landau, Virginia Apgar Professor and Chief of Obstetric Anesthesia at Columbia University, to map a safer path from the OR to the nursery: neuraxial-first analgesia, scheduled non-opioids, and small, truly PRN opioid prescriptions at discharge. She explains how intrapartum cesareans carry higher risk for discomfort and why simple shifts—active epidural management, timely redosing, and clear, compassionate communication—reduce pain, opioid exposure, and the chance of a traumatic birth experience. We break down practical steps that clinicians can apply today. Learn the difference between systemic and neuraxial opioids for breastfeeding safety, when to use ultrasound-guided TAP or QL blocks after general anesthesia, and how micro-boluses of IV dexmedetomidine can blunt visceral sensations, anxiety, and shivering. Dr. Landau also shares the latest from ASA statements and SOAP guidance, including dose-dependent monitoring strategies that make neuraxial opioids feasible even in resource-constrained settings. The conversation moves beyond pharmacology to focus on outcomes that matter to families: fewer leftovers at home, less persistent opioid use, and birth memories grounded in trust instead of fear. We talk debriefs, trauma-informed care, and patient-reported experience measures, plus new research on sensation profiles and intrathecal adjuvants like dexmedetomidine and clonidine. If you’re building an opioid-sparing cesarean pathway—or refining the one you have—this is a clear, evidence-informed playbook. If this resonates with you, follow the show, share it with your OB and nursing teams, and leave a review with one change you plan to make next shift. Your feedback helps more clinicians find these strategies and keeps more parents safe and comfortable. For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/284-safer-c-section-pain-control-with-ruth-landau-md/ [https://www.apsf.org/podcast/284-safer-c-section-pain-control-with-ruth-landau-md/] © 2025, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation