{"title":"Anaesthesia and artificial intelligence: current applications and future directions","authors":"Caitlin Cunningham, Paul McConnell","doi":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the role of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly present in our everyday lives, it is similarly growing rapidly in the field of anaesthesia and intensive care medicine. From administrative tools such as building rotas to research into robotic AI-assisted intubation. This article reviews current and emerging application of AI across operational support, risk assessment, closed loop monitoring and mechanical tasks such as airway management and peripheral nerve blockade.</div><div>The development of advanced neural networks has opened the doors for machine learning models (ML) to process and interpret complex patient data to prognosticate preoperative risk and predict difficult airways with accuracy. Intraoperatively, automated systems using real-time physiological feedback can continuously adjust drug infusions with the goal of staying within the patient's specific optimal dosage window. As a result, reducing oversedation and enhancing recovery time.</div><div>One step further in recent research has been the proposal of early robotic devices for tracheal intubation and image reconstruction tools for ultrasound-guided nerve blocks. Despite being in early stages and with numerous limitations about measurement of performance and validation against humans, there is promising evidence that there is potential for development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45856,"journal":{"name":"Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine","volume":"27 9","pages":"Pages 576-580"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148940660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An update on management of subarachnoid haemorrhage","authors":"Smiley Jagadeesan, Angelica Lindsey-Clark, Ugan Reddy","doi":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.08.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.08.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is an acute life-threatening neurosurgical emergency associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis is initiated with non-contrast computed tomography (CT) of the head and confirmed with vascular imaging. The key determinants of functional outcome include early brain injury, rebleeding of ruptured aneurysm and delayed cerebral ischaemia. Early management focuses on preventing secondary brain injury through optimization of cerebral perfusion and oxygenation and treatment of systemic complications. Prompt transfer to a specialist neuroscience centre for ongoing management is essential. Definitive treatment involves early securing of the aneurysm by either endovascular coiling or surgical clipping to reduce the risk of rebleeding. Despite advances in neurocritical care and endovascular techniques, SAH remains associated with significant long-term disability, and there remains a paucity of robust clinical evidence, with many interventions showing no benefit when tested in rigorous clinical trials. This review will discuss the epidemiology, initial stabilization, treatment strategies, long-term prognostic factors, the identification and management of post-aneurysmal SAH complications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45856,"journal":{"name":"Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine","volume":"27 9","pages":"Pages 556-565"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148940662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Perioperative management of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices","authors":"Johnny CY Cheng, Jeffrey Yam","doi":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) is ever increasing in an ageing population, and an increasing number of patients with these devices are encountered by perioperative healthcare providers when they present for surgery. Electromagnetic interference remains one of the most important risks to the safe functioning of CIEDs.</div><div>This article explores the strategies for managing various CIEDs including leadless devices in the perioperative setting, highlighting the importance of thorough preoperative evaluation, appropriate reprogramming of devices or magnet placements, continuous intraoperative monitoring, management of intraoperative complications and postoperative assessment. Close multidisciplinary collaboration between anaesthesiologists and cardiologists that form the CIED team remain essential in ensuring patient safety and preventing adverse outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45856,"journal":{"name":"Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine","volume":"27 9","pages":"Pages 533-537"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148940658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Traumatic brain injury","authors":"Mark Earl","doi":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of mortality and long-term disability worldwide. It encompasses a broad spectrum of conditions with pathophysiological heterogeneity. Clinical treatment practices are also heterogenous due to disparities in care between, and within, low- and high-income care settings. Extra-cranial injury, present in half of all patients with severe traumatic brain injury, often associated with high-energy trauma, can cause systemic organ dysfunction and exacerbate secondary brain injury. Preventing this through protocolized assessment and prompt resuscitation remain the focus of the initial phase of care. Neurocritical care management of traumatic brain injury is a complex and multifaceted process that requires continuous integration of intracranial and systemic physiological monitoring. Advances in multidimensional frameworks for the characterization of traumatic brain injury, including biomarkers and advanced neuroimaging, may help to individualize therapies. Challenges remain, healthcare inequalities in high-income countries are exacerbated by inadequate focus on low-energy falls in older patients and follow-up in mild traumatic brain injury. In this review, we summarize current approaches to the care of patients with moderate-to-severe injury, with particular emphasis on specialized neurocritical care, and discuss key areas of uncertainty and evolving practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45856,"journal":{"name":"Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine","volume":"27 9","pages":"Pages 547-555"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148940663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Sustainability in anaesthetics and intensive care medicine","authors":"Eilidh EM Simpson, Paul McConnell","doi":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change is widely recognized as one of the greatest threats to human health. Anaesthesia and intensive care contribute significantly to the environmental burden of the healthcare sector, through energy-intensive equipment, high volumes of single-use consumables, and the use of potent anaesthetic gases. This article explores areas for improvement in sustainability as outlined by the Glasgow Declaration by the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. Sustainable anaesthetic practice requires both system-level change and individual clinician engagement, with cumulative small interventions offering meaningful reductions in healthcare-related emissions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45856,"journal":{"name":"Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine","volume":"27 9","pages":"Pages 581-584"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148940664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Neuromonitoring","authors":"Michaela Silver, Ugan Reddy","doi":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite advancements in neurosurgical and neurocritical care, patient outcomes following severe acute brain injury remain associated with high mortality and poor long-term functional recovery. Based on the concept the initial primary brain insult is irreversible, interventions focus on prevention and management of secondary brain injury. This encompasses a complex cascade of pathology, requiring dynamic surveillance of intracranial pressure, perfusion, oxygenation, metabolic status, and impending brain hypoxia or ischaemia. Although clinical assessment remains the foundation of neuromonitoring, various non-invasive and invasive techniques have been developed as adjuncts, particularly useful in the comatose critical care patient. Advancing techniques enable continuous monitoring of cerebral parameters, facilitating real-time bedside assessment and prompting early warning of neurological deterioration. Multimodal neuromonitoring allows integration of these metrics, presenting a more comprehensive depiction of cerebral pathophysiology, and a more nuanced approach to patient care. Currently, there is substantial centre-to-centre variation in modality combinations, and no consensus on a unified approach. The emerging use of artificial intelligence further enhances this field, yet significant barriers exist to widespread practical implementation. This article reviews current neuromonitoring techniques used in the critically ill brain-injured patient, evaluates ongoing advancements, and explores future directions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45856,"journal":{"name":"Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine","volume":"27 9","pages":"Pages 538-546"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148940659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Self-assessment","authors":"Vijayanand Nadella","doi":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.08.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.08.002","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45856,"journal":{"name":"Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine","volume":"27 9","pages":"Pages 589-590"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148940666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pituitary disease and anaesthesia","authors":"Elouise S Donaldson","doi":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A detailed understanding of the anaesthetic management of the patient undergoing transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is essential for the neuroanaesthetist. These are common tumours in clinical practice and anaesthesia for this patient population can prove challenging. This is particularly in relation to hormone hypersecretion syndromes and disordered pituitary function as well as consequences from tumour mass effect. Hormone hypersecretion syndromes can lead to a potentially difficult airway, a history of central and obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular instability and electrolyte imbalance with attention to perioperative steroid replacement of the utmost importance. In this article we explore the anatomy and physiology of the pituitary gland, the common clinical presentations of pituitary tumours, hormone hypersecretion syndromes, transsphenoidal pituitary surgery itself and the anaesthetic preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative management of these patients. Possible postoperative complications will also be discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45856,"journal":{"name":"Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine","volume":"27 9","pages":"Pages 566-571"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148940661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Principles of pressure transducers, resonance and frequency and their clinical application in measuring arterial blood pressure","authors":"Immerjeet Kular, Li Fang","doi":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.07.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate, continuous and real-time measurement of arterial blood pressure is of great clinical importance in anaesthesia and intensive care. The arterial pulse waveform can be measured, processed and displayed. This requires the use of an arterial cannula connected to a column of fluid, a pressure transducer to convert into an electrical signal, which needs appropriate processing before it is interpretable on a display. The accuracy of the displayed blood pressure can be affected by a host of factors. Understanding the principles of pressure, resonance, damping and frequency response allows for clinical application in measurement of invasive arterial blood pressure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45856,"journal":{"name":"Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine","volume":"27 9","pages":"Pages 585-588"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148940665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Physiology of starvation, exercise and stress response","authors":"Fazil M Madathanattu Poyil, Sandip Junghare","doi":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.06.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpaic.2026.06.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the physiological effects of starvation is highly important in critical care and anaesthesia for two major reasons. First, it aids in the recognition and management of patients with significant malnutrition, including the identification and prevention of refeeding syndrome. Second, it helps clinicians balance the risks and benefits of preoperative fasting, particularly as modern enhanced perioperative care pathways increasingly advocate perioperative carbohydrate loading.</div><div>Physiological changes occurring during the stress response have wide-ranging implications involving multiple organ systems. In response to stress, the hypothalamus initiates a cascade of neuroendocrine and metabolic changes that, although protective initially, can significantly disrupt normal physiological function. Therefore, strategies aimed at minimizing the stress response are crucial in the management of perioperative and critically ill patients, especially in conditions such as trauma, burns, and severe critical illness.</div><div>Physiological adaptations occur during anticipation of exercise, throughout exercise itself, and during the recovery period. A patient's exercise tolerance is closely associated with improved postoperative outcomes, as it reflects their cardiopulmonary reserve. The level of physical training should therefore be considered during anaesthetic assessment and perioperative management, since trained athletes often demonstrate physiological characteristics that differ significantly from those of sedentary individuals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":45856,"journal":{"name":"Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine","volume":"27 8","pages":"Pages 510-515"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148699345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}