Literature Review
An appraisal is a document that gives explanation about something or someone and aims at giving the value of quality of that particular thing or person. In this essay, the appraisal of the above- mentioned article would be outlined in details. However, before the highlight of this book is done, it would be fundamental to carry out a brief comparison with other related literatures. Here, the comparisons would be done between the article and at least four other articles. The first article to be looked into is the ‘Effects of surgery, general anaesthesia, and preoperative epidural analgesia on the immune function of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. This is an article authored by Juan P. Cata, Telamati Sokari among others. This article discusses fundamental factors that affect pre and post- operative anaesthetic activities. This article tends to carry out an evaluation of preoperative as well as postoperative surgical immune functions on the related patients. In particular, it looks into surgical patients who are undergoing surgical resection on the non- small cell lung cancer.
The next article that has played a fundamental role in explaining some vital facts on anesthesia is the Trigger-free anaesthetic management in congenital long QT syndrome. This article goes a long way in discussing a generic disorder that is referred to as Congenital Long QC Syndrome (LQTS). This syndrome is characterized by cardiac repolarisation defects. The abnormalities are characterized by QT interval prolongation. In addition, these prolongations appear on the electrocardiogram.
Before looking at the article of concern, it would be vital to look into another related article. This is the article entitled, the effects of anaesthetic and analgesic techniques on immune function. This article tries to look into the adverse impacts that cancer has had on people. Here, it looks into surgical efforts that try to curb the problems of cancer. After each surgery, certain anaesthesia may not be helpful in stomping the bleeding. Thus, the proper kind of anaesthesia can be used to reduce pain and hasten the recovery process. The final article for this study is the ‘Role of Anaesthesia in Surgical Mortality’. This is an article that was done by Robert D. Dripps. The function of anaesthesia in adding to surgical mortality has had some research in 33,200 presurgical patients who have been given either spinal anaesthesia or a general anaesthetic where the muscle relaxant was added. This article further verifies that those patients who were given anaesthetics using both techniques did not die. This was the case in all the 15,000 physically fit patients. However, the article further explains that the patients who encountered a worsened physical condition after receiving the surgical anaesthesia, the death rates were high. Lastly, a fundamental article is the, ‘Are Anaesthesia and Surgery during Infancy Associated with Altered Academic Performance during Childhood?’ the author of this article is Block RI. This article bases its argument on anaesthetic neurotoxicity. The article argues on the question of whether the use of anaesthesia in children could affect the neurodevelopment. It further tries to examine whether the use of anaesthesia on infants may affect the future academic performance. These articles have gone a long way in discussing vital topics covering the use of anaesthesia and its effects on the human body.
These articles have all a method of experimentation and analysis of the problems in questions. In addition, proper research samples are taken for the studies to be carried out. Eventually, the research gives dependable results since a comprehensive research is always carried out. The author of the article in question has made a great effort to improve the knowledge of people concerning alternatives after surgery. Most patients who leave for their homes under anesthesia treatment tend to witness a chain of ailments. In this event, they might be forced to go back to the hospital for further check up. Other effects may even make the patient stop taking the right medication. Thus, the article tends to provide a good kind of drug that would help in reducing the post operation effects of the anesthesia.
Summary
As earlier stated, the article of choice for this essay is the ‘Modafinil Improves Recovery after General Anesthesia’. This is an article authored by one Larijani GE among other authors. This is a comprehensively researched article that gives detailed research results for the topic of study. A particular method of research was employed for this research. First, the researchers got the consent of some patients who were supposed to get outpatient surgical procedures. In this case, the surgical procedures would involve the administration of general anesthesia. This administration would be approved by the IRB.
In this method, the first procedure involved carrying out interviews using a certain list of questions in a questionnaire. These would be carried out to the outpatient surgical patients. This questionnaire would also be fundamental in enabling the patients understand the research study. This would form the first part of the research. This part also assists in getting one on one detail from the patients.
In this part of the study, the researchers had the objective of obtaining their own baseline data or information. This would be carried out because of the numerous limitations of reported symptoms after outpatients have been discharged.
In part 2 of this study, the researchers employed a random research design. This would go a long way in giving precise and actual results. It involves a double- blind, placebo controlled study. Here, there would be an evaluation of the effects of a single dose of 200ml of the Modafinil.
The Critique
There have been some changes and advancements that were made on the topic of study. Most articles have only aimed at discussing the impacts of using anesthesia on post operation patients. However, this particular article titled ‘Does Modafinil Enhance Postanaesthetic Symptoms?’ has worked on this topic extensively. Moreover, it gives various facts that other articles do not give. Another instrumental fact about this article is the fact that it has helped to improve the medical field. Most patients are now able to access a better and quicker way of healing after being injected with anesthesia. this research has helped in advancing the field of medicine. Most patients always wonder what to do after a serious surgery has been done on them. Moreover, some always go back after a while because of mismanagement of the wounds. This comes about because of the effects associated with the anesthesia. However, this article has highlighted a fundamental drug that would help in reducing the negative impacts of the anesthesia. As such, patients have a better and quicker way of healing.
The research also had a hypothesis of focus for the results required at the end of the research. The hypothesis here was ‘does Modafinil enhance postanaesthetic symptoms?’ with the above members selected for the study, the results would be found much easily. This would be so since this would give detailed information that would give much easier making comparisons. The research was done in order to verify whether this substance could reduce the impacts of anesthesia in post surgery patients. Most patients have immense symptoms that tend to cause discomfort in the recovery process. As such, this may slow down the rate of recovery in these patients. Such patients should get a quicker recovery considering the severity of the surgery that was carried out on them. In addition, the recovery gets hastened in case adequate drugs are taken by such patients to reduce the impacts of anesthesia.
In this study, the expected results were that Modafinil helps in reducing the impacts of general anesthesia in post surgery patients. This would be a hypothesis in support of this study. The researchers had it in mind that this substance could help in reducing the effects of general anesthesia. Hence, it facilitated the recovery process of the patients. This reasoning was also brought about by the fact that Modafinil reduces drowsiness, pain and nausea in post surgery patient.
This research gave a specific outcome for the stated hypotheses. Initially, it was stat that a maximum of 33 members participated in this study. This number was not gender bias. However, the statistics say that the group included seven men and 26 women. The average age limit was 45 years. The members also had a weight of about 145lb. these were the basic characteristics of the members who took part in this exercise. From the research, it was found out that 5% out of 25% had experienced mild cases of nausea. On the other hand, 0% out of 53 reported having a certain degree of dizziness. 13% against 37% also encountered some level of reduced appetite. Last but not least, 8% out of 50% had encountered some pain during the treatment. About 30% out of 10% reported having an encounter of moderate tension. Next, at least 12% out of 52% also reported having an encounter of being worn out. 16% over 73% also spoke of having some levels of fatigue. They claimed that the drug gave them moderate fatigue as compared to its absence. 29% out of 72% also explained some mild cases of exhaustion. Despite the fact that the patients appeared a bit tired in the exercise, they evidently encountered immense relaxation postoperatively. Patients who were receiving placebo were more tired and sleepy after discharge. However, the 24% who were on Modafinil encountered immense states of calmness and relaxation.
Postoperative distress was largely shown by members who were on placebo. The members appeared to experience immense fatigue, exhaustion and weariness. They also encounter some problems with reading. On the other hand, others have mental clouding. All these are some of the results that were found out of this research.
In the past, the use of anesthesia was meant to hasten discharge of patients for reasons of cost reduction. However, it appeared that the recovery of patients from general anesthesia took a longer time. As such, the patients remained in pain for a longer duration. Most of the events that occur during the patients’ recovery after discharge tend to remain mostly unrevealed. This is because most patients prefer home recovery and are even comfortable having their recovery at home than in hospital. In general, the incidences of these symptoms have been approximated to be about 40% for drowsiness, 43% for pain, 17% for dizziness and 20% for fatigue. Additionally, there are 7% for vomiting and 16% for nausea. These statistics display a less severe case of the influence of the general anesthesia.
In the first part of this research, the open label study, it appeared that most of the post surgery patients encountered severe influences of the general anesthesia. Most of them had immense weakness or distress. Others had a series of fatigue and nausea. Similarly, some of the post surgery patients had cases of vomiting and pain. Some of them also had some levels of dizziness. In the second part of the research, the members reported lower feelings of distress and fatigue. However, in both cases, the patients experiences same feelings of moderate to extremely high fatigue. The second part dealt particularly with those patients who were given the Modafinil. All the above explanations outline in details the results and analysis of the first and second parts of the study.
Other vital articles that may provide similar information on the topic of study have been listed in this essay. These have been relisted below; first, there is the ‘Are Anaesthesia and Surgery during Infancy Associated with Altered Academic Performance during Childhood?’ this article tries to expound on the impact of post surgical anaesthesia on infants. It focuses on its effects on the mental developments of the infant and the future state of the brain. Another article that has been highlighted in this essay is ‘Role of Anaesthesia in Surgical Mortality’.
Strengths of the Article
- The article has its numerous strengths that make it vital for this and other related studies. However, it would be instrumental to mention just but a few of these strengths. First, this article gives an elaborate method of carrying out research. In this manner, the researchers are at a better position of getting results that are much easier to classify. In addition, the methods employed in this article are easier to follow hence, help in attaining the surety required in the results.
This article has succeeded in giving factual information about the strengths of the Modafinil on a post operation patient. Moreover, it has gone a long way in selling the positive qualities of this drug to the larger public. This happens since from the title to the results of the research, there is immense clarity about how this drug has positive impacts on its users. From this article, most post operation patients would go for the drug since it has more advantages than disadvantages. For instance, the article tells us that user of this drug are less distressed and fatigued. On the other hand, they have fewer cases of vomiting and nausea. Additionally, they rarely get dizzy. From the above strengths, it clearly shows that this article plays a fundamental role in enlightening post operation patients on how to treat themselves after discharge. Most patients would rather get their recovery at home with the help of caregivers. This would best be carried out with the use of Modafinil. The article also used graphs and tables that helped in quantitative analysis of the information. The diagrammatic information also helps in giving summaries for the numbers in the article. The research also helps in advancing the area of study largely.
Weaknesses and future directions of the Article
This article also has its weaknesses. First, it does not outline the negative effects of using Modafinil in details. Instead, it only highlights on the benefits of the drug. Furthermore, much of the literature argues against the use of the placebo. This to some extent may be wrong since in the absence of Modafinil, a patient would be forced to use the placebo. In that case, the article should have outlined some of the benefits of using the placebo. The article has also focused mainly on the method of research that would be employed for the study. In that way, much of the literature was based on methodology rather than explanations.
The future directions of the article may not necessarily be obscured. This is because the author tried to give detailed evidences from the research that was carried out. Hence, there may be a development of the article in future since its reception was evidently positive. The topic of discussion was also fundamental to health as a basic factor in human living. This article has succeeded in giving factual information.
Further concerning the future of this article, it appears clearly that the level of controversy that may face it is immensely minimal. There may be few detests here and there since some of the effects of the drug may not be suitable to some of its users. However, in general, the future of this article is largely successful.
Conclusion
This essay focuses on appraising the article ‘Modafinil Improves Recovery after General Anesthesia’. This article has several strengths and weaknesses. It gives different methodologies of finding out the answers to the hypothesis. Some of its strengths include; good analysis for the topic of study. This was made possible by the tables and graphs that appeared amid the analysis. The article also seems to draw the appropriate conclusions for the study. This is so since all the conclusions were drawn from the data given in the article. On the other hand, some of the weaknesses are; it does not outline the negative effects of using Modafinil in details. Instead, it only highlights on the benefits of the drug. Furthermore, much of the literature argues against the use of the placebo. This to some extent may be wrong since in the absence of Modafinil, a patient would be forced to use the placebo. In that case, the article should have outlined some of the benefits of using the placebo. The article has also focused mainly on the method of research that would be employed for the study. In that way, much of the literature was based on methodology rather than explanation-.
Finally, it is advisable that patients who undergo post operation effects should use Modafinil to ease these effects.
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