[en] [en] BACKGROUND: Anaesthesia is crucial in ensuring patient comfort and safety during surgical procedures by inducing a temporary loss of sensation, memory, and consciousness. However, its multifaceted nature presents challenges in defining its aims and expected outcomes. This study aimed to establish a consensus on anaesthesia's definition and core aims using a structured Delphi process.
METHODS: We conducted a modified three-round eDelphi method involving 23 international experts. Participants engaged in iterative online surveys to refine a consensus definition and aims. Consensus was predefined as achieving ≥80% agreement. The process included external expert reviews to enhance objectivity and validity. Statistical analyses included median, interquartile range (IQR), and agreement percentages.
RESULTS: The Delphi process resulted in consensus on 49 aims and a refined definition of anaesthesia. The final definition emphasises safe, effective, individualised, patient-centred, and empathetic care, ensuring optimal surgical conditions while enhancing patient outcomes. Key aims included preoperative optimisation, stress and pain reduction, organ function preservation, prompt emergence and recovery, interdisciplinary teamwork, continuous outcome assessment, and sustainability in anaesthesia practices. The final agreement rate for the updated definition was 82.6% (median: 10, IQR: 9-10). Additionally, environmental sustainability was recognised as an integral aim.
CONCLUSION: The consensus developed in this study provides a structured framework for defining anaesthesia's objectives, improving patient-centred care, guiding clinical practice, and fostering research. By incorporating sustainability and long-term patient outcomes, the consensus supports the evolution of precision anaesthesia. Future research will validate these defined aims in various perioperative settings and refine the consensus based on real-world applications.
Disciplines :
Anesthesia & intensive care
Author, co-author :
Berger-Estilita, Joana; Institute of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Salem Spital, Hirslanden Hospital Group, Bern, Switzerland, Institute for Medical Education, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Meco, Basak Ceyda; University of Ankara School of Medicine, Department of Anaesthesiology and ICU, Hacettepe Mahallesi, Ankara, Turkey
DeRobertis, Edoardo; Division of Anaesthesia, Analgesia, and Intensive Care, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy, European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Brussels, Belgium
Buhre, Wolfgang; European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Brussels, Belgium, Division of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Department of Anaesthesiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands
Kirkegard, Peter; Department of Anaesthesiology, Sjaellands University Hospital (SUH), Nykøbing Falster, Denmark, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Jakobsen, Karina; Department of Anaesthesiology, Sjaellands University Hospital (SUH), Nykøbing Falster, Denmark, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
Soehle, Martin; Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Bilotta, Federico; Department of Anaesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
von Dincklage, Falk; Klinik für Anästhesie, Intensiv-, Notfall- und Schmerzmedizin, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
Matot, Idit; Division of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Pain Management, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Weiss, Yotam; Division of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Pain Management, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Bonhomme, Vincent ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Anesthésie et réanimation
Ti, Lian Kah; Department of Anaesthesia, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
Rimstad, Ivan; Department of Anaesthesiology, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
Shelton, Clifford; Lancaster Medical School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom, Department of Anaesthesia, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
Kozlowski, Bartosz; Faculty of Medicine, University of Science and Technology, Bydgoszcz, Poland
Saxena, Sarah; Department of Anaesthesiology, Helora, Mons, Belgium, Department of Surgery, UMons, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
McConnell, Paul; Anaesthetic Department, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, United Kingdom
Hormis, Anil; Department of Anaesthesia & Critical Care, The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, Rotherham, United Kingdom
Zeidan, Ahed; Department of Anaesthesiology, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Lebanese University, Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon
Mulier, Jan; Department of Anaesthesiology, Helora, Mons, Belgium
Evered, Lisbeth; Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America, Department of Anaesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Aceto, Paola; Department of Emergency, Anesthesiologic and Reanimation Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy, Department of Basic Biotechnological Science, Intensive and Peri-operative Clinics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Policlinico Gemelli, Rome, Italy
Schmukler, Daniel; Netcare Linksfield Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa, South African Society of Anaesthesiologists, Glenashley, South Africa
Forget, Patrice; School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom, Department of Anaesthesia, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
Simoes, Claudia Marquez; Department of Anaesthesiology, Instituto Do Câncer Do Estado de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Falcao, Luiz Fernando; Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Wittman, Maria; Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Gönegur, Ismail; Department of Surgery, Centre for Surgical Science, Zealand University Hospital, Institute for Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen University, Koge, Denmark
Radtke, Finn Michael; Department of Anaesthesiology, Sjaellands University Hospital (SUH), Nykøbing Falster, Denmark, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America. Electronic address: finnmradtke@me.com
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