top of page

ABOUT THE GUIDE

This guide was first developed for use as a practical, point-of-care tool at the author's institution's preoperative evaluation clinic. It is written from the perspective of a non-anesthesiologist, non-surgeon but is useful for anyone performing a preoperative evaluation. In transitioning to a web-based format, the intent is to share this resource with other institutions and make the site a source for collaboration. Feedback and submissions should be sent to the author via the CONTACT US link. The site will be continuously updated with enhanced content based on user input, thus making it a "living resource." 

Anchor 1

ABOUT THE EDITOR

Kurt Pfeifer, MD, FACP, SFHM, DFPM is Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin where he  has practiced perioperative medicine for over 20 years. He has written, edited, and presented extensively in the field, including at international meetings of the Society for Perioperative Assessment and Quality Improvement (SPAQI), American College of Physicians (ACP), American College of Surgeons (ACS), Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM), and Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM). He is Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Perioperative Medicine curriculum on SHM's learning portal (SHM Consults). He also serves as co-chair of SHM's Perioperative Medicine interest group and past-president for SPAQI.

Anchor 2

UPDATES

1/1/2019 - site published!

1/9/2019 - several grammatical/typographical errors corrected. Credit to Michael Burton, MD, MSPH from UT Southwestern for his thorough review!

1/19/2019 - added explanation of rationale behind hybrid ischemic cardiac disease evaluation algorithm

1/30/2019 - 2019 ACC/AHA atrial fibrillation guideline incorporated

1/31/2019 - UK's Association of Anaesthetists guideline for perioperative management of Jehovah's Witnesses incorporated

3/7/2019 - Geriatrics section added; SPAQI Frailty guideline, ASA Brain Health Initiative guideline, & ACS/AGS Geriatric Management guideline incorporated

3/16/19 - Transfusion indications updated to included Patient Blood Management International Consensus Conference recommendations

6/9/19 - DIFFMASK score & MDCalc ARISCAT index link added to Respiratory section; updated several medications, including new consensus recommendations for SGLT inhibitors; added section on malignant hyperthermia to Other

11/1/19 - in Ischemic Cardiac Risk algorithm, added guidance for surgeries not contained within available MACE risk calculators

12/14/19 - added Search function; updated menu to allow easy navigation to all pages from any page

1/12/20 - updated VTE prophylaxis section based on 2019 ASH and ASCO guidelines; PAUSE trial results incorporated into medication management recommendations for apixaban, rivaroxaban, and dabigatran

4/23/20 - multiple medications added; CV section corrections made

1/10/2021 - multiple medications added

2/7/2021 - UK's Associateion of Anaesthetists guideline for perioperative management of sickle cell disease patients added

5/17/2021 - updated several meds

5/19/2021 - added evidence-based criteria for noninvasively diagnosing group 2 pulmonary hypertension

5/19/2021 - incorporated 2021 ACC Statement: Perioperative Neurological Evaluation and Management to Lower the Risk of Acute Stroke in Patients Undergoing Noncardiac, Nonneurological Surgery

5/25/2021 - added EVS DVT treatment guideline content for anticoagulation reversal to Hematologic section

6/4/2021 - updated adrenal insufficiency recommendations to be based upon 2020 Association of Anaesthetists guidelines

8/5/2021 - updated several meds & added VOCAL-Penn score for estimated risk in cirrhosis patients

10/5/2021 - COVID guidance added in Other section

12/23/2021 - Added dialysis risk index to Renal section

2/22/2022 - Updated COVID guidance in Other section with new ASA/APSF recommendations

3/12/2022 - Added HART score for predicting postop AFib to Dysrhythmias section

9/20/2022 - Updated multiple medications

11/4/2022 - Added evidence for timing of HD and surgery

1/3/2023 - Added Endocrine Society guidelines

7/3/2023 - Updated heme section & included new ACCP anticoagulation guidelines

11/30/2023 - Updated anemia section with new AABB transfusion guideline link

1/4/2024 - Updated with 2023 ASCO VTE prophylaxis guidelines

Anchor 3
bottom of page