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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · 10d

Good morning from Portugal’s doctors updates conference (as featured in some national publications).

Expect some geeky anaesthesia tweets but let’s start with the morning beach run. Only 2km to get my feet used to barefoot sand running.

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · 19d

The sunset has nearly reached its autumn/winter position. Happy weekend everyone

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · 28d

If your patient has delirium post op, they usually have some other complication too. Check for infection, thrombosis etc, but also think “is this patient bleeding?”

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · 28d

Good morning everyone.
I’m at the #BGSconf this morning talking about delirium.
Caught @cswarbrick1’s excellent talk on the impact of delirium and the results of Snap3.

Delirium increases length of stay, mortality and all complications.

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Reposted by Dr Helgi Jóhannsson

Royal College of Anaesthetists @rcoanews.bsky.social · Aug 15

The latest episode of #AnaesthesiaOnAir features @doctorhelgi.bsky.social in conversation with retired anaesthetist Dr Maginness about the Omagh bomb.

Dr Maginness was an Omagh local and part of the medical response team.

Recorded at #Anaesthesia2025 in Belfast.

🎧 ow.ly/eFbz50WGczQ

#medsky

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Reposted by Dr Helgi Jóhannsson

BJS Academy @bjsacademy.bsky.social · Aug 1

🏆ARTICLE OF THE MONTH: The other side of the barrier by @doctorhelgi.bsky.social

How subtle cues, teamwork & understanding between anaesthetists & surgeons improve patient safety.

👉 www.bjsacademy.com/bjs-academy/...

#PatientSafety #Anaesthesia #Surgery #medsky #surgsky

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Reposted by Dr Helgi Jóhannsson

BJS Academy @bjsacademy.bsky.social · Jul 24

The other side of the barrier @doctorhelgi.bsky.social

How subtle cues, teamwork & understanding between anaesthetists & surgeons improve patient safety.

👉 www.bjsacademy.com/bjs-academy/...

#PatientSafety #Anaesthesia #Surgery #medsky #surgsky

BJS Academy

What’s wrong? Do you want me to deflate the pneumoperitoneum? My surgeon stops what he’s doing and just looks at me expectantly. I hadn’t said anything to him, nor had I really clocked my own discomfo...

www.bjsacademy.com

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · Jul 2

Not as warm…

Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · Jul 2

Tricky one… I mean the floral shirt still looks great so maybe just that again?

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · Jul 2

Thinking that end of September is a great time to go to a conference in the south of Portugal? Look no further…

(And yes this is the one where my “floral shirt” got featured in the Mail).

www.doctorsupdates.com/da-balaia

About | DOCTORSUPDATES

DOCTORSUPDATES have been providing ‘EDUCATION IN A PERFECT LOCATION’ for over 30 years. The meetings take place in the Alps in winter and in the Algarve in autumn.

www.doctorsupdates.com

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · Jun 20

Thank you to parliament for allowing the assisted dying bill to progress.

It’s my life, I want the choice to be mine.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cg...

MPs narrowly back legalising assisted dying in England and Wales by 23 votes - live updates

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will now progress to the House of Lords, where it faces further scrutiny.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · Jun 13

Thunder and lightning, very very frightening…

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · Jun 11

Keep the blood pressure higher in the situation of abdominal compartment syndrome. (This includes surgically induced such as laparoscopic surgery, especially when head down and of higher BMI). #rcoaupdates.

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · Jun 11

Turns out having an experienced physician individualising the treatment to that particular patient makes the biggest difference.

At risk patients though should generally have their intra-op blood pressure above 60 (mean arterial pressure that is). #rcoaupdates

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · Jun 11

Turns out targeting a particular blood pressure while under anaesthesia doesn’t make much difference, and the permissive group actually had less atrial fibrillation.

#rcoaupdates

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · Jun 4

The @RCoANews ‘s college tutor meeting in full flow. Our new vice president elect @drmumsjt introduces some of the new guidance for training progression. More flexibility, better appreciation of training obtained in “locally employed” posts.

Faster progression through training

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · Jun 4

Interesting development. I think this will prevent confusion and make it clearer to our patients who is treating them.

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Physician associates to be renamed to stop them being mistaken for doctors

Exclusive: Government-ordered review concludes term in NHS should be changed because of risks to patients’ safety

www.theguardian.com

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · May 26

Exercise and training reduces the surgical stress response and prevents complications.

Why are we not doing this for every patient having a major operation?
#ea25

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · May 26

Hello everyone,
Reporting from #ea25 in Lisbon.

It makes sense that pre-op physical training reduces post-op complications, did you know that brain training does too?

#prehabilitation

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · May 22

Pre-op screening for frailty and cognitive impairment is only done in a minority of UK hospitals.

Should we be screening more? Should we discuss it pre-op?
Discussing delirium in pre-assessment reduces patient and relative distress if it does happen. #Anaesthesia2025

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · May 22

If you have emergency surgery you’re much more likely to develop delirium.

Delirium has an enormous effect on your length of stay in hospital. It increases by 5 to 10 days!

Post-op delirium increases your longer term mortality threefold. #Anaesthesia2025

#Anaesthesia2025

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · May 22

Frailty is a massive risk factor for post op delirium. Much more than having other significant medical conditions, which didn’t make that much difference.

We under-detect delirium but around 10% of our patients develop it.
#anaesthesia2025

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · May 22

The anaesthetic national audit projects are some of the most powerful in the UK.

We have a sneak peek at #SNAP3, looking at our older surgical patients, their frailty and any delirium experienced.

#Anaesthesia2025

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · May 22

Observe
Listen
Learn
Adjust

Your patient will probably have a hospital passport - please make sure you have a look at it and adjust your standard approach to accommodate their needs.
#Anaesthesia2025

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Dr Helgi Jóhannsson @doctorhelgi.bsky.social · May 22

Top tips continued:
- Don’t say “I’ll be back in ten minutes” (unless you really will be). Be less specific.
- Communicate clearly, use simple positive body language.
- Your standard approach may not work - your patient may not be able to count backwards.
#Anaesthesia2025

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