Choice of anaesthetic in emergency operations: a protocol for a scoping review.

Introduction The effect of mode of anaesthesia in emergency surgery is uncertain. This scoping review will identify and summarise the evidence for local, regional or general anaesthetic in adult patients undergoing emergency surgical procedures. Methods and analysis Scoping review methodology will be followed. The search will be run in EMBASE and Medline. Further articles will be identified from searching references in relevant studies. A descriptive analysis will be performed considering the following main outcomes; mortality, length of stay, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, postoperative pain and morbidity. Data on complications including acute coronary syndrome, stroke, thromboembolic events, delirium, acute kidney injury, respiratory tract infection, surgical site infection and study-specific additional outcomes will also be collected.