Anesthesiology
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Mivacurium, a nondepolarizing muscle relaxant, is metabolized by plasma cholinesterase. Although edrophonium does not alter plasma cholinesterase activity, we have observed that doses of edrophonium that antagonize paralysis from other nondepolarizing muscle relaxants are less effective with mivacurium. We speculated that edrophonium might after metabolism of mivacurium, thereby hindering antagonism of paralysis. Accordingly, we determined the effect of edrophonium on neuromuscular function and plasma mivacurium concentrations during constant mivacurium infusion. ⋯ Edrophonium doses that antagonize d-tubocurarine and vecuronium are less effective in antagonizing the neuromuscular effects of mivacurium during constant infusion. Edrophonium increases plasma mivacurium concentrations, partly or completely explaining its limited efficacy; the mechanism by which edrophonium increases mivacurium concentrations remains unexplained. Our results demonstrate that antagonism of mivacurium by edrophonium is impaired, and therefore we question whether edrophonium should be used to antagonize mivacurium.
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Comparative Study
Microcirculatory perfusion during volume therapy. A comparative study using crystalloid or colloid in awake animals.
Because of the passage of water and salt molecules into the interstitial space, volume replacement with crystalloid solutions requires an amount at least four times that of lost blood. The resulting tissue edema may interfere with nutritive capillary perfusion and oxygen delivery. To prove this hypothesis, the effects of isovolemic hemodilution (hematocrit 30%) with Ringer's lactate solution or dextran 60 on tissue perfusion and oxygenation were investigated in awake Syrian golden hamsters. ⋯ In this model, volume replacement with artificial colloids yielded hemodynamic stability and adequate tissue oxygen supply, whereas administration of crystalloids alone jeopardized tissue perfusion and oxygenation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Cervical spine movement during laryngoscopy with the Bullard, Macintosh, and Miller laryngoscopes.
Direct laryngoscopy requires movement of the head, neck, and cervical spine. Spine movement may be limited for anatomic reasons or because of cervical spine injury. The Bullard laryngoscope, a rigid fiberoptic laryngoscope, may cause less neck flexion and head extension than conventional laryngoscopes. The purpose of this study was to compare head extension (measured externally), cervical spine extension (measured radiographically), and laryngeal view obtained with the Bullard, Macintosh, and Miller laryngoscopes. ⋯ The Bullard laryngoscope caused less head extension and cervical spine extension than conventional laryngoscopes and resulted in a better view. It may be useful in care of patients in whom cervical spine movement is limited or undesirable.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Weekly ventilator circuit changes. A strategy to reduce costs without affecting pneumonia rates.
Mechanical ventilator circuits are commonly changed at 48-h intervals. This frequency may be unnecessary because ventilator-associated pneumonia often results from aspiration of pharyngeal secretions and not from the ventilator circuit. We compared the ventilator-associated pneumonia rates and costs associated with 48-h and 7-day circuit changes. ⋯ We found no difference in pneumonia rates with ventilator circuit changes at 48-h and 7-day intervals. Ventilator circuits can be safely changed at weekly intervals, resulting in large cost savings.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Thermoregulatory vasoconstriction impairs active core cooling.
Many clinicians now consider hypothermia indicated during neurosurgery. Active cooling often will be required to reach target temperatures < 34 degrees C sufficiently rapidly and nearly always will be required if the target temperature is 32 degrees C. However, the efficacy even of active cooling might be impaired by thermoregulatory vasoconstriction, which reduces cutaneous heat loss and constrains metabolic heat to the core thermal compartment. The authors therefore tested the hypothesis that the efficacy of active cooling is reduced by thermoregulatory vasoconstriction. ⋯ Vasoconstriction did not produce a full core temperature "plateau," because of the extreme microenvironment provided by forced-air cooling. However, it markedly decreased the rate at which hypothermia developed. The approximately 1-h delay in reaching core temperatures of 33 degrees C and 32 degrees C could be clinically important, depending on the target temperature and the time required to reach critical portions of the operation.