Anesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Hyperbaric spinal ropivacaine: a comparison to bupivacaine in volunteers.
Ropivacaine is a newly introduced local anesthetic that may be a useful alternative to low-dose bupivacaine for outpatient spinal anesthesia. However, its relative potency to bupivacaine and its dose-response characteristics are unknown. This double-blind, randomized, crossover study was designed to determine relative potencies of low-dose hyperbaric spinal ropivacaine and bupivacaine and to assess the suitability of spinal ropivacaine for outpatient anesthesia. ⋯ Ropivacaine is half as potent and in equipotent doses has a similar profile to bupivacaine with a higher incidence of side effects. Low-dose hyperbaric spinal ropivacaine does not appear to offer an advantage over bupivacaine for use in outpatient anesthesia.
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Inhalational anesthetics depress breathing dose dependently. The authors studied the dynamics of ventilation on changes in end-tidal sevoflurane partial pressure. To learn more about the mechanisms of sevoflurane-induced respiratory depression, the authors also studied its influence on the dynamic ventilatory response to carbon dioxide. ⋯ Steady state inspired ventilation is reached after 18 min (i.e., 5 half-lives) on stepwise changes in end-tidal sevoflurane. Anesthetic concentrations of sevoflurane have, in addition to an effect on pathways common to the peripheral and central chemoreflex loops, a selective effect on the peripheral chemoreflex loop. Sevoflurane has similar effects on ventilatory control in humans and cats.