Anesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Dexamethasone in combination with dolasetron for prophylaxis in the ambulatory setting: effect on outcome after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains a common problem despite routine antiemetic prophylaxis. Therefore, the authors investigated the effect of administering 4 mg intravenous dexamethasone as an adjunct to a 5-HT3 antagonist (12.5 mg intravenous dolasetron) with respect to patient outcome. ⋯ The authors conclude that the adjunctive use of 4 mg intravenous dexamethasone shortened the time to achieve discharge criteria and improved the quality of recovery and patient satisfaction scores after laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedures in outpatients receiving prophylaxis with 12.5 mg intravenous dolasetron.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Dexamethasone prolongs local analgesia after subcutaneous infiltration of bupivacaine microcapsules in human volunteers.
The addition of small amounts of dexamethasone to extended-release formulations of bupivacaine in microcapsules has been found to prolong local analgesia in experimental studies, but no clinical data are available. ⋯ Addition of small amounts of dexamethasone to bupivacaine incorporated in microcapsules prolonged local analgesia compared with microcapsules with plain bupivacaine after subcutaneous administration in humans.
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Healthy nonpregnant patients may ingest clear liquids until 2 h before induction of anesthesia without adversely affecting gastric volume. The purpose of this study was to compare gastric emptying in term, nonlaboring pregnant women after ingestion of 50 ml water (control) with that after ingestion of 300 ml water. ⋯ Gastric emptying in healthy, term, nonobese, nonlaboring pregnant women is not delayed after ingestion of 300 ml water compared with that after an overnight fast.
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The attempts to explain the unpredictability of extent of spinal block provided by plain local anesthetic solutions have resulted in many clinical reports; however, causes of this uncertainty are as yet unknown. Recently, normal values of the human cerebrospinal fluid densities have been studied showing important interindividual variations, especially between females and males. The current study was designed to evaluate as primary endpoint the influence of cerebrospinal fluid density values on the extent of spinal block with plain bupivacaine. The ancillary endpoints were search of factors explaining the interindividual differences in cerebrospinal fluid density values reported and determination of the relation between upper extent and regression of spinal anesthesia. ⋯ These findings indicate an influence of cerebrospinal fluid density on subarachnoid distribution of 3 ml plain bupivacaine 0.5% and show that with higher cerebrospinal fluid densities, a higher spinal block level can be expected.
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Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) after noncardiac surgery is strongly associated with increasing age in elderly patients; middle-aged patients (aged 40-60 yr) may be expected to have a lower incidence, although subjective complaints are frequent. ⋯ Postoperative cognitive dysfunction occurs frequently but resolves by 3 months after surgery. It may be associated with decreased activity during this period. Subjective report overestimates the incidence of POCD. Patients may be helped by recognition that the problem is genuine and reassured that it is likely to be transient.