Anesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Postoperative morphine use and hyperalgesia are reduced by preoperative but not intraoperative epidural analgesia: implications for preemptive analgesia and the prevention of central sensitization.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the postoperative morphine-sparing effects and reduction in pain and secondary mechanical hyperalgesia after preincisional or postincisional epidural administration of a local anesthetic and an opioid compared with a sham epidural control. ⋯ Preincisional administration of epidural lidocaine and fentanyl was associated with a significantly lower rate of morphine use, lower cumulative morphine consumption, and reduced hyperalgesia compared with a sham epidural condition. These results highlight the importance of including a standard treatment control group to avoid the problems of interpretation that arise when two-group studies of preemptive analgesia (preincisional vs. postsurgery) fail to find the anticipated effects.
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Clinical Trial
Piriformis syndrome: anatomic considerations, a new injection technique, and a review of the literature.
Piriformis syndrome can be caused by anatomic abnormalities. The treatments of piriformis syndrome include the injection of steroid into the piriformis muscle and near the area of the sciatic nerve. These techniques use either fluoroscopy and muscle electromyography to identify the piriformis muscle or a nerve stimulator to stimulate the sciatic nerve. ⋯ Anatomic abnormalities causing piriformis syndrome are rare. The technique used in the current study was successful in injecting the medications near the area of the sciatic nerve and into the piriformis muscle.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of the parasacral approach and the posterior approach, with single- and double-injection techniques, to block the sciatic nerve.
The purpose of this study was to compare parasacral and Winnie's single- or double-injection approaches for sciatic nerve block. ⋯ Time to perform a parasacral block was short, and the parasacral approach had a high success rate and a short onset time. Therefore, this block might be a useful alternative to Winnie's modification for sciatic nerve block.
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Clinical Trial
Accelerometry of adductor pollicis muscle predicts recovery of respiratory function from neuromuscular blockade.
Residual paralysis increases the risk of pulmonary complications but is difficult to detect. To test the hypothesis that accelerometry predicts effects of residual paralysis on pulmonary and upper airway function, the authors related tests of pulmonary and pharyngeal function to accelerometry of adductor pollicis muscle in 12 partially paralyzed volunteers. ⋯ Impaired inspiratory flow and upper airway obstruction frequently occur during minimal neuromuscular blockade (TOF ratio 0.8), and extubation may put the patient at risk. Although a TOF ratio of unity predicts a high probability of adequate recovery from neuromuscular blockade, respiratory function can still be impaired.
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Comparative Study
Antihyperalgesic and side effects of intrathecal clonidine and tizanidine in a rat model of neuropathic pain.
Although intrathecal clonidine produces pronounced analgesia, antinociceptive doses of intrathecal clonidine produce several side effects, including hypotension, bradycardia, and sedation. Intrathecal tizanidine, another alpha(2)-adrenergic agonist, has provided antinociception without producing pronounced hemodynamic changes in animal studies. However, it has been unclear whether antihyperalgesic doses of intrathecal clonidine and tizanidine produce hypotension and bradycardia in a neuropathic pain state. This study was designed to evaluate the antihyperalgesic effects and side effects of intrathecal clonidine and tizanidine in a rat model of neuropathic pain. ⋯ The antihyperalgesic dose of intrathecal clonidine and the antinociceptive doses produced several side effects. Intrathecal tizanidine at the dose that reversed hyperalgesia would be preferable for neuropathic pain management because of absence of hypotension and bradycardia and lower incidence of sedation.