Anesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Fascia iliaca compartment blockade for acute pain control in hip fracture patients: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
Hip fracture patients are in severe pain upon arrival at the emergency department. Pain treatment is traditionally based on systemic opioids. No study has examined the effect of fascia iliaca compartment blockade (FICB) in acute hip fracture pain management within a double-blind, randomized setup. ⋯ Pain relief was superior at all times and at all measurements in the FICB group. The study supports the use of FICB in acute management of hip fracture pain because it is an effective, easily learned procedure that also may reduce opioid side effects in this fragile, elderly group of patients.
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Multicenter Study
Current practices in sedation and analgesia for mechanically ventilated critically ill patients: a prospective multicenter patient-based study.
The authors conducted a patient-based survey of practices to fully describe the assessment and the management of pain and sedation of a large cohort of mechanically ventilated patients during their first week of intensive care unit (ICU) stay. ⋯ Excessively deep states of sedation and a lack of analgesia during painful procedures must be prevented. To facilitate systematic pain and sedation assessment and to adjust daily drug dosages accordingly, it seems crucial to promote educational programs and elaboration of protocols/guidelines in the ICU.