Anesthesiology
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Although propofol and alfentanil are given in combination in clinical practice, the pharmacodynamic interaction between these drugs has not been described. ⋯ The alfentanil requirements in ASA physical status 1 female patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery are less when given as a supplement to propofol (4 micrograms/ml) compared to 66% N2O.
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Preterm and ex-preterm infants are at risk for life-threatening apnea after general anesthesia. The authors attempted to define the postconceptual age beyond which apnea is less likely to occur and to identify the factors that predispose to postanesthetic apnea. ⋯ Ex-preterm infants younger than 44 weeks postconceptual age are at greater risk for apnea after general anesthesia than are infants older than 44 weeks postconceptual age. Based on these results, the maximum long-run risk of postanesthetic apnea in preterm infants older than 44 weeks postconceptual age is 5% with 95% confidence.
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Letter Case Reports
Safe nasogastric tube placement in a patient with a basal skull fracture.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Intrathecal sufentanil for labor analgesia. Effects of added epinephrine.
Intrathecal sufentanil has been found to provide profound analgesia during labor. Epinephrine, when added to various local anesthetic agents or opioids, may modify the analgesic profile and incidence of side effects. The authors sought to determine the effect of adding 0.2 mg epinephrine to 10 micrograms sufentanil when administered for analgesia during labor. ⋯ Intrathecal sufentanil 10 micrograms, both with and without epinephrine, provided rapid-onset, albeit short-duration, analgesia during labor. Epinephrine did not prolong the duration of intrathecal sufentanil analgesia. The addition of epinephrine increased the incidence of nausea and decreased the incidence and severity of pruritus.