Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialSpinal anesthesia using hyperbaric 0.75% versus hyperbaric 1% bupivacaine for cesarean section.
Although 0.75% hyperbaric bupivacaine is commonly administered to provide spinal anesthesia for cesarean section in the United States, in some countries, only the 1% hyperbaric solution of spinal bupivacaine is available. The aim of this study was to compare 0.75% with 1% hyperbaric spinal bupivacaine for cesarean section. In this prospective study, 50 patients undergoing elective cesarean section were randomized to receive a spinal anesthetic with either 1.5 mL of 0.75% bupivacaine (n = 25) or 1.125 mL of 1% bupivacaine (n = 25). There were no statistically significant differences in patient demographics, time to onset of block, or intraoperative pain. All patients had a successful block for surgery. The time from injection of the spinal anesthetic to first request for pain medication in the postanesthesia care unit was longer in the women who received 0.75% bupivacaine (4.3 vs 3 h; P < 0.05). Six women (24%) who received 1% bupivacaine versus one woman (4%) who received 0.75% bupivacaine complained of postoperative backache (P < 0.05). In addition, postdural puncture headache occurred in four women, all of whom received 1% bupivacaine (P = 0.04). In conclusion, our data suggest that 0.75% bupivacaine results in fewer postoperative problems and offers several significant benefits compared with the 1% concentration. ⋯ Although 0.75% bupivacaine is usually used to provide spinal anesthesia for cesarean section in the United States, a more concentrated solution is popular in Europe. In this study, we compared 0.75% bupivacaine with 1% bupivacaine when administered for cesarean section and found that the 0.75% solution offers several significant benefits.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe effect of location of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on postoperative opioid analgesic requirement: acupoint versus nonacupoint stimulation.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has been used as a complementary (supplemental) therapy to opioid analgesics for pain relief after surgery. Simultaneous stimulation at a classical Chinese acupoint site and periincisional dermatomes significantly decreases the postoperative analgesic requirement. This sham-controlled study was designed to assess the relative effectiveness of acupoint versus nonacupoint stimulation on the postoperative hydromorphone (HM) requirement, the incidence of opioid-related side effects, and the overall recovery profile. One hundred women undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy or myomectomy procedures with a standardized general anesthesia were randomly assigned to one of four postoperative analgesic treatment regimens (n = 25 each): Group I = sham-TENS (no electrical current) at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoints, Group II = nonacupoint-TENS at the shoulders, Group III = dermatomal-TENS at the level of the surgical incision, and Group IV = acupoint-TENS at the Zusanli acupoints. The frequency of TENS was set in the standard dense-and-disperse mode of 2/100 Hz. The intensity of stimulation was set at 0 mA for patients in Group I and at 9-12 mA for patients in Groups II, III, and IV. A patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device programmed to deliver bolus doses of HM 0.2-0.4 mg IV on demand with a minimal lockout interval of 10 min was used to quantify the postoperative opioid analgesic requirement. Standard 100-mm visual analog scales were used to assess pain, as well as sedation, fatigue, and nausea, at specific intervals after surgery. The numbers of PCA demands and delivered bolus doses, requirements for supplemental medication, and any opioid-related side effects were recorded. In the first 24 h postoperatively, the opioid requirements in Groups III and IV were decreased by 37% and 39%, respectively, compared with the control (sham) group and 35% and 38%, respectively, compared with Group II. The duration of PCA usage and the incidences of nausea and dizziness were also significantly decreased in Groups III and IV compared with Groups I and II. We conclude that periincisional dermatomal and Zusanli acupoint stimulation were equally effective in decreasing the postoperative opioid analgesic requirement and in reducing opioid-related side effects. Both of these positions were more effective than the nonacupoint (shoulder) location. ⋯ The location of the stimulating electrodes seems to be an important determinant of the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in decreasing the need for opioid analgesics in the postoperative period. This study demonstrates that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation applied at the dermatomal level of the skin incision is as effective as Zusanli acupoint stimulation, and both were more effective than stimulation at a nonacupoint (shoulder) location.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialIntraarticular triamcinolone acetonide for pain control after arthroscopic knee surgery.
Intraarticular corticosteroids provide valuable local therapy for chronic joint pain caused by inflammatory joint diseases. In this inpatient study, we evaluated the effect of intraarticular triamcinolone acetonide on acute pain after arthroscopic knee surgery. Sixty patients who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery under spinal anesthesia were enrolled into this double-blind, randomized trial. At the end of surgery, Group 1 (n = 30) received intraarticular triamcinolone acetonide 10 mg in isotonic saline 20 mL, and Group 2 (n = 30) received intraarticular isotonic saline 20 mL. After surgery, pain was assessed by using a visual analog scale. The time to first analgesic request (IV morphine) was recorded, and the proportion of patients requiring rescue analgesia was calculated. The results demonstrated that patients in Group 1 had lower pain scores than those in Group 2 from 6 to 24 h postoperatively (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01). From 6 h to 24 h, no patient in Group 1, compared with 53% of patients in Group 2, requested rescue analgesia (P < 0.001). We conclude that intraarticular triamcinolone acetonide provides a valuable local therapy of acute joint pain after arthroscopic knee surgery. ⋯ The value of intraarticular triamcinolone acetonide in the management of pain after arthroscopic knee surgery has been evaluated. Patients who received intraarticular triamcinolone acetonide 10 mg at the end of surgery had lower pain scores and used less systemic analgesia than the saline control group. These data are important to the clinical use of this new therapy.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialPreoperative dextromethorphan reduces intraoperative but not postoperative morphine requirements after laparotomy.
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists combined with opioids are thought to be effective in the control of pain states. We evaluated morphine use and analgesia in 37 patients postlaparotomy. Patients received 60 mg of oral dextromethorphan or placebo the night before and again 1 h before surgery. Morphine was titrated intraoperatively to maintain blood pressure and heart rate within 20% of baseline and postoperatively via patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). The dextromethorphan and placebo groups were compared for morphine use intraoperatively, in recovery, via PCA in the first 4 and 24 h, and total use over the study period. Pain scores at rest and on activity for the first 4 and 24 h were also compared. Intraoperatively, the dextromethorphan group required less morphine: 13.1+/-4.3 vs 17.6+/-6.0 mg (P = 0.012). Postoperatively, there was no significant difference between the dextromethorphan and placebo groups for morphine use: in the recovery room 10.9+/-7.7 vs 12.1+/-7.7 mg; the first 4 h of PCA 15.9+/-9.3 vs 12.7+/-5.1 mg; the first 24 h of PCA 76.4+/-44.7 vs 61.8+/-27.5 mg; or in total morphine use 100.4+/-49.5 vs 91.5+/-3.1 mg. Pain scores for the two groups were not statistically different throughout the study period. We conclude that 60 mg of oral dextromethorphan given the night before and repeated an hour before surgery does not provide a postoperative morphine-sparing effect or improve analgesia after laparotomy. ⋯ Patients given dextromethorphan before surgery had significantly reduced intraoperative morphine requirements. However, postoperative morphine requirements were unaltered. Dextromethorphan may need to be continued postoperatively to improve postoperative analgesia.