Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThe effect of patient positioning on intraabdominal pressure and blood loss in spinal surgery.
Intraabdominal pressure (IAP) can influence blood loss during spinal surgery. We examined the relationship of IAP changes to blood loss with a rectal balloon pressure catheter. Forty patients were randomly assigned to narrow (Group 1) or wide (Group 2) pad support widths of the Wilson frame. IAP was measured when the patient was supine after the induction of anesthesia, prone on a gurney, prone on the Wilson frame before and after incision, and then, again supine after tracheal extubation. IAP in the prone position on the Wilson frame before incision (3.6 cm H(2)O) in Group 2 was significantly less than in Group 1 (8.8 cm H(2)O) (P: < 0.05). Intraoperative blood loss per vertebra in Group 2 (190 +/- 65 mL) was significantly less than in Group 1 (381 +/- 236 mL) (P: < 0.05). The correlation between blood loss and IAP in the prone position on the Wilson frame in Group 1 was significant (P: = 0.0022). In conclusion, IAP and intraoperative blood loss were significantly less in the wide, than in the narrow, pad support width of the Wilson frame. Blood loss tended to increase with an increase in IAP in the narrow pad support width of the Wilson frame. ⋯ The relationship of intraabdominal pressure changes to blood loss were examined with a rectal balloon pressure catheter during spinal surgery. Blood loss tended to increase with an increase in intraabdominal pressure in the narrow pad support width of the Wilson frame.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2000
Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialContinuous positive airway pressure at 10 cm H(2)O during cardiopulmonary bypass improves postoperative gas exchange.
Postbypass pulmonary dysfunction including atelectasis and increased shunting is a common problem in the intensive care unit. Negative net fluid balance and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) have been used to reduce the adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on the lung. To determine whether CPAP at 10 cm H(2)O during CPB results in improved postoperative gas exchange in comparison with deflated lungs during CPB, we examined 14 patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery. Seven patients received CPAP at 10 cm H(2)O during CPB, and in the other seven patients, the lungs were open to the atmosphere (control). Measurements were taken before and after CPB, after thoracic closure, and 4 h after CPB in the intensive care unit. CPAP at 10 cm H(2)O resulted in significantly more perfusion of lung areas with a normal ventilation/perfusion distribution (V(A)/Q) and significantly less shunt and low V(A)/Q perfusion 4 h after CPB in comparison with the control group. Consequently, arterial oxygen partial pressure was significantly higher and alveolar-arterial oxygen partial pressure difference was significantly smaller. We conclude that CPAP at 10 cm H(2)O during CPB is a simple maneuver that improves postoperative gas exchange. ⋯ Inflation of the lungs at a pressure of 10 cm H(2)O as compared with leaving the lungs deflated during cardiopulmonary bypass was examined. Lung inflation during bypass resulted in significantly improved postoperative gas exchange.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThermosoftening treatment of the nasotracheal tube before intubation can reduce epistaxis and nasal damage.
We evaluated whether a thermosoftening treatment with warm saline of a nasotracheal preformed tube can improve navigability through the nasal passageways and reduce epistaxis and nasal damage. A total of 150 patients were randomly allocated to three groups: Group I (untreated tube group, n = 50), Group II (35 degrees C treated tube group, n = 50), and Group III (45 degrees C treated tube group, n = 50). In Groups II and III, the tubes were softened at 35 +/- 2 degrees C and 45 +/- 2 degrees C with warm saline, respectively. In Group I the tube was prepared at room temperature (25 +/- 2 degrees C). The incidence of epistaxis and nasal damage in Groups II and III was significantly less than that of Group I (P: < 0.05). Despite the more frequent incidence of smooth passage in Group III, no statistical difference was found among the groups. Logistic regression analysis also confirmed that epistaxis was more likely to be reduced when the tube had been thermosoftened (odds ratio = 1.46, 95% confidence interval = 1.02, 2.11). We conclude that simple thermosoftening treatment of the nasotracheal tube with warm saline helps to reduce epistaxis and nasal damage. ⋯ Thermosoftening treatment of a nasotracheal tube with warm saline before intubation can effectively reduce epistaxis and nasal damage. This technique is safe, easy, and suitable for all types of tubes and does not require additional implements.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2000
Comparative Study Clinical TrialArterial blood pressure and heart rate discrepancies between handwritten and computerized anesthesia records.
Previous publications suggest that handwritten anesthesia records are less accurate when compared with computer-generated records, but these studies were limited by small sample size, unblinded study design, and unpaired statistical comparisons. Eighty-one pairs of handwritten and computer-generated neurosurgical anesthesia records were retrospectively compared by using a matched sample design. Systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), and heart rate (HR) data for each 5-min interval were transcribed from handwritten records. In computerized records, the median of up to 20 values was calculated for SAP, DAP, and HR for each consecutive 5-min epoch. The peak, trough, standard deviation, median, and absolute value of the fractional rate of change between adjacent 5-min epochs were calculated for each case. Pairwise comparisons were performed by using Wilcoxon tests. For SAP, DAP, and HR, the handwritten record peak, standard deviation, and fractional rate of change were less than, and the trough and median were larger than, those in corresponding computer records (all with P: < 0.05, except DAP median and HR peak). Considering together all the recorded measurements from all cases, extreme values were recorded more frequently in computerized records than in the handwritten records. ⋯ The discrepancies between handwritten and computerized anesthesia records suggest that some of the data in handwritten records are inaccurate. The potential for inaccuracy should be considered when handwritten records are used as source material for research, quality assurance, and medicolegal purposes.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2000
Clinical TrialTemperature monitoring and management during neuraxial anesthesia: an observational study.
Temperature monitoring and thermal management are rare during spinal or epidural anesthesia because clinicians apparently restrict monitoring to patients with an expected risk of hypothermia. This implies that anesthesiologists can predict patient thermal status without monitoring core temperature. We therefore, tested the hypotheses that during neuraxial anesthesia: 1) amount of core hypothermia depends on the magnitude and duration of surgery; 2) temperature monitoring and thermal management are used selectively in patients at high risk of hypothermia; and 3) anesthesiologists can estimate patient thermal status. We evaluated thermal status on arrival in the recovery room along with intraoperative thermal management and monitoring in 120 patients. Anesthesiologists were asked if their patients were hypothermic (<36 degrees C). There was no correlation between the magnitude or duration of surgery and initial postoperative core temperature in unwarmed patients. Temperature monitoring and thermal management were not used selectively in high-risk patients. Initial postoperative tympanic membrane temperatures were <36 degrees C in 77% of patients and <35 degrees C in 22%. Body temperature was monitored intraoperatively in 27% of the patients and forced-air warming was used in 31%. Anesthesiologists failed to accurately estimate whether their patients were hypothermic. Our results suggest that temperature monitoring and management during neuraxial anesthesia is currently inadequate. ⋯ In this observational study, we evaluated core temperatures and intraoperative thermal management in patients undergoing spinal or epidural anesthesia. Hypothermia was common, however, rarely detected either by temperature monitoring or estimates by anesthesiologists. In addition, it was not treated with active warming. Consequently, temperature monitoring and management have to be done during neuraxial anesthesia.