Anesthesia and analgesia
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Jul 2001
Clinical TrialCardiopulmonary resuscitation performed by bystanders does not increase adverse effects as assessed by chest radiography.
Important adverse effects of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are well known. We describe the number of nonmedical professional CPR-related complications in patients surviving cardiac arrest, as assessed by chest radiograph. Within 2 yr, all consecutive patients admitted to the department of emergency medicine at a university hospital who had a witnessed, nontraumatic, normothermic cardiac arrest were studied. Radiologically evaluated adverse effects were compared with Mann-Whitney U-tests between patients who received bystander basic life support (Bystander group) and patients who did not receive bystander basic life support before advanced life support was started (ALS group). For assessment of bystander CPR-associated complications, chest radiographs were used. Of 224 patients, 173 were eligible. The median age was 58 yr (interquartile range, 51-71 yr), and 126 patients (73%) were men. The incidence of adverse effects associated with assisted-ventilation maneuvers and external chest compressions did not differ significantly between groups (severe gastric insufflation, 17% vs 18% between the Bystander group [n = 59] and the ALS group [n = 96], respectively; suspicion of aspiration, 22% vs 17%, respectively; soft tissue emphysema, 2% vs 1%, respectively; and serial rib fractures, 8% vs 8%, respectively). CPR administered by nonmedical personnel did not increase the number of life support-related adverse effects in patients surviving cardiac arrest as assessed by means of chest radiograph on admission. ⋯ Complications related to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPR) are not increased when CPR is administered by nonmedical personnel, as assessed by chest radiograph. These data may be valuable in motivating lay people to perform basic life support.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Jul 2001
Comparative StudyThe carbon dioxide absorption capacity of Amsorb is half that of soda lime.
A new CO(2) absorbent, Amsorb (A), which does not contain monovalent bases, is ideal because it does not degrade volatile anesthetics to either Compound A (from sevoflurane) or carbon monoxide (from desflurane, enflurane, or isoflurane). The CO(2) absorption capacity of A, however, has not been investigated under clinical conditions. In this study, we compared the longevity (time to exhaustion) and CO(2) absorption capacity (the volume of CO(2) absorbed before CO(2) rebreathing occurs) of A under low-flow anesthesia (1 L/min) with those of two soda lime absorbents-Medisorb (M) and Sodasorb (S)-by using a 750-mL ADU canister and a 1350-mL Aestiva 3000 canister. In the study with the ADU canister, the longevity of A was 213 +/- 71 min, significantly less than those of M (445 +/- 125; P < 0.01) and S (503 +/- 89; P < 0.001). The CO(2) absorption capacity (L/100 g absorbent) of A was 5.5 +/- 1.2, significantly less than those of M (10.7 +/- 1.7) and S (12.1 +/- 1.8; P < 0.001). In the study with the Aestiva 3000 canister, the longevity of A was 218 +/- 61 min, significantly less than those of M (538 +/- 136) and S (528 +/- 103; P < 0.001). The CO(2) absorption capacity (L/100 g absorbent) of A was 7.6 +/- 1.6, significantly less than those of M (14.4 +/- 1.8) and S (14.8 +/- 2.3; P < 0.001). These results indicate that the CO(2) absorption capacity of A is half that of M or S and that the difference in the CO(2) absorption capacity between A and M or S is almost constant, regardless of the canister design. ⋯ The CO(2) absorption capacity of Amsorb is half that of Medisorb and Sodasorb under clinical low-flow (1 L/min) anesthesia with either a 750-mL Ohmeda ADU compact or a 1350-mL Ohmeda Aestiva 3000 canister.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Jul 2001
Clinical TrialThe incidence of emergence agitation associated with desflurane anesthesia in children is reduced by fentanyl.
The rapid emergence and recovery from general anesthesia provided by desflurane is associated with a frequent incidence of emergence agitation in children. We sought to determine the mean effective dose of fentanyl that would significantly reduce the incidence of emergence agitation while preserving rapid recovery. Thirty-two children undergoing adenoidectomy received general anesthesia with desflurane and a dose of fentanyl (1.25, 1.87, 2.8, and 4.2 microg/kg) determined by the classic up-down method. Recovery characteristics, including time to extubation, recovery, hospital discharge, agitation, pain, and vomiting, were recorded. Demographics and recovery features were assessed by analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The mean effective dose of fentanyl to reduce agitation was calculated with the Dixon-Massey method to be 2.5 +/- 6.2 microg. There were no significant differences when treatment groups were compared for recovery criteria. Postoperative emesis occurred in 75% of patients. The results of this study demonstrate that a dose of 2.5 microg/kg of fentanyl is sufficient to prevent emergence agitation while preserving the rapid recovery associated with desflurane anesthesia in children undergoing adenoidectomy. ⋯ A dose of 2.5 microg/kg of fentanyl prevents emergence agitation associated with desflurane anesthesia in children undergoing adenoidectomy without delaying emergence.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Jul 2001
Maternal mortality during hospital admission for delivery: a retrospective analysis using a state-maintained database.
This study reports the overall age- and race-specific delivery mortality ratios from January 1984 to December 1997 and medical and demographic risk factors associated with maternal death during hospital admission for delivery. We performed a retrospective case control study using patient records from a state-maintained anonymous database of all nonfederal Maryland hospitals that performed deliveries from 1984 to 1997. Variables studied included patient demographics and International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification, diagnosis, and procedure codes. Mortality was the outcome variable. Of the 822,591 hospital admissions for delivery during the 14-yr study period, there were 135 deaths. The overall delivery mortality ratio was 16.4. The most common diagnoses associated with mortality during hospital admission for delivery included preeclampsia/eclampsia (22.2%), postpartum hemorrhage/obstetric shock (22.2%), pulmonary complications (14%), blood clot and/or amniotic embolism (8.1%), and anesthesia-related complications (5.2%). The identification of medical and demographic risk factors may have significant implications creating initiatives aimed at decreasing the public health burden associated with maternal mortality. ⋯ This study reports the medical and demographic risk factors associated with maternal death during hospital admission for delivery by using a state-maintained database. This information could prove useful in the creation of initiatives aimed at decreasing the public health burden associated with maternal mortality.
-
Opioids occupy a position of unsurpassed clinical utility in the treatment of pain of many etiologies. However, recent reports in laboratory animals and humans have documented the occurrence of hyperalgesia when the administration of opioids is abruptly tapered or discontinued, a condition known as opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH). In these studies we documented that rats administered morphine (40 mg. kg(-1). day(-1) for 6 days) via subcutaneous osmotic minipumps demonstrated thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia for several days after the cessation of morphine administration. Additional experiments using a rat model of incisional pain showed that that attributable to OIH were additive with the hyperalgesia and allodynia that resulted from incision. In our final experiments we observed that if naloxone is administered chronically before incision then discontinued (20 mg. kg(-1). day(-1) for 6 days), the hyperalgesia and allodynia that result from hind paw incision was markedly reduced. In contrast, naloxone 1 mg/kg administered acutely after hind paw incision increased hyperalgesia and allodynia. We conclude that the chronic administration of exogenous opioid receptor agonists and antagonists before incision can alter the hyperalgesia and allodynia observed in this pain model, perhaps by altering intrinsic opioidergic systems involved in setting thermal and mechanical nociceptive thresholds. ⋯ The chronic administration of opioids followed by abrupt cessation can lead to a state of hyperalgesia. In these studies we demonstrate that the hyperalgesia from opioid cessation and from hind paw incision are additive in rats. We suggest that failure to take into consideration preoperative opioid use can lead to excessive postoperative pain.