Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Oct 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThe effects of preoperative inflammation on the analgesic efficacy of intraarticular piroxicam for outpatient knee arthroscopy.
We conducted a double-blinded study in 90 patients undergoing elective arthroscopic knee surgery to determine whether there is a role of inflammation in the analgesic efficacy of intraarticular piroxicam. Standardized general anesthetic techniques were used for all patients. At the end of the operation, after harvesting synovial biopsies, patients were randomized into three intraarticular groups equally. Group 1 received 25 mL saline, Group 2 received 25 mL 0.25% bupivacaine, and Group 3 received 25 mL 0.25% bupivacaine and piroxicam 20 mg. After microscopic examination of the synovial materials, the patients were divided into two subgroups, inflammation positive (I+) and inflammation negative (I-). Preoperatively and postoperatively at 1, 2, 4, and 6 h, pain levels, analgesic duration, and postoperative analgesic consumption were recorded. Analgesic duration was significantly longer in the I+ subgroup than the I- subgroup of Group 3 (P < 0.05). Pain scores at 1, 2, and 4 h postoperatively were significantly lower in the I+ subgroup than the I- subgroup of Group 3 (P < 0.05), whereas there were no significant differences among the subgroups of Group 1 and 2. We concluded that preoperative inflammation is one of the most important determinants of analgesic efficacy of intraarticular piroxicam. ⋯ Intraarticular administration of piroxicam along with bupivacaine improves postoperative analgesia in synovial inflammation before surgery.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Oct 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialSevoflurane requirements to suppress responses to transcutaneous electrical stimulation during epidural anesthesia with 0.5% and 1% lidocaine.
We sought to determine general anesthetic requirements to suppress skin vasomotor reflex (SVmR) and pupillary dilation (PD) in response to transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) during combined epidural-general anesthesia. Thirty-five patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups to epidurally receive 0.5% (Group 1) or 1% lidocaine (Group 2) with sevoflurane anesthesia. A bolus injection of either lidocaine was followed by the infusion of the same solution, and the central dermatomal level of loss of cold sensation (C) was determined. After the induction of general anesthesia with 5% sevoflurane and 67% nitrous oxide, nitrous oxide was discontinued, and sevoflurane concentration was decreased. TES was given at both site C and site three dermatomal segments (U) cephalad to C to determine the end-tidal sevoflurane concentration required to suppress SVmR and PD. End-tidal sevoflurane concentration that suppressed both responses was larger in Group 1 than in Group 2 at both sites and was larger at site U than at site C in both groups. We conclude that sevoflurane requirements to suppress SVmR and PD in response to TES during combined epidural-general anesthesia are different depending on the concentration of lidocaine and the site where surgical stimulation is applied. ⋯ We evaluated sevoflurane requirements to suppress skin vasomotor reflex and pupillary dilation in response to a transcutaneous electrical stimulation at the surgical site during combined epidural-general anesthesia. Our results indicate that when epidural anesthesia is combined, general anesthetic requirements decrease depending on the lidocaine concentration for epidural anesthesia and the site where surgical stimulation is applied.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Oct 2003
Clinical TrialConfirmation of direct epidural catheter placement using nerve stimulation in pediatric anesthesia.
We evaluated the success rate of using low current electrical stimulation (the Tsui test) to identify and confirm direct epidural catheter placement in a pediatric population. Thirty subjects received a standard anesthetic and administration of the Tsui test on epidural placement. The distribution of myotomal activity was recorded. The intended and actual level of the epidural catheter was compared. Myotomal activity was seen in all patients but one. The median current resulting in myotomal activity was 5.3 mA. The median difference between the intended and actual level as confirmed on radiograph was 1.8 levels. The clinical success rate was 93.9%. The positive predictive value of the Tsui test was 82%; i.e., in 23 of 28 cases, the Tsui test correctly identified the position of the epidural catheter tip within 2 vertebral levels. The test did not offer any added advantage when used in the setting of directly placed epidural catheters in our institution over "blind" methods already used to confirm catheter position when using cutaneous landmarks and test dosing. ⋯ A new technique to confirm epidural catheter position uses low current electrical stimulation in pediatric patients. This study evaluated the use of electrical stimulation in 30 pediatric patients for directly placed catheters. Electrical stimulation did not provide any advantage over conventional methods (e.g., cutaneous landmarks) for confirmation of catheter position.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Oct 2003
Comparative StudyRelative performance of the level 1 and ranger pressure infusion devices.
Pressure infusion devices are often used to administer fluids in the operating room, but they may rarely be associated with serious venous air embolism. We studied the performance of the Level 1 and the Ranger Pressure Infusor in the laboratory. The Ranger delivered less air and delivered fluid faster than the Level 1 but did not warm fluid or blood as well. Although the Ranger device may be safer in terms of the risk of air embolism, its inferior warming performance shows that the optimal pressure infusion device has yet to be manufactured. ⋯ Pressure infusion devices are widely used to treat patients with large-volume blood loss. The use of these devices may subject patients to the risk of venous air embolism. Our study found the new Ranger device to be superior to the widely used Level 1 in air elimination.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Oct 2003
Clinical TrialThe effect of pain on health-related quality of life in the immediate postoperative period.
The hypothesis of this study was to determine if the severity of postoperative pain would affect patients' health-related quality of life (HRQL) in the immediate postoperative period (within 2 wk of surgery). We designed this study as a prospective, nonrandomized observational trial in a tertiary academic care center. Patients undergoing elective total hip or knee replacement surgery were eligible. Patients received a standardized intraoperative general or epidural anesthetic followed by IV patient-controlled analgesia or patient-controlled epidural analgesia. Short Form (SF)-12, visual analog scores for pain at rest and pain with activity, nausea, and itching were assessed on postoperative days 1-5, 7, and 14. The severity of pain correlated with a decrease in both the physical and mental component of the SF-12. The severity of nausea correlated with a decrease in the mental but not physical component of the SF-12. The severity of itching did not correlate with a change in the SF-12. Our findings suggest that an increase in postoperative pain will decrease a patient's quality of life in the immediate postoperative period; however, several methodologic issues exist when assessing HRQL in the immediate postoperative period. ⋯ Severity of postoperative pain may affect quality of life.