Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Aug 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyThe effect of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on postoperative analgesia and sedation in pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.
The immediate postoperative period after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, one of the most common pediatric surgical procedures, is often difficult. These children frequently have severe pain but postoperative airway edema along with increased sensitivity to the respiratory-depressant effects of opioids may result in obstructive symptoms and hypoxemia. Opioid consumption may be reduced by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, but these drugs may be associated with increased bleeding after this operation. Dexmedetomidine has mild analgesic properties, causes sedation without respiratory depression, and does not have an effect on coagulation. We designed a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled study to determine the effects of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on postoperative recovery including pain, sedation, and hemodynamics in pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. ⋯ The total postoperative rescue opioid requirements were similar in tonsillectomy patients receiving intraoperative dexmedetomidine or morphine. However, the use of dexmedetomidine 1 microg/kg and morphine 100 microg/kg had the advantages of an increased time to first analgesic and a reduced need for additional rescue analgesia doses, without increasing discharge times.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Aug 2010
ReviewFocused review: ropivacaine versus bupivacaine for epidural labor analgesia.
Neuraxial analgesia is frequently administered to women in labor. For many years, bupivacaine has been used because of its long duration of action, lack of excessive motor block, and minimal fetal and neonatal effects. However, bupivacaine is one of the most cardiotoxic local anesthetics in current use and motor block is still a problem. ⋯ Ropivacaine, an amide local anesthetic produced in the pure levorotatory form addresses some of the concerns related to bupivacaine. In this article, we present the literature comparing ropivacaine and bupivacaine to determine whether there is an advantage to using one of these local anesthetics for labor analgesia. We found that there is no advantage to the routine use of ropivacaine for labor analgesia.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Aug 2010
Comparative Study Clinical TrialCerebral oxygen desaturation events assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy during shoulder arthroscopy in the beach chair and lateral decubitus positions.
Patients undergoing shoulder surgery in the beach chair position (BCP) may be at risk for adverse neurologic events due to cerebral ischemia. In this investigation, we sought to determine the incidence of cerebral desaturation events (CDEs) during shoulder arthroscopy in the BCP or lateral decubitus position (LDP). ⋯ Shoulder surgery in the BCP is associated with significant reductions in cerebral oxygenation compared with values obtained in the LDP.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Aug 2010
Effect of the perioperative blood transfusion and blood conservation in cardiac surgery clinical practice guidelines of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists upon clinical practices.
The 2007 Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists Clinical Practice Guideline for Perioperative Blood Transfusion and Blood Conservation in Cardiac Surgery was recently promulgated and has received much attention. Using a survey of cardiac anesthesiologists and perfusionists' clinical practice, we aimed to assess the current practices of perfusion, anesthesia, and surgery, as recommended by the Guidelines, and to also determine the role the Guidelines had in changing these practices. ⋯ Wide variation in clinical practices of cardiac surgery was reported. Little change in clinical practices was attributed to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists Guidelines.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Aug 2010
An ultrasonographic assessment of nerve stimulation-guided median nerve block at the elbow: a local anesthetic spread, nerve size, and clinical efficacy study.
Nerve stimulation is an effective technique for peripheral nerve blockade. However, the local anesthetic (LA) distribution pattern obtained with this blind approach is unknown and may explain its clinical effects. ⋯ Nerve stimulation does not prevent intraneural injection. In the absence of intraneural injection, the presence of circumferential LA spread image seemed predictive of successful sensory block in almost 75% of the cases within the 30-minute evaluation period.