Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2011
GABAergic excitotoxicity injury of the immature hippocampal pyramidal neurons' exposure to isoflurane.
Certain anesthetics exhibit neurotoxicity in the brains of immature but not mature animals. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult brain, is excitatory on immature neurons via its action at the GABAA receptor, depolarizing the membrane potential and inducing a cytosolic Ca2+ increase ([Ca2+]i), because of a reversed transmembrane chloride gradient. Recent experimental data from several rodent studies have demonstrated that exposure to isoflurane during an initial phase causes neuronal excitotoxicity and apoptosis. GABAA receptor-mediated synaptic voltage-dependent calcium channels' (VDCCs) overactivation and Ca2+ influx are involved in these neural changes. ⋯ Isoflurane-mediated enhancement of GABA-triggered [Ca2+]i release results from membrane depolarization with subsequent activation of VDCCs and further Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from the ryanodine-sensitizing Ca2+ store. An increase in [Ca2+]i, caused by activation of the GABAA receptor and opening of VDCCs, is necessary for isoflurane-induced calcium overload of immature rat hippocampal neurons, which may be involved in the mechanism of an isoflurane-induced neurotoxic effect in the developing rodent brain.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2011
The interaction between antidepressant drugs and the pain-relieving effect of spinal cord stimulation in a rat model of neuropathy.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has proven to be a valuable treatment in neuropathic pain. On the basis of our previous studies on the mode of action of SCS, intrathecal administration of subeffective doses of certain drugs has been shown to enhance the pain-relieving effect in patients with SCS. Antidepressants have a well-established beneficial effect in neuropathic pain. We performed the present study to examine potential synergistic or antagonistic effects on SCS of antidepressants: amitriptyline (tricyclic antidepressant), fluoxetine (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor), and milnacipran (selective serotonin/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor). ⋯ These findings suggest a possible clinical application with a combination of SCS and a tricyclic antidepressant or selective serotonin/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor drug in cases in which SCS per se has proven inefficient.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2011
What rules of thumb do clinicians use to decide whether to antagonize nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs?
In anesthesia practice, inadequate antagonism of neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBD) may lead to frequent prevalence of residual neuromuscular block that is associated with morbidity and death. In this study we analyzed the clinical decision on antagonizing NMBD to generate hypotheses about barriers to the introduction of experts' recommendations into clinical practice. ⋯ In our institution, the clinical decision to antagonize NMBD is mainly based on the pharmacological forecast and a qualitative judgment of the adequacy of the breathing pattern. Clinicians judge themselves as better skilled at avoiding residual block than they do their colleagues, making them overconfident in their capacity to estimate the duration of action of intermediate-acting NMBD. Awareness of these systematic errors related to clinical intuition may facilitate the adoption of experts' recommendations into clinical practice.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2011
ReviewReview article: Dexmedetomidine in children: current knowledge and future applications.
More than 200 studies and reports have been published regarding the use of dexmedetomidine in infants and children. We reviewed the English literature to summarize the current state of knowledge of this drug in children for the practicing anesthesiologist. Dexmedetomidine is an effective sedative for infants and children that only minimally depresses the respiratory system while maintaining a patent airway. ⋯ Consistent with its 2-hour elimination half-life, recovery after dexmedetomidine may be protracted in comparison with other sedatives. Dexmedetomidine provides and augments analgesia and diminishes shivering as well as agitation postoperatively. The safety record of dexmedetomidine suggests that it can be used effectively and safely in children, with appropriate monitoring and interventions to manage cardiovascular sequelae.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialA dose-ranging study of the effect of transversus abdominis block on postoperative quality of recovery and analgesia after outpatient laparoscopy.
Postoperative pain can delay functional recovery after outpatient surgery. Multimodal analgesia can improve pain and possibly improve quality of recovery. In this study, we evaluated the dose-dependent effects of a preoperative transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block on patient recovery using the Quality of Recovery 40 (QoR-40) questionnaire after ambulatory gynecological laparoscopic surgery. Global QoR-40 scores range from 40 to 200, representing very poor to outstanding quality of recovery, respectively. ⋯ The TAP block is an effective adjunct in a multimodal analgesic strategy for ambulatory laparoscopic procedures. TAP blocks with ropivacaine 0.25% and 0.5% reduced pain, decreased opioid consumption, and provided earlier discharge readiness that was associated with better quality of recovery.