Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2016
Ultrasound-Guided Thoracic Paravertebral Blockade: A Retrospective Study of the Incidence of Complications.
The benefits of thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) have been demonstrated for patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer. However, pleural puncture resulting in pneumothorax is a serious complication associated with traditional approaches using guidance from anatomic landmarks and nerve stimulation and may contribute to the low utilization of this block. An ultrasound-guided technique has the potential to reduce complications by providing direct visualization of the paravertebral space during needle manipulation. We evaluated the complications using a single-injection, transverse, in-plane ultrasound-guided technique for paravertebral blockade in patients undergoing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction for breast cancer treatment or prophylaxis. ⋯ The routine use of a single-injection, transverse, in-plane ultrasound-guided technique for TPVB in patients undergoing mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction is associated with very few complications.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2016
Observational StudyAn Ethnographic Observational Study to Evaluate and Optimize the Use of Respiratory Acoustic Monitoring in Children Receiving Postoperative Opioid Infusions.
Respiratory depression in children receiving postoperative opioid infusions is a significant risk because of the interindividual variability in analgesic requirement. Detection of respiratory depression (or apnea) in these children may be improved with the introduction of automated acoustic respiratory rate (RR) monitoring. However, early detection of adverse events must be balanced with the risk of alarm fatigue. Our objective was to evaluate the use of acoustic RR monitoring in children receiving opioid infusions on a postsurgical ward and identify the causes of false alarm and optimal alarm thresholds. ⋯ In this study, the use of RR monitoring did not improve the detection of respiratory depression. An RR threshold, which would have been predictive of desaturations, would have resulted in an unacceptably high false alarm rate. Future research using a combination of variables (e.g., SpO2 and RR), or the measurement of tidal volumes, may be needed to improve patient safety in the postoperative ward.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2016
A Comparison of the Effects of Burst and Tonic Spinal Cord Stimulation on Hyperalgesia and Physical Activity in an Animal Model of Neuropathic Pain.
Parameters of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) play a role in its effectiveness and may impact SCS mechanisms and outcomes. For example, SCS applied in a bursting pattern may result in better pain relief than that for tonic SCS for neuropathic pain. We tested the effectiveness of different SCS pulse frequencies given at 2 different burst frequencies in an animal model of neuropathic pain. ⋯ The current study shows that a variety of SCS pulse frequencies applied with a burst frequency result in greater improvement in hyperalgesia and activity levels than tonic SCS in a neuropathic pain model during stimulation.
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It has been increasingly suggested that propofol protects against hypoxic-/ischemic-induced neuronal injury. As evidenced by hemorrhage-induced stroke, hemorrhage into the brain may also cause brain damage. Whether propofol protects against hemorrhage-induced brain damage remains unknown. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of propofol on hemoglobin-induced cytotoxicity in cultured mouse cortical neurons. ⋯ These results from our current proof-of-concept study should promote more research in vitro and in vivo to develop better anesthesia care for patients with hemorrhagic stroke.