Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 1986
Biography Historical ArticleHarvey Cushing: his contribution to anesthesia.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 1986
Comparative StudyComparative pharmacokinetics and dynamics of vecuronium and pancuronium in anesthetized patients.
Plasma concentrations and the degree of neuromuscular blockade after a 2-min infusion of 0.1 mg/kg of vecuronium bromide or pancuronium bromide (equipotent doses) were studied in 12 gynecologic patients. The plasma concentrations of both drugs declined in a triphasic manner. The difference between the intercepts and rate constants of the two drugs was not significant. ⋯ An effect compartment was added to the model to correlate the neuromuscular effects and plasma concentrations of both drugs. The ratio between concentrations of vecuronium and pancuronium in the effect compartment at 50% twitch height was 0.83. In spite of its greater potency, vecuronium has a shorter duration of action than pancuronium.
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Halothane or isoflurane was used to induce anesthesia in children scheduled for outpatient surgical procedures. Both agents were administered at predetermined rates until comparable concentrations in end-expired air were reached. Induction of anesthesia, as well as the time taken before tracheal intubation was possible, was protracted in patients given isoflurane. In the recovery period, the times taken to respond to pharyngeal suction, to tracheal extubation, and to the first cry were similar for both anesthetic agents.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 1986
Comparative StudyA comparison of the effects of alfentanil applied to the spinal cord and intravenous alfentanil on noxiously evoked activity of dorsal horn neurons in the cat spinal cord.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of alfentanil applied to the surface of the spinal cord and the effects of intravenously administered alfentanil on noxiously evoked activity of dorsal horn neurons. Extracellular single neuron recordings were obtained from wide dynamic range neurons in 26 decerebrate cats with transected spinal cords. Spinally administered alfentanil, 25 micrograms or 50 micrograms, caused 36 and 86% suppression of noxiously evoked activity, respectively. ⋯ Intravenously administered alfentanil, 12.5 micrograms/kg or 25 micrograms/kg, produced suppression of 43 and 89%, respectively, with maximum mean suppression observed at the 6- and 3-min time points, respectively. Complete recovery after intravenous administration was seen within 30 min. This study, using a sensitive neurophysiologic assay, demonstrates the important differences in onset and duration of drug effects that must be considered when comparing the responses of spinal cord neurons to intravenously administered narcotics and narcotics applied directly to the surface of the spinal cord.