Anesthesia and analgesia
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Epidural anesthesia was administered for cesarean section in 250 patients using 20 ml of 0.75% bupivacaine administered at L3-4 with the patient in a sitting position for 5 minutes. Comparing the results with those obtained in a previous study in which parturients were kept horizontal at all times, it was found that the sitting position limited cephalad spread of anesthesia only in obese patients and that the decrease in spread was in proportion to the degree of obesity. The previous findings that cephalad spread is positively correlated to body mass index BMI (weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) and with body weight were confirmed.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jun 1981
Benzodiazepines protect mice from local anesthetic convulsions and deaths.
Median convulsant (CD50) and median lethal (LD50) doses of intraperitoneal lidocaine, bupivacaine, and etidocaine were determined in 149 mice. Another 496 mice were pretreated with intramuscular diazepam, lorazepam, or midazolam, 1 mg/kg. Fifteen minutes later, lidocaine, bupivacaine, or etidocaine was given intraperitoneally and the incidence of convulsions and deaths recorded. ⋯ In equal intramuscular doses, midazolam proved to be the most effective anticonvulsant and diazepam the least. Etidocaine and bupivacaine convulsions were more difficult to suppress than those induced by lidocaine. On the other hand, the lethality of lidocaine was least reduced by these benzodiazepines.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 1981
Exposure to nitrous oxide and neurologic disease among dental professionals.
Questionnaires, mailed to approximately 30,000 dentists and an equal number of dental assistants requesting information regarding professional exposure to anesthetics and health problems, showed an increased incidence of neurologic complaints in dental professionals who worked with nitrous oxide. The most striking differences were noted in individuals reporting symptoms of numbness, tingling, and/or muscle weakness. ⋯ For dental assistants heavily exposed to nitrous oxide, a 3-fold increase in these same complaints was noted. In view of recent evidence that nitrous oxide abuse may lead to polyneuropathy, the results suggest that occupational exposure to nitrous oxide by both dentists and dental assistants may be associated with similar neuropathy.