Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 1985
[Peridural morphine in intractable cancer pains. Means and obstacles].
Long-term analgesia with epidural morphine (EM) is a new tool in the management of intractable cancer pain. Twenty-six out of 160 cancer patients referred to the Pain Division for pain assessment were selected for analgesia with long-term epidural morphine, so aiming to define its place amongst more traditional methods of treatment, such as drugs, nerve-blocks, neurosurgery or radiotherapy. All 26 patients were cases of conventional analgesic failure, with very advanced cancer states. ⋯ Analgesic methods in cancer are palliative procedures. In terminal or temporary situations, other more invasive methods are not suited. The EM technique is simple, adjustable to advancing pain and has few side-effects, especially when compared with neurolytic and neurosurgical procedures.
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50 attempts of deep percutaneous antecubital catheterization are reported. A tourniquet was applied to the upper arm and the medial deep brachial vein was punctured in a point immediately medial to the brachial artery, in the antecubital fossa. Venepuncture was successful in 88% of the cases (44 cases), catheterization possible in 72% of the cases (36 cases). ⋯ The only benign complication was injury to the brachial artery in 6 cases. Mean duration of catheterization was 20 days. This very easy and safe technique can be used when superficial veins are unusable and use of the deep central veins dangerous or impossible.
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In a semi-closed circle system, the inspiratory and expiratory limbs are completely separated and part of the patient's expired air recirculates. CO2 rebreathing is prevented by CO2- absorption with soda lime, which is always incorporated in such a circle. The inspiratory and expiratory valves ensure that gas flow is unidirectional and also prevent rebreathing, even at tidal volumes of 10 ml and ventilation frequencies of 60 c . min-1. ⋯ The values of expiratory resistance are within the recommended limits of the ISO; prewarming and humidification of the inspiratory gas mixture are sufficient without additional equipment. Standard monitoring of the circuit such as measurement of inspiratory O2 concentration and ventilation pressure, including a disconnection alarm, can be used for all age groups; spirometry or end-tidal CO2 measurements ensure normoventilation. The fresh gas flow required in a semi-closed circle system is about 2-4 1 . min-1, so that costs and environmental contamination with anaesthetic gases are relatively low in comparison with a semi-open system.
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A technique of regional anaesthesia of the foot for forefoot surgery (ingrowing toe-nail, hallux valgus, amputation, etc.) is described. It consists of a block of the superficial peroneal nerve at the ankle combined with a block of the posterior tibial nerve behind the medial malleolus. ⋯ A pneumatic tourniquet was placed on the upper part of the thigh after the patient had been given an intramuscular premedication. The results of 52 such blocks carried out in 40 patients are discussed.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 1985
Comparative Study[Atracurium and cirrhosis: clinical study of the curariform action].
Hepatic function influences the action of muscle relaxants. Among these drugs, the elimination of atracurium does not depend on liver function. The clinical effects of atracurium were studied in ten patients with portal hypertension and some degree of liver dysfunction and in ten normal patients. ⋯ No statistically significant differences were observed. It is suggested that non significant differences observed could be attributed to an increased volume of distribution of drugs in the cirrhotic patient. These results would suggest that atracurium may be the best relaxant in patients with severe liver failure.