Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 1991
[A survey on recovery rooms of French university hospitals and Ile de France hospitals].
This study reports the results of a survey of post-anaesthesia recovery rooms (PARR) in French public University Hospitals (UH), and in those of the "Ile de France" (IdFH) area. The study, carried out between the 2nd and 8th of April 1990, aimed to identify the place where patients recovered from anaesthesia, and the personnel and monitoring equipment available in these places. 90% of 55 departments of anaesthesia and intensive care in University Hospitals and 94% of 34 departments in "Ile de France" Hospitals responded. A total number of 20,567 patients was collected, with 10,027 from University Hospitals. ⋯ Nurses were not always present in 37% and 24% of PARR in University and "Ile de France" Hospitals respectively. In the PARR, there were three ECG monitors for 4 beds, and one pulse oximeter for seven beds. It seems therefore that, despite several ministerial recommendations, not all anaesthetized patients are admitted to a recovery room after their anaesthetic.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 1991
[Analysis of failures of spinal anesthesia as a function of practice development in a university hospital].
This study is a retrospective analysis of 303 consecutive spinal anaesthesia performed in orthopaedic patients of a University Hospital between January and December 1990. Failure of spinal anaesthesia was defined as the requirement for general anaesthesia to perform surgery. The parameters studied as possible risk factors of failure were patients demographics, local anaesthetic agents and solutions and techniques of spinal anaesthesia (single injection versus continuous spinal anaesthesia). ⋯ The incidence of failure was higher with hyperbaric tetracaine (11.1%) confirming its poor reliability. Inadequate extension of the anaesthetic block was the main cause of failure whatever the spinal anaesthetic technique. These results point out the reliability of continuous spinal anaesthesia but problems may occasionally occur due to spinal catheter misplacement.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 1991
[Peripheral nerve block during ambulatory surgery of varicose veins].
This retrospective study of the 46 operations, carried out over a one year period for lower limb varicose veins using peripheral nerve blocks, included 45 patients (35 women and 10 men, mean age 49.3 years), all ASA 1 or 2, except for 4 elderly patients with a varicose ulcer (ASA 2 or 3). In 40 procedures, a sciatic nerve block combined with a "3 in 1" lumbar plexus block at the level of the groin (as described by Winnie) were used. In the remaining six, either a sciatic nerve block (short saphenous vein crossectomy; n = 3), or a "3 in 1" lumbar plexus block alone (short stripping of the long saphenous vein; n = 3) were required. ⋯ During the same period, nine similar procedures were carried out under general anaesthesia, and two under epidural anaesthesia. They included seven bilateral varicose veins, three patient refusals for peripheral nerve blocks, and one allergy to lidocaine. Already used for some procedures in orthopaedic and casualty surgery, peripheral nerve blocks seem to be well suited for surgery of unilateral varicose veins.
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This study analyses 126 cases of dental injuries occurring during endotracheal intubation, reported to the service of litigations of the hospitals in Lyon over a ten-year period, and giving rise to a complaint. The overall rate was 1 out of 4,000 cases of intubation. The true incidence may be greater. ⋯ This device was tested in 108 patients. Intubation was easy with the device in place in 73.2% of patients; mouth opening was reduced by a mean of 4.2 +/- 0.5 mm. The device made intubation more difficult, and even impossible, in patients whose mouth opened no more than 3.5 cm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)