European journal of anaesthesiology
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Potentiation of sufentanil by clonidine in PCEA with or without basal infusion.
Sufentanil or a sufentanil-clonidine combination was evaluated to determine whether the basal rate in patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) might affect the daily consumption, quality of analgesia or incidence of side effects. Following Caesarean section delivery, 60 patients were randomly assigned to receive one of the four following PCA regimens (15 patients per group) for the relief of post-operative pain by the epidural route: sufentanil 2 micrograms mL-1 in 0.9% NaCl, demand dose 5 micrograms i.e. 2.5 mL, (group S+ with, group S without an infusion at 2.5 mL hr-1) or sufentanil 2 micrograms mL-1 + clonidine 3 micrograms mL-1, demand dose 5 micrograms sufentanil + 7.5 micrograms clonidine i.e. 2.5 mL (group SC+ with and SC without an infusion of 2.5 ml hr-1). The other PCA settings (Bard I PCA pump) were a lock out of interval of 10 min and a 1 h limit of 20 micrograms sufentanil and 30 micrograms clonidine i.e. 10 mL. ⋯ Patients treated with the mixture tended to reach lower pain scores than those receiving sufentanil only without basal rate. Patients receiving the mixture with basal rate requested significantly fewer additional demands compared with the three other groups, but this did not influence the quality of sleep. Since side effects were more frequently registered in the patients in this group, it was concluded that the optimum regimen was the sufentanil-clonidine combination but with deletion of the basal rate.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Oral ketamine premedication in children (placebo controlled double-blind study).
Ketamine 3-6 mg kg-1 given by mouth to paediatric patients for anaesthetic premedication was evaluated. Forty-three children, ages 2-9 years were randomly allocated to receive either ketamine (3 or 6 mg kg-1) or placebo (cola 0.2 mL kg-1). ⋯ These improvements were present with ketamine 3 mg kg-1 and 6 mg kg-1 in comparison with the placebo. We conclude that 3 mg kg-1 ketamine given by mouth to premedicate paediatric patients is as effective as 6 mg kg-1 but has a decreased incidence of side effects such as nystagmus and vomiting.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Volume replacement with gelatin or hydroxyethylstarch solutions does not impair somatosensory evoked potential monitoring: a haemodilution study in conscious volunteers.
The influence of haemodilution with colloids on somatosensory evoked potentials in non-premedicated volunteers is reported. In seven volunteers (randomized crossover design), blood (20 mL kg-1 within 30 min) was removed and simultaneously replaced by gelatin 3% or hydroxyethylstarch 6%. After 30 min, blood was retransfused within 30 min. ⋯ Retransfusion increased haematocrit to 34.4 +/- 0.9% (gelatin) and to 34.2 +/- 1.3% (hydroxyethylstarch). Neither haemodilution with gelatin nor haemodilution with hydroxyethylstarch or retransfusion influenced evoked potentials. In conclusion, the treatment of blood loss up to 30% of estimated blood volume with gelatin or hydroxyethylstarch will not affect somatosensory evoked potential monitoring provided normovolaemic conditions are maintained.
-
There has been controversy over whether forward blood flow during closed-chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is generated by a general increase in intrathoracic pressure (chest-pump theory) or by creating atrioventricular gradients that close the mitral valve and open the aortic valve during thoracic compression (cardiac pump theory). The crucial issue is the position of the mitral valve during the downstroke of chest movement. Questions remain over the actual mechanics of mitral and aortic valve function. This report describes an intraoperative cardiac arrest followed by CPR during which routinely instituted two-dimensional transoesophageal Doppler echocardiography enabled study of the motion of the valves of the left heart and the transmitral blood flow.