European journal of anaesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Clonidine versus sufentanil as an adjuvant to ropivacaine in patient-controlled epidural labour analgesia: A randomised double-blind trial.
Adjuvants to local anaesthetics for epidural labour analgesia are useful if they reduce side-effects or personnel requirements. Epidural clonidine improves analgesia and provides a significant local anaesthetic-sparing effect. ⋯ Compared with sufentanil 0.25 μg ml⁻¹, addition of clonidine (1.5 to 3 μg ml⁻¹) to patient-controlled epidural analgesia with ropivacaine 0.1% provided similar labour analgesia and a similar need for anaesthesiologist-administered rescue doses. Clonidine 3 μg ml⁻¹ did not offer any advantage over clonidine 1.5 μg ml⁻¹. The instrumentation rate was higher in both the clonidine groups.
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Clinical Trial
The Shamrock lumbar plexus block: A dose-finding study.
The Shamrock technique is a new method for ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus blockade. Data on the optimal local anaesthetic dose are not available. ⋯ A volume of 20.4 ml ropivacaine 0.5% provided a successful Shamrock lumbar plexus block in 50% of the patients. A volume of 36.0 ml would be successful in 95% of the patients.
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Controlled Clinical Trial
Determination of the minimum initial intrathecal dose of isobaric 0.5% bupivacaine for the surgical repair of a proximal femoral fracture: A prospective, observational trial.
Femoral neck fractures usually require operative fixation. Spinal anaesthesia is the preferred technique for many anaesthetists, although single-shot spinal anaesthesia may have severe haemodynamic side-effects. ⋯ Our findings may influence clinicians' initial dose selection for spinal anaesthesia when a spinal catheter is used. The dose may be less than previously thought.