European journal of anaesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Epidural morphine injection after combined spinal and epidural anaesthesia.
Although combined spinal and epidural anaesthesia is efficient and easy to perform, the technique can be a double-edged sword having the potential risk that an increased flux of drugs across the meninges through the hole made in it may lead to severe adverse effects. The aim was to compare the incidence of adverse events when an epidural injection of morphine was given after combined spinal and epidural anaesthesia or after epidural anaesthesia. ⋯ The adverse effects associated with epidural morphine given after spinal anaesthesia did not increase significantly when a 27-G Whitacre needle was used. Thus, the morphine flux through the meningeal hole into the cerebrospinal fluid was trivial.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Postoperative pain management in orthopaedic patients: no differences in pain score, but improved stress control by epidural anaesthesia.
To investigate the interactions of postoperative pain and endocrine stress response, three groups of 21 patients each with total knee arthroplasty were compared in a randomized, prospective design. For postoperative pain management, a three-in-one block, an epidural catheter analgesia or an intravenous patient-controlled analgesia was used. ⋯ All methods of pain management led to sufficient analgesia, but they were not accompanied by an adequate reduction in endocrine stress response. Thus, postoperative pain is only a secondary stressor and sufficient analgesia with subjective well-being does not prove a stress-free state. With regard to the reduction of sympathoadrenergic stress response, epidural anaesthesia is superior to the three-in-one block and patient-controlled analgesia. Epidural anaesthesia is recommended particularly for high-risk patients with hypertension, coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus. In these patients, the reduction of a 'hidden' endocrine stress response in addition to prevention of pain is of special interest.
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A new posterior approach to the sciatic nerve in the subgluteal region was developed. We describe our clinical experiences on 135 consecutive patients. ⋯ The study demonstrated that the sciatic nerve can be easily blocked using this new posterior subgluteal approach, suggesting that it represents a safe and effective alternative to block the sciatic nerve at a proximal level, with the potential for reducing the discomfort experienced by the patient during block placement.
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Letter Case Reports
Anaphylactic reaction after cisatracurium administration.