Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Aug 2001
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEdrophonium antagonism of cisatracurium-induced neuromuscular block: dose requirements in children and adults.
This randomized, controlled study compared edrophonium dose requirements to antagonize cisatracurium-induced neuromuscular block in children and adults. Sixty children, aged two to 10 years, and 60 adults aged 20 to 60 years, all subjects ASA physical status 1 or 2, having propofol, fentanyl and isoflurane-N2O anaesthesia, were studied. Cisatracurium 0.1 mg x kg(-1) was given for muscle relaxation. ⋯ A TOF ratio of 80% was not achieved, within 10 minutes, with any of the four dose levels of edrophonium in adults. The dose of edrophonium to achieve a TOF ratio of 80% (ED(TOF-80)) after 5 and 10 minutes in children were, respectively, mean (SD) 0.85 (0.38) and 0.38 (0.19) mg x kg(-1). The equivalent ED(TOF-80) in adults was outside the edrophonium dose range studied.
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Unselected preoperative coagulation testing is known to have low positive yield. However, no study has specifically evaluated neurosurgical patients. A retrospective study of 1211 patients having neurosurgery over a one-year period was therefore conducted. ⋯ Many patients had factors on history indicating a potential bleeding tendency, but only a prolonged aPTT, cranial surgery and the use of anti-hypertensive and anaesthetic drugs preoperatively predicted postoperative bleeding. Prolonged aPTT was predictable on history in most patients. We conclude that routine screening of all preoperative neurosurgical patients in our hospital is unnecessary.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Aug 2001
Case ReportsConcealed post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage associated with the use of the antiemetic tropisetron.
A two-year-old child experienced concealed haemorrhage after adenotonsillectomy. In our patient, the absence of vomited or significant gastric blood and the presence of melaena stools may partly be attributed to prophylactic antiemetic treatment with tropisetron. This group of patients has a high incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and antiemetic treatment is important and valuable. Rather than advocating the withholding of prophylactic antiemetic treatment, we suggest that whatever medication and techniques are used, good clinical care is dependent on careful postoperative observation and assessment for an appropriate period of time.