Anaesthesia and intensive care
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The aim of this study was to define the anatomy relevant to brachial plexus regional anaesthesia and to identify the extent of variation between individuals. Surface ultrasound examination of the brachial plexus was performed on twenty volunteers. In the axilla there was considerable individual variation in the location of the median, radial and ulnar nerves in relation to the axillary artery. ⋯ In one volunteer, a vein was identified between nerve trunks in the interscalene region. These findings indicate that the anatomical variation is considerable, even within the relatively small sample studied. For this reason, use of surface ultrasound may lead to increased success of brachial plexus regional anaesthesia and a decreased risk of intravascular injection.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Apr 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of scalp block on postoperative pain relief in craniotomy patients.
The efficacy of scalp nerve block using 0.5% bupivacaine with adrenaline for postoperative pain relief in craniotomy patients was evaluated in 40 ASA I or II adult patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy. A standard general anaesthesia technique was followed. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. ⋯ The number of doses of diclofenac (5 vs 19) was significantly lower in group B compared to group S (P < 0.01). Tramadol was required by six patients in group S only. Scalp nerve block using 0.5% bupivacaine with 1:400,000 adrenaline decreases the incidence and severity of postoperative pain in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Apr 2006
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialA comparison of the oropharyngeal leak pressure between the reusable Classic laryngeal mask airway and the single-use Soft Seal laryngeal mask airway.
We tested the oropharyngeal leak pressure with the reusable laryngeal mask airway and the single-use Soft Seal laryngeal mask airway. These two types of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) have a similar design but the reusable LMA cuff is made from silicone whereas the Soft Seal LMA cuff is polyvinylchloride. ⋯ However, in four subjects the oropharyngeal leak pressure was higher with the reusable by > 4 cm H2O. We concluded that the reusable LMA may provide a better seal in some individuals but that, on average, the Soft Seal provides a higher oropharyngeal leak pressure than the reusable LMA.
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Surveys allow convenient and inexpensive research. Surveys include mail-out questionnaires, email questionnaires, telephone interviews, and personal interviews. Despite a widespread perception that surveys are easy to conduct, good surveys need rigorous design, implementation and analysis. ⋯ The main goal when implementing a survey is to maximize the response rate to avoid misleading results. Evidence-based strategies, including brief personalized surveys with stamped return envelopes, can be used to maximize the response rate. A poorly conducted survey can lead to misleading or invalid conclusions and may undermine participation in subsequent surveys by the target population.