Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Hydromorphone patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) after coronary artery bypass surgery.
We conducted a study to compare the effectiveness of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) technique to conventional analgesic therapy (CAT) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). The PCA group received hydromorphone 0.1 mg.hr-1 basal infusion and bolus doses of 0.2 mg Q 5 min (maximum 1.2 mg.hr-1) while the CAT group received morphine 2.5 mg iv Q 30 min prn until extubation followed by prn meperidine 1 mg.kg-1 im Q 4 hr or acetaminophen 325 mg with codeine 30 mg po (1 or 2 tablets) when oral intake was possible. The degree of pain was assessed using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) starting after extubation and every 6-8 hr for the next 60 hr. ⋯ During the third postoperative day, the PCA group had a lower VAS pain score, a lower incidence of severe pain defined as a score > 5 on the VAS scale, and a reduced incidence of myocardial ischaemia (P < 0.01). However, there was no difference in the duration, severity, area under the curve (AUC), or heart rate during ischaemic events. Postoperative pulmonary function was abnormal in both groups (NS) with minimal recovery by the fourth day.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Three muscle relaxants, Org 9453, Org 9489 and Org 9487, short-acting in animals, were investigated to establish their profiles in humans. Potency, time course of action, and pharmacokinetic behaviour were studied in 90 healthy patients during fentanyl/halothane/N2O anaesthesia. Neuromuscular function was monitored mechanomyographically. ⋯ Mean renal excretion (parent compound and metabolites) within 24 hr amounted to 5, 11.3 and 12.2% respectively. No side effects other than a moderate short-lasting decrease of blood pressure and a concomittant increase in heart rate were noted. It is concluded that Org 9453 and Org 9487 are short-acting muscle relaxants in humans.
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We have examined the reliability of end-tidal carbon dioxide (PetCO2) monitoring as an estimate of arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) in spontaneously breathing infants and children. Forty patients were studied in the post-anaesthetic care unit; 20 < 12 kg and 20 > or = 12 kg. The PetCO2 was sampled via a 5 cm 16 gauge catheter taped below an external naris and this measurement was compared with the PaCO2 of a sample drawn from an indwelling arterial line. ⋯ Patients studied in the post-anaesthetic care unit showed good correlation between PetCO2 and PaCO2 regardless of weight: Pa-etCO2 of -0.6 +/- 3.6 (< 12 kg) and -1.1 +/- 2.8 mmHg (> or = 12 kg). Patients studied during mask anaesthesia showed better correlation between PetCO2 and PaCO2 when PetCO2 was sampled from the cannula: Pa-etCO2 of 3.5 +/- 4.8 mmHg (cannula), 8.6 +/- 4.5 (elbow) (P < 0.05). These results suggest that end-tidal CO2 monitoring is a useful and reliable method for assessing adequacy of ventilation in spontaneously breathing children weighing between 5.2 and 35 kg.
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The popularity of the Residents' Competition at the annual meeting of the Canadian Anaesthetists' Society inspired this 25 yr review of the competitors and their presentations. Data were collected from a questionnaire survey of all participants and all current Anaesthesia programme directors, review of the Canadian Anaesthetists' Society records, and a Medline data-base search. ⋯ Over half of all the presentations (53.1%) subsequently were published as scientific papers, and 71.7% of all participants practised anaesthesia in an academic environment at some point in their career. The Residents' Competition appears to have been successful in encouraging scientific excellence in physician's training in anaesthesia in Canada.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Mask lung ventilation by ambulance personnel: a performance assessment.
We evaluated the ability of basic life support ambulance officers and anaesthetists to perform lung ventilation with a face mask. After induction of anaesthesia and institution of standardized airway conditions the ambulance officer or anaesthetist placed a mask on the patient's face and lung ventilation was commenced. The order of hand grip (one vs two hands) was randomized. ⋯ There was no difference in the mask leak when the professions were compared but ambulance officers had a lower mask leak with a two-handed grip at 20 cm H2O (P < 0.001). Anaesthetists had a greater incidence of gastro-oesophageal insufflation when a two-handed mask grip was utilized (P < 0.05). In healthy relaxed patients there appeared to be little difference between the ambulance officers and qualified anaesthetists in airway maintenance or mask-holding ability.