Anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Patient-controlled epidural analgesia with sufentanil following caesarean section: the effect of adrenaline and clonidine admixture.
Sixty patients, scheduled for Caesarean section were randomly allocated to receive by the epidural route in a double-blind fashion one of the following patient-controlled analgesia mixtures for the relief of postoperative pain: sufentanil 2 micrograms.ml-1 in 0.9% sodium chloride, sufentanil 2 micrograms.ml-1 + adrenaline 2.5 micrograms.ml-1, or sufentanil 2 micrograms.ml-1 + clonidine 3 micrograms.ml-1. Patient-controlled analgesia settings were a basal infusion rate of 2.5 ml.h-1, an incremental dose of 2.5 ml, a lockout interval of 10 min and a 1-h limit of 10 ml. ⋯ The quality of sleep appeared to be significantly better in the sufentanil/adrenaline group despite a significantly lower degree of sedation and higher incidence of pruritus. Treatment of pruritus with naloxone did not seem to influence the quality of analgesia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Oral administration of midazolam as a premedicant for paediatric day-case anaesthesia.
Fifty-four children aged 1-10 years, scheduled for day-case anaesthesia were prescribed either oral midazolam 0.5 mg.kg-1 or a placebo preparation 30-60 min pre-operatively on a double-blind basis. On arrival at the induction room, anxiolysis was satisfactory in 23 out of 24 (96%) children who received midazolam compared with 12 out of 27 (44%) of those who received placebo (p < 0.001); at induction of anaesthesia these proportions were 21 out of 24 (88%) and nine out of 27 (33%) respectively (p < 0.001). ⋯ Similarly, the time to hospital discharge was longer in the midazolam group (244 vs 185 min) (p < 0.01). Analysis of behavioural questionnaires completed by parents 2 weeks after hospitalisation indicated that there were fewer postoperative behavioural disturbances in children premedicated with midazolam compared with controls (p < 0.05).
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Antiemetic efficacy of metoclopramide when included in a patient-controlled analgesia infusion.
A double-blind, randomised, controlled trial was performed to assess the antiemetic efficacy of metoclopramide when included in a morphine patient-controlled analgesia regimen. Fifty ASA grade 1 or 2 patients scheduled for elective intermediate or major gynaecological surgery were allocated into one of two groups. All patients received a standardised anaesthetic and metoclopramide 5 mg was given intravenously 10 min before the end of the procedure. ⋯ Pain scores, sedation scores, and morphine requirement were not significantly different between the groups. There was no difference in nausea scores between the groups, but more patients suffered moderate or severe nausea in group 1 (10 patients) than group 2 (three patients, p < 0.026). We conclude that metoclopramide, when included in a patient-controlled analgesia regimen, reduces the incidence of moderate to severe nausea, but not the overall incidence of nausea.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Pain during injection of propofol. The effect of prior administration of thiopentone.
A controlled, double-blind study was performed to compare the prior administration of intravenous saline 4 ml (n = 36), lignocaine 20 mg (n = 36) or thiopentone 100 mg (n = 43) on the pain produced by intravenous injection of propofol. One hundred and fifteen ASA 1 or 2 patients scheduled for minor surgery were studied using a randomised, double-blind design. Thiopentone was more effective than lignocaine in reducing the incidence of propofol injection pain (p < 0.03).
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A comparison of Plasmalyte 148 and 0.9% saline for intra-operative fluid replacement.
Thirty patients undergoing major hepatobiliary or pancreatic surgery were randomly allocated to receive either 0.9% saline or Plasmalyte 148 (a balanced salt solution), at 15 ml.kg-1.h-1. Arterial blood gas analysis was performed before and after surgery. Plasma biochemistry (Na+, K+, Cl-, lactate) measurements were made before and after surgery and at 24 h after surgery. ⋯ The exclusive use of 0.9% saline intra-operatively can produce a temporary hyperchloraemic acidosis which could be given false pathological significance. In addition it may exacerbate an acidosis resulting from an actual pathological state. The use of a balanced salt solution such as Plasmalyte 148 may avoid these complications.