Der Anaesthesist
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We present a case of a rapid onset reversible phrenic nerve block following vertical infraclavicular blockade of the brachial plexus. Five minutes after injection of local anaesthetics the SpO2 fell to 80%. ⋯ The postoperative X-ray showed an elevated diaphragm of the ipsilateral side. After five hours oxygen supply could be terminated, an X-ray control the next day showed normal bilateral diaphragm position.
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Application of highly concentrated short-acting vasoactive drugs in the critically ill patient requires precisely working syringe pump systems for continuous intravenous drug delivery. We performed a bench study to investigate the consequences of small amounts of air entrapped within a 50-ml infusion syringe. In particular we studied the effect of entrapped air on drug delivery after moderate vertical displacement of the pump by 50 cm (e.g. in preparation for transport) and the effect on the time required to trigger the pressure alarm after occlusion of the infusion line. ⋯ It increases the susceptibility of constant drug delivery to vertical displacement of syringe pumps and impairs the occlusion alarm function. Therefore, any air in syringe of infusion pump systems should be carefully removed. To avoid infusion boluses of short-acting vasoactive drugs after accidental occlusions, the occluded infusion line should be released to ambient pressure first.
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Comparative Study
[Combined anesthesia with epidural catheter. A retrospective analysis of the perioperative course in patients ungoing radical prostatectomy] .
Patients requiring radical prostatectomy (rPE), including retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy are often aged and have coexisting cardiopulmonary diseases, increasing the risk of perioperative complications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate our perioperative anaesthesiologic regimen over the last five years, in terms of safety and patients comfort. Records of 433 patients who underwent rPE between 1994 and 1999 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. ⋯ Besides this, TEA reduced the number of pathologic postoperative thorax-x-rays. Senso-motor blockades, decreases of SaO2 and cardiac complications were experienced more frequent under LEA as compared with TEA. Combination of GA and EA, especially TEA, appears to improve perioperative care of patients undergoing rPE, in terms of patients safety and comfort.