Der Anaesthesist
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Comparative Study
[The effect of age on the spread of spinal anesthesia using isobaric 2% mepivacaine].
In the elderly, anaesthesia and surgery are associated with higher perioperative mortality and morbidity as compared to younger patients. There is some evidence that spinal anaesthesia may improve the postoperative state of elderly patients. A prospective study was performed to elucidate the effects of age on the characteristics of spinal anaesthesia with isobaric 2% mepivacaine. ⋯ It is concluded that there was a tendency for greater spread of spinal analgesia with isobaric 2% mepivacaine in the elderly. The clinical significance of this finding is limited. In elderly patients hypotension is more common than in younger patients, but might not be related solely to age or extent of the neural blockade.
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Humidified soda lime is commonly used to eliminate carbon dioxide from the circulatory system. Little is known about adverse reactions to accidentally dried soda lime. Therefore, a case of unexpected absorption of halothane by dry soda lime is reported. ⋯ The absorption of halothane is accompanied by an increase in the temperature of the soda lime. Therefore, in every situation lacking a sufficient anaesthetic level during inhalation anaesthesia, absorption of the vaporized anaesthetic must be excluded. Only dried soda lime can absorb halothane.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
[Quality of induction and adrenocortical function. A clinical comparison of Etomidate-Lipuro and Hypnomidate].
The purpose of this study was to compare etomidate in a lipid emulsion (Etomidat-Lipuro; Braun, Melsungen) and in propylene glycol (Hypnomidate, Janssen Pharmaceutica) in 90 patients in terms of anaesthetic induction characteristics with special reference to injection side effects, haemodynamic changes, and quality of induction. Adrenocortical hormones were determined in 30 patients who received either Etomidat-Lipuro, Hypnomidate, or propofol (Diprivan, ICI Pharma) for induction of anaesthesia. ⋯ Local side effects are minimal after the administration of Etomidat-Lipuro and Hypnomidate. Alfentanil reduces the injection pain of etomidate induction agents. Cortisol and aldosterone are depressed by etomidate, but the clinical relevance is minimal after a single bolus injection.
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Effective pulmonary capillary pressure (Pc) is a major factor determining transvascular fluid filtration in the lung. It may easily be estimated from the pressure decay after rapid pulmonary artery occlusion. If Pc is known, the longitudinal distribution of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) can be evaluated. ⋯ The longitudinal distribution of PVR is influenced by the severity of lung injury. PAOP, therefore, may not represent changes in Pc in patients with acute respiratory failure. The routine use of Pc measurement, however, can not be recommended until it has proven more useful than determination of PAOP when managing critically ill patients.
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Since the 1940s several preclinical investigations have demonstrated the anaesthetic activity of a series of structurally related pregnanes without notable endocrine action. One of the most active of these is pregnanolone (3-alpha-hydroxy-5-beta-pregnane-20-one), which is a naturally occurring metabolite of progesterone. Pregnanolone is not soluble in water, which has prevented its use for clinical research. ⋯ Three patients in this group also did not stop counting (dose: 0.29 mg/kg body weight). Blood pressure remained stable in all patients but 1 throughout the observation period. In 1 patient there was an alarming rise in blood pressure from 160/90 mmHg before to 200/100 mmHg 3 min after the injection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)