British journal of anaesthesia
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Forty-five patients in four groups undergoing orthopaedic, upper abdominal, prolonged or cardiac surgery received a constant rate i.v. infusion of fentanyl 100 micrograms h-1, for 24 h starting 2 h before surgery. A single bolus dose was given i.v. at the induction of anaesthesia. ⋯ The elimination half-life was 7.3-9.7 h. This simple regimen produced effective analgesia.
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The effect of changing the composition of the carrier gas from 66% nitrous oxide in oxygen to 100% oxygen was examined in three halothane vaporizers (Fluotec Mk 3, Drager Vapor 19 and Abingdon halothane vaporizer). All showed a transient increase in output following the discontinuation of the nitrous oxide. ⋯ The steady-state output of the vaporizers, once the transient response was over, was found to be lower with 100% oxygen as carrier gas than it had been with 66% nitrous oxide in oxygen. The difference was minor in the case of the Drager Vapor 19 (1% of indicated output) and Fluotec Mk 3 (5% of indicated output), but greater in the case of the Abingdon (15% of indicated output).
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of wakefulness with two anaesthetic regimens. Total i.v. v. balanced anaesthesia.
Fifty-five patients were assigned randomly to receive either a total i.v. anaesthetic based on a two-stage infusion of etomidate plus increments of fentanyl or a regimen based on inhaled nitrous oxide with i.v. fentanyl increments. Using the isolated forearm technique, 44% of the nitrous oxide group were found to be wakeful at some time during surgery, whereas only 7% of the etomidate group were wakeful. There was one case of awareness in the nitrous oxide group.