British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of complications associated with single-holed and multi-holed extradural catheters.
Adverse events associated with single-holed and multi-holed extradural catheters were compared in obstetric practice. Two hundred and forty-five patients were given an extradural block using a single-holed catheter and 229 received a block via a multi-holed catheter. ⋯ Flow of fluid under gravity in the catheter was restricted significantly more often in the single-holed catheters. Blood was found significantly more often in the multi-holed catheters.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Depth and duration of skin analgesia to needle insertion after topical application of EMLA cream.
We have determined the depth and duration of analgesia to needle insertion after topical application of EMLA cream (Eutectic Mixture of Local Analgesics). EMLA was applied for 30, 60, 90 and 120 min and the sensory and pain threshold depths were determined before analgesia (1.0 and 1.9 mm, respectively) and up to 4 h after the cream was removed from the skin. ⋯ For application times shorter than 120 min, the depth of analgesia increased during the period after removal of the cream. This suggests new guidelines for the use of this topical analgesic.
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Neuromuscular block with doxacurium (BW A938U) in patients with normal or absent renal function.
The characteristics of neuromuscular block induced by doxacurium were compared in patients with and without renal function. Seventeen patients with end stage chronic renal failure and 18 patients with normal renal function were anaesthetized with 0.5% halothane and nitrous oxide in oxygen and received doxacurium in an initial dose of 25 micrograms kg-1 (estimated from available data as an ED95 dose), with incremental doses of 5 micrograms kg-1. At the end of surgery, residual neuromuscular block was antagonized with either edrophonium 1.0 mg kg-1 or neostigmine 0.08 mg kg-1. ⋯ The rate of spontaneous recovery from doxacurium as indicated by the time for twitch height to recover from 0 to 5%, 5 to 10% and 10 to 25%, was not significantly different in the two groups. Antagonism of doxacurium was achieved more reliably with neostigmine than with edrophonium in both groups. The administration of doxacurium was associated with minimal cardiovascular effects.
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A 14-yr-old boy with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) presented for surgery for bilateral division of his ossified masseter muscles. Patients with FOP may present problems to the anaesthetist, including difficulties with tracheal intubation, restrictive pulmonary disease and abnormalities of cardiac conduction. With our patient sedated the trachea was intubated using a fibrescope and anaesthesia was induced and maintained with nitrous oxide and enflurane in oxygen. Ventilation was controlled throughout surgery and recovery was uneventful.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Isoflurane sedation for patients undergoing mechanical ventilation: metabolism to inorganic fluoride and renal effects.
The metabolism and renal effects of isoflurane sedation were studied for 24 h in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Forty-six patients admitted to our intensive therapy unit were allocated randomly to receive either 0.1-0.6% isoflurane or midazolam 0.01-0.2 mg kg-1 h-1 for sedation. ⋯ Serum electrolyte, urea and creatinine concentrations, and urine output rates during and after sedation in patients who received isoflurane were similar to those who received midazolam. We conclude that, following isoflurane sedation for up to 24 h, metabolism to inorganic fluoride is insufficient to cause clinical renal dysfunction.