British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Extradural analgesia in labour: complications of three techniques of administration.
We have studied the complications associated with three techniques used to maintain extradural analgesia in labour: midwife top-up doses of 0.25% bupivacaine 10 ml, continuous infusion of 0.125% bupivacaine 10 ml h-1 and patient-controlled extradural analgesia (PCEA) with self-administered 3-ml bolus doses of 0.25% bupivacaine. A significantly higher intervention rate by an anaesthetist was required in the continuous infusion group. ⋯ Uneventful hypotension occurred in three women; two receiving PCEA and one receiving continuous infusion. Ten women experienced sensory blocks extending above T7 with no ill effects; seven receiving PCEA and three continuous infusion.
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Comparative Study
Tracheal intubation in a manikin: comparison of supine and left lateral positions.
Tracheal intubation in the left lateral position may be necessary in some circumstances. Using a manikin we demonstrated that anaesthetic trainees found tracheal intubation in the left lateral position was more difficult and took longer than in the supine position. However, the time to successful tracheal intubation decreased with practice, indicating the presence of a learning curve. We suggest that tracheal intubation in the left lateral position should become part of training in the management of the difficult airway.
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Comparative Study
Use of the laryngeal mask airway after oesophageal intubation.
We have compared insertion of a tracheal tube and laryngeal mask airway (LMA) both with and without the presence of a tube in the oesophagus in 20 ASA I and II patients undergoing elective laparoscopy. After induction of anaesthesia and neuromuscular block, we measured the times for an experienced anaesthetist to correctly position both an LMA and a tracheal tube with and without a tube in the oesophagus. The time to intubation was significantly less with the LMA than with the tracheal tube, both with and without an oesophageal tube in place (P < 0.05). We conclude that if a tracheal tube is placed unintentionally in the oesophagus, an LMA may be used subsequently to provide rapid and effective oxygenation of the patient.
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A 22-yr-old male had a head injury after a road traffic accident. His trachea was intubated for 5 days with a high-volume, low-pressure cuffed tracheal tube. ⋯ The patient underwent resection anastomosis of the destroyed tracheal segment which, on histological examination, showed fibrous tissue and bone formation. It is believed that excessive cuff pressure was the cause of the damage, as monitoring cuff pressure has not yet become a routine practice in anaesthesia and intensive care.