British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Reducing stress responses in the pre-bypass phase of open heart surgery in infants and young children: a comparison of different fentanyl doses.
High-dose opioids are advocated for paediatric cardiac surgery to suppress stress responses but they can produce unwanted side effects. There are no data on the dose-dependent effects of opioids on the stress response on which to base rational opioid administration. We conducted a dose ranging study on 40 children less than 4 yr undergoing elective open heart surgery using one of five fentanyl doses: 2, 25, 50, 100 or 150 micrograms kg-1 before surgery. ⋯ Patients in the 2 micrograms kg-1 group had significantly higher mean systolic blood pressure (P < 0.02) and heart rate (P < 0.04). A balanced anaesthetic containing fentanyl 25-50 micrograms kg-1 is sufficient to obtund haemodynamic and stress responses to the pre-bypass phase of surgery. Higher doses of fentanyl (100 and 150 micrograms kg-1) offer little advantage over 50 micrograms kg-1, and can necessitate intervention to prevent hypotension.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Inspired oxygen fraction after cardiopulmonary bypass: effects on pulmonary function with regard to endothelin-1 concentrations and venous admixture.
Twenty consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were allocated at random to group 1 (n = 10, high inspired oxygen fraction (FIO2) after CPB), or group 2 (n = 10, moderate FIO2 after CPB). The effects of each FIO2 on arterial and mixed venous concentrations of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and its precursor, Big ET-1, were measured. Venous admixture was calculated to assess the efficiency of pulmonary gas exchange. ⋯ A reduction of FIO2 from 1.0 to 0.6 reduced venous admixture without lowering endothelial peptide concentrations. On the first postoperative day all peptide concentrations were similar in the two groups, whereas venous admixture remained non-significantly higher in group 1. A short period of high FIO2 immediately after CPB increases endothelin concentrations and pulmonary venous admixture.
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We describe a new laryngeal mask airway (LMA) that incorporates a second tube placed lateral to the airway tube and ending at the tip of the mask. The second tube is intended to separate the alimentary and respiratory tracts. It should permit access to or escape of fluids from the stomach and reduce the risks of gastric insufflation and pulmonary aspiration. ⋯ A preliminary crossover comparison with the standard mask in 30 adult female patients showed no differences in insertion, trauma or quality of airway. At 60 cm H2O intracuff pressure, the new LMA gave twice the seal pressure of the standard device (P < 0.0001) and permitted blind insertion of a gastric tube in all cases. It is concluded that the new device merits further study.