British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Intrathecal ropivacaine or bupivacaine with fentanyl for labour.
Combined spinal-epidural (CSE) is widely used to provide pain relief in labour while minimizing motor blockade. Aiming to further reduce associated motor weakness, we compared ropivacaine 2.5 mg in the intrathecal injection with a standard bupivacaine CSE in a double-blind study. Forty women were randomized to receive either bupivacaine 2.5 mg or ropivacaine 2.5 mg intrathecally, both with fentanyl 0.025 mg. ⋯ Vibration sense was impaired in one woman in each group. Adverse effects did not differ between groups. We conclude that intrathecal ropivacaine 2.5 mg in combination with fentanyl 0.025 mg as part of a CSE technique provides rapid and safe analgesia for labour as effective as that achieved with bupivacaine 2.5 mg and with significantly less motor block.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Cerebral effects and blood sparing efficiency of sodium nitroprusside-induced hypotension alone and in combination with acute normovolaemic haemodilution.
The combined reduction of oxygen-carrying capacity and perfusion pressure during the combination of acute normovolaemic haemodilution (ANH) and controlled hypotension (CH) raises concerns of hypoperfusion and ischaemic injury to the brain. Forty-two patients undergoing radical prostatectomy were prospectively allocated to receive CH induced by sodium nitroprusside (mean arterial pressure (MAP) 50 mm Hg), a combination of CH+ANH (post-ANH haematocrit 29%; intraoperative MAP 50 mm Hg), or standard anaesthesia (control). Serum levels of the brain-originated proteins neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and protein S-100, blood loss, transfusion requirements, adverse effects, and postoperative recovery profile were compared among the three groups. ⋯ Increased serum S-100 protein concentrations imply a disturbance in astroglial cell membrane integrity and an increased endothelial permeability of the blood-brain barrier. There were no associations between serum S-100 protein or NSE and adverse cognitive effects. Further work needs to be done to determine the prognostic importance of S-100 protein and NSE as surrogate variables of postoperative cerebral complications.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Effect of epidural bupivacaine vs combined epidural bupivacaine and morphine on gastrointestinal function and pain after major gynaecological surgery.
In a double-blind study, we investigated the effects of postoperative epidural local anaesthetic, with or without addition of epidural morphine, on postoperative pain and gastrointestinal function in patients scheduled for radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. Forty patients were randomized into two study groups: 48-h postoperative epidural 0.2% bupivacaine 8 ml h(-1) (bupi group) or 48-h postoperative epidural 0.2% bupivacaine/morphine 50 microg at 4 ml h(-1) (bupi/morph group). Patients were observed for at least 96 h after surgery. ⋯ Itching was a significant problem in patients in the bupi/morph group. No differences in postoperative nausea and vomiting, mobilization or time to discharge from hospital were observed between groups. The addition of morphine to postoperative epidural bupivacaine has only limited effect on pain relief and increases time to normalization of gastrointestinal function.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Intrathecal ropivacaine for total hip arthroplasty: double-blind comparative study with isobaric 7.5 mg ml(-1) and 10 mg ml(-1) solutions.
This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of two concentrations of intrathecal ropivacaine, 7.5 and 10 mg ml(-1), in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. One hundred and four patients, ASA I-III, were randomized to receive an intrathecal injection of one of two concentrations of isobaric ropivacaine. Group 1 (n=51) received 2.5 ml of 7.5 mg ml(-1) ropivacaine (18.75 mg). ⋯ The median duration of complete motor block was significantly prolonged (P<0.05) in Group 2 compared with Group 1 (1.9 vs 1.2 h, respectively). Anaesthetic conditions were excellent in all but one patient. Intrathecal ropivacaine, in doses of 18.75 and 25 mg, was well tolerated and provided effective anaesthesia for total hip arthroplasty.