British journal of anaesthesia
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Ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve blocks may be used in the diagnosis of chronic groin pain or for analgesia for hernia repair. This study describes a new ultrasound-guided approach to these nerves and determines its accuracy using anatomical dissection control. ⋯ The anatomical dissections confirmed that our new ultrasound-guided approach to the ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve is accurate. Ultrasound could become an attractive alternative to the 'blind' standard techniques of ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve block in pain medicine and anaesthetic practice.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Efficacy and plasma levels of ropivacaine for children: controlled regional analgesia following lower limb surgery.
Continuous regional analgesia (CRA) is considered a safe and efficacious technique for postoperative pain relief in children after lower limb surgery. We recently evaluated the feasibility of patient-controlled regional analgesia (PCRA) in a similar acute pain situation and we concluded that PCRA might be advantageous over CRA in terms of lower costs, risk of systemic toxicity while producing similarly adequate analgesia. We therefore prospectively compared both techniques in the paediatric population. ⋯ Both techniques are efficacious and satisfactory. However, PCRA with ropivacaine 0.2% can provide adequate postoperative analgesia for paediatric orthopaedic procedures with smaller doses of ropivacaine than CRA.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison of xenon with propofol for supplementary general anaesthesia for knee replacement: a randomized study.
Xenon anaesthesia is associated with rapid recovery and may also offer protection against neuronal damage. The aim of this study was to compare xenon with propofol for supplementary general anaesthesia in patients undergoing knee replacement in spinal anaesthesia. ⋯ Xenon was well tolerated for supplementary general anaesthesia in elderly spontaneously breathing patients but supplementation may be necessary. Compared with propofol, emergence was faster with xenon. A larger sample-size is needed if cognitive function is to be addressed.
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There has been a renewed interest in nitric oxide donor drugs, such as nitroglycerin, delivered by the inhalational route for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We investigated the acute effects of inhaled nitroglycerin on pulmonary and systemic haemodynamics in children with PAH associated with congenital heart disease. ⋯ Inhaled nitroglycerin significantly decreases systolic, diastolic and mean pulmonary artery pressure as well as PVRI without affecting systemic haemodynamics, and thus can be used as a therapeutic modality for acute reduction of PAH in children with congenital heart disease.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Epidural catheter placement in children: comparing a novel approach using ultrasound guidance and a standard loss-of-resistance technique.
We report a prospective, randomized study to evaluate ultrasound guidance for epidural catheter placement in children 0-6 yr of age. ⋯ Ultrasonography is a useful aid to verify epidural placement of local anaesthetic agents and epidural catheters in children. Advantages include a reduction in bone contacts, faster epidural placement, direct visualization of neuraxial structures and the spread of local anaesthetic inside the epidural space. Ultrasound guidance requires additional training and good manual skills, and should only be used once experience in ultrasound-guided techniques of regional anaesthesia has been acquired.