British journal of anaesthesia
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Endovascular repair has evolved to become a viable mainstream treatment for aortic pathology in both acute and elective settings. As technology advanced, traditional anatomical barriers were progressively tackled using new devices and novel procedures, and there are now multiple options available to the vascular surgeon. In the abdominal aorta, advances in endovascular aneurysm repair have been in the treatment of hostile aortic necks using new sealing concepts and ancillary procedures, and in branch preservation using fenestrations and snorkels. ⋯ Particular challenges to the anaesthetist include blood pressure control and the prevention of stroke and paraplegia. Current focus in the thoracic aorta is in treating aortic arch pathology and in optimal management of acute and chronic dissections. This review describes the latest trends in the endovascular treatment of aortic diseases and examines the current evidence for different modalities of management.
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Myocardial ischaemia reperfusion injury is the leading cause of death in patients with cardiovascular disease. Interventions such as ischaemic pre and postconditioning protect against myocardial ischaemia reperfusion injury. ⋯ There are a number of reasons for this such as dose response, the intensity of the ischaemic stimulus applied, the duration of ischaemia and lost or diminished cardioprotection in common co-morbidities such as diabetes and senescence. This review focuses on current knowledge regarding myocardial ischaemia reperfusion injury and cardioprotective interventions both in experimental animal studies and in clinical trials.
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There has been a growing interest in using intraoperative neuromonitoring to reduce the incidence of stroke and paralysis in major vascular interventions. Electroencephalography, various neurophysiological evoked potential measurements, transcranial Doppler, and near-infrared spectroscopy are some of the modalities currently used to detect neural injuries. ⋯ In view of the inter-individual differences in anatomy, physiological reserves, and severity of pathological processes, neuromonitoring may be a valuable method to evaluate the well-being of the nervous system during and after surgical interventions. In this review, we summarize some of their applications, efficacies, and drawbacks in major carotid and aortic surgeries.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Efficacy of pectoral nerve block versus thoracic paravertebral block for postoperative analgesia after radical mastectomy: a randomized controlled trial.
Pectoral nerve (PecS) block is a recently introduced technique for providing surgical anaesthesia and postoperative analgesia during breast surgery. The present study was planned to compare the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided PecS II block with thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) for postoperative analgesia after modified radical mastectomy. ⋯ CTRI/2014/06/004692.