British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Intraoperative tranexamic acid use in major spine surgery in adults: a multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled trial†.
Perioperative tranexamic acid (TXA) use can reduce bleeding and transfusion requirements in several types of surgery, but level I evidence proving its effectiveness in major spine surgery is lacking. This study was designed to investigate the hypothesis that TXA reduces perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirements in patients undergoing major spine procedures. ⋯ NCT01136590.
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Observational Study
Measuring acute postoperative pain using the visual analog scale: the minimal clinically important difference and patient acceptable symptom state.
The 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS) score is widely used to measure pain intensity after surgery. Despite this widespread use, it is unclear what constitutes the minimal clinically important difference (MCID); that is, what minimal change in score would indicate a meaningful change in a patient's pain status. ⋯ Analgesic interventions that provide a change of 10 for the 100 mm pain VAS signify a clinically important improvement or deterioration, and a VAS of 33 or less signifies acceptable pain control (i.e. a responder), after surgery.