Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · May 2004
Review Comparative StudyPostoperative cognitive function as an outcome of regional anesthesia and analgesia.
It has been suggested that intraoperative neuraxial (spinal, epidural) anesthesia may decrease postoperative cognitive dysfunction when compared with general anesthesia, but the issue remains controversial. We systematically reviewed the data from published studies to determine the effect of intraoperative neuraxial anesthesia versus general anesthesia on postoperative cognitive dysfunction and delirium. ⋯ The use of intraoperative neuraxial anesthesia does not appear to decrease the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction when compared with general anesthesia. There are methodologic and study-design issues present in many studies, and further elucidation of the pathophysiology of postoperative cognitive dysfunction may provide a direction for future studies.
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Baclofen is a GABA(B) agonist that is administered spinally via an implanted drug delivery device to treat spasticity. It has been shown to have powerful antinociceptive effects in experimental animal models at doses that produce little or no motor-blocking effects but has rarely been used as a spinal analgesic agent in patients without spasticity. ⋯ To date, only 3 studies have shown it to be effective in patients with peripheral nociceptive or neuropathic pain mechanisms. Combinations of baclofen and morphine or clonidine are more effective than each drug alone in clinical as well as animal studies.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · May 2004
Comparative StudyElectrophysiologic effect of injectates on peripheral nerve stimulation.
A small volume of local anesthetic or normal saline abolishes the muscle twitch induced by a 1ow current (0.5 mA) during electrolocation. This study examines the hypothesis that the mechanism of this phenomenon is primarily the electrophysiologic effect of the injectate on the electrical current density at the needle tip. ⋯ The injection of a conducting solution (i.e., NS) rendered the current that was previously sufficient to elicit a motor response (0.5 mA) ineffective. The most likely reason for this change is that the conductive area surrounding the stimulating needle expanded after the injection and dispersion of the conducting solution (i.e., NS), thereby reducing the current density at the target nerve. This effect can be reversed by injecting a nonconducting solution (i.e., D5W) via the stimulating needle.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · May 2004
Percutaneous electrode guidance using the insulated needle for prelocation of peripheral nerves during axillary plexus blocks.
Short reports have noted that percutaneous prelocation is helpful in determining the anatomic course of a peripheral nerve, and, thereby, may serve as a guide for block needle insertion. We prospectively studied percutaneous electrode guidance to assist axillary brachial plexus blocks. ⋯ Percutaneous electrode guidance using the insulated needle enabled clinicians to locate the terminal branches of the plexus in the axilla and appreciate their depth. This method could, therefore, minimize patient discomfort and perhaps the risk of nerve trauma.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · May 2004
Case ReportsThe use of cervical paravertebral block as the sole anesthetic for shoulder surgery in a morbid patient: a case report.
The purpose of this case report is to describe the use of the cervical paravertebral block as the sole anesthetic for shoulder surgery in a patient unable to tolerate general anesthesia. Recent literature describes the continuous cervical paravertebral block as an effective alternative to the interscalene block for the management of postoperative pain after shoulder surgery. ⋯ Continuous cervical paravertebral block provided excellent surgical conditions and postoperative pain relief for this patient and allowed gradual and intermittent dosing of the catheter and continuous assessment of the anesthetic impact on respiratory function.