Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2015
The Effect of Clinically Therapeutic Plasma Concentrations of Lidocaine on Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity.
Natural killer (NK) cells can induce death in cancer cells. Previous studies suggest that lidocaine may decrease the function of NK cells. However, it is unknown whether lower concentrations of lidocaine, usually found in patients managed with continuous infusions, also impair the function of NK cells. We hypothesized that lidocaine at low concentrations preserves the function of NK cells. ⋯ Our findings suggest that clinically relevant concentrations of lidocaine enhance the in vitro function of NK cells via the release of lytic granules.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2015
A Wearable Epidural Catheter Infusion System for Patients With Intractable Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension.
Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is an important cause of secondary headaches, and most patients respond well to epidural blood patching or direct repair of the underlying spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak. However, options are limited for those patients who have exhausted these traditional treatments, especially when spinal imaging is normal. We describe a wearable epidural catheter infusion system for patients with intractable spontaneous intracranial hypotension. ⋯ This wearable epidural catheter infusion system showed promising efficacy results but the high rate of complications limits its use to a very select group of patients.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2015
Letter Case ReportsImpairment of sciatic nerve function during adductor canal block.