Kaohsiung J Med Sci
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Kaohsiung J Med Sci · Jun 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyTramadol versus low dose tramadol-paracetamol for patient controlled analgesia during spinal vertebral surgery.
Pain intensity may be high in the postoperative period after spinal vertebral surgery. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness and cost of patient controlled analgesia (PCA) with tramadol versus low dose tramadol-paracetamol on postoperative pain. A total of 60 patients were randomly divided into two groups. ⋯ The number of side effects, additional analgesic requirement and the total dose of tramadol were lower in Group P than in Group T. However, the total cost of postoperative analgesics was significantly higher in Group P than in Group T (p < 0.001). We conclude that PCA using tramadol-paracetamol could be used safely for postoperative pain relief after spinal vertebral surgery, although at a higher cost than with tramadol alone.
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Kaohsiung J Med Sci · Jun 2010
Case ReportsAlexithymia associated with bilateral globus pallidus lesions after carbon monoxide poisoning.
Alexithymia refers to a person's inability to identify and describe feelings. We present a patient who developed alexithymia after carbon monoxide poisoning following a suicide attempt by burning charcoal in an enclosed space. ⋯ The alexithymia in this patient did not respond to a variety of psychotropic drugs, including sertraline, venalfaxine, bupropion or methylphenidate. We suggest that alexithymia, which was associated with brain hypoxic lesions in this case, is resistant to treatment.