Minerva anestesiologica
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jul 2012
Editorial CommentTo sleep or not to sleep, that is the question.
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Little is known about current use of neuromuscular blocking agents by Italian anesthetists. This paper reports the results of a survey conducted to obtain information about current management of neuromuscular block in Italy. ⋯ Clinical signs are used by most of the Italian anesthetists to assess the recovery from neuromuscular blockade. There is poor awareness about their inability to indicate even a significant degree of residual neuromuscular block. A more extensive use of quantitative instrumental monitoring is required for the more rational use of neuromuscular blocking agents.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jul 2012
Pain-related middle-latency somatosensory evoked potentials in the prognosis of post anoxic coma: a preliminary report.
Regarding hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, while the bilateral absence of N20/P25 somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) is considered to be the best indicator of adverse outcomes, the presence of middle latency evoked potentials (MLCEPs) is associated with a favourable neurological prognosis. The main aim of the present study was to investigate whether painful electrical stimulation might be considered a provocative test in producing MLCEPs and predictor of patient's outcomes after cardiac arrest. ⋯ These preliminary data suggest that MLCEPs elicited by painful electrical stimulation seem to be a sensitive method to predict the neurological outcome of patients in the acute phase of coma. Blood pressure response might be a prognostic physiological measure of survival in the vegetative state in patients without N20/P25 SEPs.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jun 2012
Meta AnalysisThe efficacy of NMDA receptor antagonists for preventing remifentanil-induced increase in postoperative pain and analgesic requirement: a meta-analysis.
Meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the preventive effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists on remifentanil-induced increase in postoperative pain and analgesic requirement in patients. ⋯ These data do not support the use of NMDA receptor antagonists, ketamine and magnesium sulfate to prevent the development of remifentanil-induced postoperative hyperalgesia and tolerance.