Masui. The Japanese journal of anesthesiology
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The efficacy and safety of postoperative analgesia with continuous epidural infusion of either morphine or fentanyl in combination with a low dose of bupivacaine were evaluated in 205 patients after upper abdominal surgery. Each patient was given bupivacaine alone (0.125% or 0.25%) or one of six combinations; 0.25%, 0.125%, or 0.0625% bupivacaine with morphine (M: 10 micrograms.ml-1) or fentanyl (F: 1 microgram.ml-1). After injection of 6 ml of each solution at the end of surgery, continuous epidural infusion was started at a rate of 4.2 ml.hr-1 for 48 hr. ⋯ Regarding the plasma catecholamines measured 24 hr after the surgery, there was no significant change in fentanyl groups as well as in the group given 0.125% bupivacaine alone. Although the incidence of hypotension and pruritus was slightly higher in morphine groups, no patient developed respiratory depression. It is suggested, therefore, that a small dose of opioid should be added when continuous epidural infusion is required.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
[A multicenter study for evaluating a new intubating laryngeal mask airway].
A multicenter study was performed to evaluate the success of endotracheal intubation using an intubating laryngeal mask (ILM, Fastrach) in patients in ASA status I or II, aged 20 years or more, who underwent general anesthesia. A total of 191 patients were studied, and 24 of them were estimated difficult to intubate by the ordinary method with laryngoscope. Endotracheal intubation was successfully performed through ILM in 162 of the 191 (success rate of 84.8%). ⋯ The success rate did not depend on the clinical experience of anesthesiologists, and the individual success rate was improved as they became more experienced. Of the 24 patients who had been estimated difficult to intubate with laryngoscope, 23 were successfully intubated with success rate of 95.8%. In summary, endotracheal intubation through ILM was easy regardless of the anesthesiologist's experience, and seemed to be valuable for patients who were difficult to intubate.
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From January 1992 to December 1997, 13 parturients with cerebrovascular diseases had childbirth at our institution. Among them, 8 patients received anesthesia for delivery. Five patients had a history of ruptured arteriovenous malformation (AVM), cerebral aneurysm, or intraventricular bleeding due to moyamoya disease, and they had radical operations. ⋯ The eighth patient experienced severe headache followed by loss of consciousness caused by ruptured AVM, and required an emergency operation. Simultaneous cesarean section and craniotomy were performed at another hospital. Intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) occurred, but mother survived.
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In five depressive patients associated with chronic pain, the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for pain relief was evaluated retrospectively. In all of the patients treatment with tricyclic antidepressant medication was not successful, but ECT alleviated or diminished the chronic pain associated with depression. It seems that ECT as a treatment for chronic pain in patients with depression should be taken into consideration in cases in which other treatments have failed.
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Clinical Trial
[Safety of continuous epidural anesthesia during heart surgery--change of coagulation-fibrinolysis under heparinization].
To confirm the safety of continuous epidural anesthesia during extracorporeal circulation under heparinization, we investigated epidural hematoma formation following the cardiopulmonary bypass in both humans and dogs. In fifteen dogs, divided into three groups, heparin was administered at the dose of 300, 600, or 900 U.kg-1, respectively. ⋯ Although blood coagulation-fibrinolysis dropped into abnormal ranges following heparinization, no epidural hematoma was observed in dog and no patient revealed spinal complication associated with epidural hematoma. These data indicate that continuous epidural anesthesia would be a safe tool for intraoperative anesthesia even during extracorporeal circulation under heparinization.