Regional anesthesia
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Regional anesthesia · Sep 1995
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialDouble-blind randomized evaluation of intercostal nerve blocks as an adjuvant to subarachnoid administered morphine for post-thoracotomy analgesia.
Thoracotomy is associated with pain and compromised pulmonary function. Intercostal nerve blocks (INB) and subarachnoid morphine (SM) act on different portions of the pain pathway. Each is effective for post-thoracotomy pain relief. The combination of these two modalities in relieving post-thoracotomy pain and improving postoperative pulmonary function has not been investigated. ⋯ Although postoperative INB provided modest improvements in pain and pulmonary function when used as an adjuvant to 0.5 mg SM for post-thoracotomy analgesia, the benefits were transient. The authors do not recommend adding INB for patients undergoing lateral thoracotomy who receive 0.5 mg SM.
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Regional anesthesia · Sep 1995
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialPain relief for thoracotomy. Comparison of morphine requirements using an extrapleural infusion of bupivacaine.
The effectiveness of a continuous infusion of extrapleural bupivacaine for relief of postoperative pain was assessed in patients undergoing posterolateral thoracotomy under general anesthesia by comparing morphine requirements. ⋯ Continuous extrapleural infusion of bupivacaine through unkinkable catheters sited during thoracotomy resulted in decreased intravenous patient-controlled analgesia use and decreased verbal categoric pain scores at rest and during movement.
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Regional anesthesia · Sep 1995
Comparative StudyChronic subarachnoid midazolam (Dormicum) in the rat. Morphologic evidence of spinal cord neurotoxicity.
In humans, the benzodiazepine midazolam has been reported to exert an antinociceptive action after subarachnoid injections. It has been shown that subarachnoid midazolam given to rabbits produces significant pathology in spinal cord morphology, as detected with light microscopy. In order to further characterize these changes, this study was performed, using a more sensitive histologic technique, including electron microscopy as well as unbiased morphometry. ⋯ The authors found that chronic subarachnoid administration of midazolam gives objective signs of neurotoxicity in the rat spinal cord. The authors' findings are in contrast to those of an earlier light microscopic study in the rat. The present results emphasize both the necessity of morphometric and ultrastructural studies before spinal administration of novel drugs to humans and the neurotoxic potential of midazolam. Since neurotoxicity of midazolam now has been demonstrated in both rats and rabbits, there may be reason to be sceptical of the use of subarachnoid midazolam in humans.
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Regional anesthesia · Sep 1995
Case ReportsEpidural analgesia in a preeclamptic parturient after normalization of a prolonged bleeding time with DDAVP.
Despite several advantages to the use of epidural analgesia for the management of labor pain in preeclamptic parturients, this procedure is withheld from many such patients owing to associated thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction. ⋯ Preeclampsia-induced platelet dysfunction might be corrected with DDAVP: A controlled study is required before its routine use can be advocated.