Canadian Anaesthetists' Society journal
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Epidural ketamine for postoperative analgesia.
Thirty-four patients of ASA physical status I or II scheduled for gall bladder surgery were studied in a comparative prospective trial to evaluate the efficacy of epidural and intramuscular ketamine for postoperative pain relief. They were divided randomly into three groups. Group I (11 patients) received 30 mg intramuscular ketamine. ⋯ Four patients who received epidural ketamine complained of transient burning pain in the back during injection. No patient developed respiratory depression, psychic disturbance, cardiovascular instability, bladder dysfunction or neurologic deficit. It is concluded that 30 mg epidural ketamine is a safe and effective method for postoperative analgesia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Fentanyl-oxygen versus fentanyl-N2O/oxygen anaesthesia in children undergoing cardiac surgery.
Fentanyl-oxygen (fentanyl-O2) anaesthesia was compared to fentanyl-nitrous oxide/oxygen (fentanyl-N2O/O2) anaesthesia in 14 children undergoing cardiac surgery. Children were randomly assigned to one of the two techniques studied, with seven patients in each group. The mean age (mean +/- SE) was 3.9 +/- 0.75 years (0.5-8.25 years) and mean weight 14.7 +/- 2 kg (3.5-29.5 kg). ⋯ Similar phenomena were not documented in the fentanyl-N2O/O2 group. Our studies suggest that fentanyl-O2 anaesthesia in the schedule described, in children undergoing elective cardiac surgery for Tetralogy of Fallot, A-V canal, and transposition of the great arteries, is not sufficient to prevent elevation in systolic blood pressure despite fentanyl plasma concentrations in excess of 20 ng X ml-1. The addition of nitrous oxide prevents this phenomenon.
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A study was conducted to measure the pressure in the middle ear in healthy children, following nitrous oxide anaesthesia. Premedication with chloral hydrate and scopolamine orally was similar in all patients and awake patients received thiopentone 4-5 mg X kg-1 for induction of anaesthesia. ⋯ All patients developed negative pressure in one or both ears in the first day following anaesthesia. This is a higher incidence than previously reported and may be explained by the inability of children to equilibrate negative middle ear pressure via the eustachian tube.
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The effects of anaesthetic agents, per se, on the asphyxiated foetus are difficult to quantitate clinically. Anaesthesia is often necessary in foetal distress, however, to effect a rapid delivery. To investigate the effect of general anaesthetic agents commonly used for Caesarean section we administered these agents to 18 chronically prepared pregnant ewes with asphyxiated foetuses in utero. ⋯ There were no significant differences between Groups B and C in foetal pH, PCO2, or PO2. Two foetuses in the nitrous oxide group died after ten minutes of anesthesia, but the aetiology of the sudden demise is unclear. We conclude that general anaesthesia abolishes the foetal response to umbilical cord occlusion and does not improve foetal oxygenation or acid-base status.