Annales chirurgiae et gynaecologiae
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The methods of providing postoperative analgesia by regional anaesthetic techniques with local anaesthetics are outlined. For the use of epidural analgesia, the techniques of inserting an epidural catheter at any level of the spine must be familiar. The block should be regional, restricted to the area of pain and effective at all times after its institution with a minimum of side effects. ⋯ A dose regimen for thoracic, abdominal, perineal and lower extremity pain is presented. Side effects of the epidural technique and ways to treat and avoid them are discussed. The intercostal nerve block for post-thoracotomy and upper abdominal pain is described with special reference to the recent development of the continuous technique with bupivacaine and the cryoanalgesia technique.
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The clinical course and outcome of 49 consecutive near-drowned patients is presented. All the immersions occurred in fresh water. 37 patients (76%) survived. All 28 patients who were conscious upon admission to hospital recovered fully. ⋯ Among unconscious patients, the non-survivors had on arrival an average lower rectal temperature than the survivors. The following factors during intensive care correlated with bad prognosis: low PaO2/FiO2, low serum protein concentration and disturbances in renal function. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest that although a specific near-drowned patient has on admission most abnormal laboratory values, these do not predict his fate, but effective treatment has to be given.
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Emergency obstetric subtotal hysterectomy was performed in 11 women over a 20-year period in the University Central Hospital of Tampere. The incidence of these operations was 1 in 7,623 deliveries. ⋯ There were no maternal deaths or major complications. The authors recommend safe subtotal hysterectomy operation of choice in these emergency cases.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Prophylaxis against pulmonary complications in patients undergoing gall-bladder surgery. A comparison between early mobilization, physiotherapy with and without bronchodilatation.
A random comparison of early mobilization and chest physiotherapy (mainly breathing exercises) with or without bronchodilatating inhalations for prophylaxis against pulmonary complications in patients undergoing elective gall-bladder surgery is presented. The operation was performed with a subcostal incision and peroperatively, intercostal nerve block was administered. ⋯ Thus early mobilization was as effective in our study as the other prophylactic treatments. In patients without pulmonary disease perhaps early mobilization and efficient analgesia after surgery is as effective as more resource demanding physiotherapy for prophylaxis against postoperative pulmonary complications.