The European journal of surgery = Acta chirurgica
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Efficacy of subcutaneous and topical local anaesthesia for pain relief after resection of malignant breast tumours.
Infiltration and topical application of local anaesthetics close to the surgical wound may be used to prevent postoperative pain. We evaluated the efficacy of these treatments after breast surgery for cancer. ⋯ Difference and time related patterns in pain scores measured on a visual analogue scale (VAS), and morphine consumption. RESULTS. None of the local anaesthetics significantly reduced the VAS score or morphine consumption. However, fewer patients in the anaesthetic groups had high VAS scores than controls, the 75 centile for the mean score after operation being 2.7, 2.0 and 2.1 for the controls, infiltration, and topical anaesthetic groups, respectively. The controls had higher scores from 6 hours postoperatively onwards. The corresponding median morphine consumption was 24.5, 18.5, and 16.2 mg. CONCLUSIONS. Local anaesthesia slightly reduced the overall pain scores and the morphine consumption, but was of potential clinical value only in the patients who had the highest pain scores.
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To report the incidence, range of injury, medical consequences, and mortality of pedestrians in collisions with motor vehicles in Sweden. ⋯ The number of pedestrians in collisions with motor vehicles is low in Sweden. Injuries to the extremities were commonest, followed by injuries to the head and neck. Old people were most likely to be injured and 5% of the patients treated in hospital died.