Best practice & research. Clinical anaesthesiology
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2023
ReviewIntrathecal drug delivery in the management of chronic pain.
Targeted intrathecal drug delivery (TIDD) has the objective of bringing the drug(s) close to the receptors influencing pain modulation, and thus reducing the dose and the side effects. Intrathecal drug delivery knew its real start with the development of permanent implantation of intrathecal and epidural catheters, combined with internal or external ports, reservoirs, and programmable pumps. TIDD is a valuable treatment for patients with cancer suffering refractory pain. ⋯ Only two drugs are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for TIDD administration for chronic pain: morphine and ziconotide as monotherapy. In pain management, off-label use of medication and combination therapy is often reported. The specific action of the intrathecal drugs, the efficacy and safety, is described, as well as the modalities for trialing intrathecal drug delivery and the implantation methods.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2023
ReviewIntrathecal opioids for the management of post-operative pain.
Intrathecal opioids are highly effective in the management of post-operative pain. The technique is simple with a very low risk of technical failure or complications, and it does not require additional training or expensive equipment such as ultrasound machines and, therefore, is widely practised around the world. The high-quality pain relief is not associated with sensory, motor or autonomic deficits. ⋯ With these dose reductions, the risks have decreased; current evidence shows that the risk of the much-feared respiratory depression with low-dose ITM (up to 150 mcg) is no greater than that with systemic opioids used in routine clinical practice. Patients receiving low-dose ITM can be nursed in regular surgical wards. The monitoring recommendations from societies such as the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA), the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine and the American Society of Anesthesiologists need to be updated so that the requirements for extended or continuous monitoring at postoperative care units (PACUs), step-down units, high-dependency units, and intensive care units can be eliminated, thereby reducing additional costs and inconvenience and making this simple, versatile and highly effective analgesia technique available to a wider patient population in resource-limited settings.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2023
ReviewContinuous spinal technique in surgery and obstetrics.
Continuous Spinal Anaesthesia (CSA) technique has all the advantages of single-shot spinal anaesthesia with the added benefit of prolonging the duration of anaesthesia. CSA has been used as a primary method of anaesthesia as an alternative to general anaesthesia in high-risk and elderly patients for various elective and emergency surgical procedures involving the abdomen, lower limbs, and vascular surgeries. ⋯ This article includes a description of CSA technique compared to other contemporary central neuraxial blocks. It also discusses the perioperative applications of CSA for different surgical and obstetrics procedures, advantages, disadvantages, complications, problems, and pointers on how to perform the technique safely.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2023
ReviewSpinal anaesthesia in children: A narrative review.
Spinal anaesthesia is an established and frequently used anaesthetic technique in adults. However, this versatile regional anaesthetic technique is less frequently used in paediatric anaesthesia even though it can be used for minor (e.g. inguinal hernia repair) and major (e.g. cardiac surgery) surgical procedures. The aim of this narrative review was to summarize the current literature with regard to technical aspects, surgical context, choice of drugs, potential complications, as well as the effects of the neuroendocrine surgical stress response and potential long-term effects of anaesthesia during infancy. In summary, spinal anaesthesia represents a valid alternative in the paediatric anaesthesia setting also.
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Postdural puncture headache (PDPH) may develop after an unintended (accidental) dural puncture, after deliberate dural puncture for spinal anaesthesia or during diagnostic dural punctures performed by other medical specialties. PDPH may sometimes be predictable (patient characteristics, inexperienced operator or co-morbidities), is almost never immediately evident during the procedure, and sometimes presents late, after discharge. ⋯ Failure of EBP after the first attempt is not uncommon, and major complications may occur but are rare. In the current review of the literature, we discuss the pathophysiology, diagnosis, prevention and management of PDPH following accidental or intended dural puncture, and present possible therapeutic options for the future.