Articles: analgesia.
-
Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is a well-established technique for the relief of acute and chronic pain. It is widely used in Western hospitals. ⋯ The considerable potential difficulties in communication and education appear to have been overcome. The widespread introduction of PCA in all our hospitals would appear to be feasible.
-
Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Jan 1992
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEpidural bupivacaine, sufentanil or the combination for post-thoracotomy pain.
Analgesia with epidural bupivacaine, sufentanil or the combination was studied in 50 patients who had undergone thoracotomy. During operation all patients received an initial dose of bupivacaine 0.5% with adrenaline 5 micrograms.ml-1 (5-10 ml) by thoracic epidural catheter. One hour later the patients were divided into three groups: the bupivacaine group (bupivacaine 0.125%), the sufentanil group (50 micrograms sufentanil in 60 ml normal saline) and the combination group (50 micrograms sufentanil in 60 ml bupivacaine 0.125%). ⋯ The sufentanil group had much better pain scores, but on exercise these patients experienced more pain than the combination group. The combination group had, overall, better pain scores. In the combination group, there were better respiratory results.