Articles: postoperative-pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Postoperative pain control with methadone following lower abdominal surgery.
To describe a technique for the use of methadone during and following lower abdominal surgery that integrates its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties with the objective of postoperative analgesia; to compare methadone with morphine for postoperative pain control. ⋯ Sustained analgesia with methadone is predicted by its pharmacokinetics. Patients who received 22 +/- 2.9 mg of IV methadone (combined intraoperative and recovery room doses) reported less pain and required minimal additional analgesic over the next 72 hours than did patients who received morphine. This is consistent with sustained therapeutic plasma levels due to methadone's long plasma half-life (54 +/- 20 hours). Use of methadone in this manner is an effective therapy for postoperative pain control and is not associated with toxicity or notable side effects.
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Mar 1991
Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial[Addition of fentanyl to mepivacaine in axillary brachial plexus block. Effects on the anesthetic and postoperative analgesic quality].
The possible potentiating effect of phentanyl on mepivacaine in brachial plexus blockade was evaluated, both for operative anesthesia and postoperative analgesia. Sixty ASA I patients, scheduled for upper limb surgery, were selected and distributed in 3 groups: 1) Mepivacaine 1% 40 ml (control group); 2) Mepivacaine 1% 40 ml + phentanyl 100 micrograms; 3) Mepivacaine 1% 40 ml + subcutaneous phentanyl 100 micrograms. The latency time and the quality of anesthesia were evaluated. ⋯ There were no significant differences between the 3 groups in the latency times of the development of blockade nor in the quality of surgical anesthesia. Also, there were no significant differences in the duration of postoperative analgesia (307, 316 and 326 minutes, respectively, in each group). It was concluded that the addition of phentanyl 100 micrograms to the local anesthetic in the axillary blockade of the brachial plexus does not change the anesthetic characteristics nor the time of postoperative analgesia.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Mar 1991
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe effect of muscle-sparing versus standard posterolateral thoracotomy on pulmonary function, muscle strength, and postoperative pain.
Increased interest in alternative approaches to thoracotomy has developed because of the considerable morbidity associated with the standard posterolateral technique. We conducted a prospective, randomized, blinded study of 50 consecutive patients to compare postoperative pain, pulmonary function, shoulder strength, and range of shoulder motion between the standard posterolateral and the muscle sparing thoracotomy techniques. Pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in 1 second and forced vital capacity), shoulder strength, and range of motion were measured preoperatively and at 1 week and 1 month postoperatively. ⋯ Morbidity was identical in the two groups with the exception of postoperative seromas. The prevalence of seroma was 23% in the muscle-sparing group and 0% in the standard incision group (p = 0.0125). We have demonstrated that the muscle-sparing incision may be a reasonable alternative to the standard posterolateral approach.
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This report describes the case of an 80-year-old woman with a long history of chronic, stable angina pectoris who underwent resection of an abdominal aortic aneurysm and placement of an aortobifemoral bypass graft under a combination of epidural and general anesthesia. Epidural morphine was administered postoperatively for pain management. The patient suffered a massive myocardial infarction (MI) in the immediate postoperative period but experienced no chest pain or discomfort similar to her usual anginal symptoms. The use of epidural and spinal opioids in the treatment of anginal pain is reviewed and discussed in terms of the possibility that such epidural opioid therapy may have masked this patient's anginal symptoms.
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In the last decade, nurses and physicians have increasingly recognized the importance of eliminating postoperative pain in speeding a patient's recovery after surgery. In an effort to improve postoperative pain management, many regional anesthetic techniques have been continued from the operating room to the recovery room, and into the intensive care and medical-surgical units. The methods have been shown to be superior to traditional modes of postoperative pain relief. ⋯ To provide optimum care, nurses must be well-versed in the different regional techniques employed and the drugs used with these techniques. They must recognize complications attributable to these procedures and the toxic potential of the local anesthetics and narcotics. Early detection of these complications is essential.