Articles: general-anesthesia.
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Comparative Study
Somatosensory and auditory evoked responses recorded simultaneously: differential effects of nitrous oxide and isoflurane.
Auditory (AER) and somatosensory evoked responses (SSER) were recorded simultaneously in eight patients under anaesthesia before surgery. We studied the effects of equi-MAC end-expiratory concentrations of isoflurane (0.65-0.75%) and nitrous oxide (60-65%). The anaesthetics were changed at random in three consecutive 10-min periods so that each patient received both drugs. ⋯ We were unable to demonstrate significant differences in Pa and Nb amplitude between isoflurane and nitrous oxide that we had seen previously. However, the amplitude of the SSER wave N20 was reduced significantly by nitrous oxide compared with isoflurane (P = 0.0004). This wave (N20) is thought to emanate from the thalamo-cortical radiations, and our findings may be explained by an analgesic effect of nitrous oxide mediated by endogenous opioids.
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J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. · May 1992
Biography Historical ArticleDr Horace Wells: the discoverer of general anesthesia.
The discovery of anesthesia in the second quarter of the 19th century was one of the greatest advances in the history of medicine. This discovery has been variously attributed to Long, Wells, Morton, Jackson, and others. In this article, the authors place in perspective the role each of these men has played. The conclusion is that to Wells belongs the singular honor and title of discoverer.
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A frequent dilemma facing the anaesthetist is the child with respiratory tract symptoms. The risks of anaesthesia and surgery in these patients have not been clearly established. ⋯ Two of the children had absent clinical signs, whilst the third had a normal chest X ray. However, during surgery and anaesthesia each child developed significant pulmonary collapse, associated with desaturation on oximetry.
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We have investigated the pharmacological basis of CNS excitation that occurs in association with general anaesthesia in mice. Propofol produced sustained clonic movements during anaesthesia. Methohexitone produced intermittent non-rhythmic jerking during anaesthesia. ⋯ Bicuculline did not affect either behaviour or EEG with any of the anaesthetic drugs. Our data show that methohexitone and propofol produced CNS excitation, while pentobarbitone and ethanol did not. We propose that the pharmacological basis of this excitation may be glycine antagonism occurring in subcortical structures.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Intraoperative warming therapies: a comparison of three devices.
To compare the effectiveness of three commonly used intraoperative warming devices. ⋯ The forced-air warmer applied to only a limited skin surface area transferred more heat and was clinically more effective (at maintaining central body temperature) than were the other devices. The characteristic early decrease in central temperature observed in all groups regardless of warming therapy is consistent with the theory of anesthetic-induced heat redistribution within the body.