Articles: pain-clinics.
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Quality assurance is increasingly important in the current health care climate. An electronic database can be used for tracking patient information and as a research tool to provide quality assurance for patient care. ⋯ The electronic database was found to be relevant and functional for the identified goals of data storage and research.
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The activity of a paediatric chronic pain clinic is described. The author highlight the importance of the first visit of the child with its parents, and of a multidisciplinary approach adapted to the child's individual needs.
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Pain control in children is still a therapeutic dilemma. Preschool patients are affected from undesirable effects of postoperative pain more than adults. Tonsillectomy is associated with a high incidence of postoperative pain, not only complicating the recovery, but also delaying patients discharge. ⋯ The study demonstrated that the both subcutaneous and intravenous injections of ketamine, at the end of the operation, were safe and effective for post-tonsillectomy pain control. Ketamine reduced postoperative analgesic medications consumption without increasing the risk of complications.
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The effect of adding clonidine to local anesthetics for nerve or plexus blocks remains unclear. Most of the studies in adults have demonstrated the positive effects of clonidine on intra- and postoperative analgesia when used as an adjunctive agent or in some cases as a single to regional techniques. In the pediatric population, there are only few trials involving clonidine as an adjunct to regional anesthesia, and the analgesic benefits are not definite in this group of patients. The evidence concerning perineural administration of clonidine is so far inconclusive in children, as different types and volume of local anesthetic agents have been used in these studies. Moreover, the efficacy of regional anesthesia is largely affected by the operator's technique, accuracy and severity of operation. ⋯ Clonidine appears promising more as an adjuvant in 0.2% ropivacaine and less than alone in the SLPB plus femoral block in children undergoing mild to moderate painful foot surgery, with no side effects.
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Interscalene block (ISB) is commonly performed using 20-40 mL of local anesthetic. Spread to adjacent structures and consequent adverse effects including paralysis of the ipsilateral hemidiaphragm are frequent. Pain ratings, analgesic requirements, adverse events, satisfaction, function and diaphragmatic excursion were compared following interscalene block (ISB) with reduced initial bolus volumes. ⋯ ISB provided reliable surgical analgesia with 5 mL, 10 mL or 20 mL ropivacaine (0.75%). The 20 mL volume was associated with increased complaints of dyspnea. The 5 mL volume was associated with statistically higher pain scores in the immediate postoperative period. Lower volumes resulted in a reduced incidence of dyspnea compared to 20 mL, however diaphragmatic impairment was not eliminated. Compensatory increases in contralateral diaphragmatic movement may explain tolerance for ipsilateral paresis.