Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Evaluation of intercostal cryoanalgesia versus conventional analgesia in postthoracotomy pain.
The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of cryoanalgesia in patients undergoing posterolateral thoracotomy. A double-blind randomized and prospective study was performed in 100 patients undergoing thoracotomy. They were randomized into two groups: Group A, 55 patients, who had undergone an intercostal cryoanalgesia and group B, control, 45 patients treated only with pharmacological analgesia ad libitum. ⋯ Maximal static inspiratory pressure (PImax) showed no significant changes and no significant differences were found between the two groups. Maximal static expiratory pressure (PEmax) significantly decreased (p < 0.001) in the 1st and 2nd week and it was not related to the type of analgesia used. We advocate the use of cryoanalgesia since it significantly reduces pain as well as the doses of analgesia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Evaluation of the use of three different devices for nocturnal oxygen therapy in COPD patients.
To determine whether transtracheal catheter and reservoir nasal cannula contribute to maintaining adequate oxygen saturation during sleep, and to calculate the oxygen saving they allow compared to nasal prongs. ⋯ The oxymizer device and transtracheal oxygen delivery benefit hypoxemic COPD patients reducing oxygen use during sleep by around 50%. Higher PaO2 levels were necessary to prevent nocturnal SaO2 decreases in patients with nasal prongs than in patients with transtracheal oxygen delivery. Oxygen-conserving devices are reliable and advisable methods for nocturnal oxygenation.