Anesthesiology
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Oxygen reverses deficits of cognitive function and memory and increased heart rate induced by acute severe isovolemic anemia.
Erythrocytes are transfused to improve oxygen delivery and prevent or treat inadequate oxygenation of tissues. Acute isovolemic anemia subtly slows human data processing and degrades memory, increases heart rate, and decreases self-assessed energy level. Erythrocyte transfusion is efficacious in reversing these effects of acute anemia. We tested the hypothesis that increasing arterial oxygen pressure (Pao2) to 350 mmHg or greater would supply sufficient oxygen to be equivalent to augmenting hemoglobin concentration by 2-3 g/dl and thus reverse the effects of acute anemia. ⋯ The authors confirmed that acute isovolemic anemia subtly slows human reaction time, degrades memory, increases heart rate, and decreases energy level. The findings of this study support the hypothesis that increasing Pao2 to 350 mmHg or greater by breathing oxygen reverses all of these effects of acute anemia except for decreased energy.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Analgesic effects of intravenous lidocaine and morphine on postamputation pain: a randomized double-blind, active placebo-controlled, crossover trial.
Phantom and stump pains, common sequelae of limb amputations, are significant impediments to rehabilitation of amputees. The pathophysiology and optimal treatment of postamputation pain states are unclear. While stump pain may result from neuromas in the stump, phantom pain is thought to be related to cortical reorganization. The authors hypothesized that morphine and lidocaine may have differential effectiveness on stump and phantom pains. ⋯ Stump pain was diminished both by morphine and lidocaine, while phantom pain was diminished only by morphine, suggesting that the mechanisms and pharmacological sensitivity of stump and phantom pains are different.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effects of dexamethasone on intravascular and extravascular fluid balance in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.
Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass is often associated with postoperative hemodynamic instability. In this regard beneficial effects of corticosteroids are known. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether these effects are due mainly to a modification of the intravascular and extravascular volume status or whether a more direct improvement of cardiovascular performance by corticosteroids is the underlying mechanism. ⋯ Extravascular fluid but not extravascular lung water is increased in patients after surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Pretreatment of adult patients with 1 mg/kg-1 dexamethasone before coronary bypass grafting decreases extravascular fluid gain and seems to improve postoperative cardiovascular performance. This effect is not caused by a better intravascular volume status.