Anesthesiology
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Roughly, 10% of elderly patients develop postoperative cognitive dysfunction. General anesthesia impairs spatial memory in aged rats, but the mechanism is not known. Hippocampal neurogenesis affects spatial learning and memory in rats, and isoflurane affects neurogenesis in neonatal and young adult rats. We tested the hypothesis that isoflurane impairs neurogenesis and hippocampal function in aged rats. ⋯ In aged rats, isoflurane does not affect brain cell death, hippocampal neurogenesis, or long-term neurocognitive outcome.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Continuous peripheral nerve blocks: is local anesthetic dose the only factor, or do concentration and volume influence infusion effects as well?
The main determinant of continuous peripheral nerve block effects--local anesthetic concentration and volume or simply total drug dose--remains unknown. ⋯ For continuous posterior lumbar plexus blocks, local anesthetic concentration and volume do not influence nerve block characteristics, suggesting that local anesthetic dose (mass) is the primary determinant of perineural infusion effects.
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The prevalence of cigarette smoking in China is high. Surgery provides an excellent opportunity for patients to quit smoking, and anesthesiologists can play an important role in tobacco control. However, little is known about the practices, knowledge, and attitudes of Chinese anesthesiologists regarding perioperative tobacco interventions. ⋯ Given their adequate knowledge of health risks of smoking, strong perception of responsibilities, and willingness to participate in tobacco control, Chinese anesthesiologists are poised to play a significant role in tobacco control in China that could improve perioperative outcomes and promote long-term health.
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Paclitaxel is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug for breast and ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, it induces neuropathic pain, which is a dose-limiting side effect. Free radicals have been implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases. The current study tests the hypothesis that a free radical scavenger plays an important role in reducing chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain. ⋯ This study clearly shows that PBN alleviated mechanical allodynia induced by paclitaxel in rats. Furthermore, our data show that PBN given on days 7 through 15 after the first paclitaxel injection prevented the development of chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain. This clearly has a clinical implication.