Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical TrialA randomized, double-blinded study of remifentanil versus fentanyl for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy surgery in pediatric ambulatory surgical patients.
We compared, in a double-blinded manner, the anesthetic maintenance and recovery properties of remifentanil with a clinically comparable fentanyl-based anesthetic technique in pediatric ambulatory surgical patients. Anesthesia was induced with either halothane or sevoflurane and nitrous oxide and oxygen. Patients were randomized (computer generated) to receive either remifentanil or fentanyl in a blinded syringe with nitrous oxide and oxygen in one of four possibilities: halothane/remifentanil, halothane/fentanyl, sevoflurane/remifentanil or sevoflurane/fentanyl. In patients receiving remifentanil, a placebo bolus was administered, and a continuous infusion (0.25 microg. kg(-1). min(-1)) was begun. In patients receiving fentanyl, a bolus (2 microg/kg) was administered followed by a placebo continuous infusion. The time from discontinuation of the anesthetic to extubation, discharge from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and discharge to home, as well as pain scores, were assessed by a blinded nurse observer. Systolic blood pressure and heart rate were noted at selected times, and adverse events were recorded. Remifentanil provided faster extubation times and higher pain-discomfort scores. PACU and hospital discharge times were similar. There were no statistical differences among the groups for adverse events. There were statistically, but not clinically, significant differences in hemodynamic variables. We noted that continuous infusions of remifentanil were intraoperatively as effective as bolus fentanyl. Although patients could be tracheally extubated earlier with remifentanil, this did not translate to earlier PACU or hospital discharge times. In addition, remifentanil was associated with higher postoperative pain scores. The frequent incidence of postoperative pain observed in the postoperative recovery room suggests that better intraoperative prophylactic analgesic regimens for postoperative pain control are necessary to optimize remifentanil's use as an anesthetic for children. ⋯ This is a study designed to examine the efficacy and safety of a short-acting opioid, remifentanil, when used in pediatric patients. The frequent incidence of postoperative pain observed in the postoperative recovery room suggests that better intraoperative prophylactic analgesic regimens for postoperative pain control are necessary to optimize remifentanil's use as an anesthetic for children.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2000
The accuracy and precision of body temperature monitoring methods during regional and general anesthesia.
We tested the hypotheses that accuracy and precision of available temperature monitoring methods are different between spinal anesthesia (SA) and general anesthesia (GA), and that patients receiving SA are at equal risk for hypothermia as those receiving GA. Patients scheduled for radical retropubic prostatectomy were enrolled. Either GA (n = 16) or SA (n = 16) was given according to patient and clinician preference. Temperatures were monitored with thermocouple probes at the tympanic membrane, axilla, rectum, and forehead skin surface. Tympanic temperatures were also measured with an infrared device, and forehead skin temperatures were monitored with two brands of liquid crystal thermometer strips. Accuracy and precision of these monitoring methods were determined by using tympanic membrane temperature, measured by thermocouple, as the reference core temperature (T(c)). At the end of surgery, T(c) was similar between SA (35.0 +/- 0.1 degrees C) and GA (35.2 +/- 0.1 degrees C) (P = 0.44). Accuracy and precision of each temperature monitoring method were similar between SA and GA. Rectal temperature monitoring offered the greatest combination of accuracy and precision. All other methods underestimated T(c). These findings suggest that patients receiving SA or GA are at equal and significant risk for hypothermia, and should have their temperatures carefully monitored, recognizing that most monitoring methods underestimate T(c). ⋯ Body temperature should be monitored during spinal anesthesia because patients are at significant risk for hypothermia. Rectal temperature is a valid method of measuring core temperature, whereas other methods tend to underestimate true core temperature.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Apr 2000
Scheduling surgical cases into overflow block time- computer simulation of the effects of scheduling strategies on operating room labor costs.
"Overflow" block time is operating room (OR) time for a surgical group's cases that cannot be completed in the regular block time allocated to each surgeon in the surgical group. Having such overflow block time increases OR utilization. The optimal way to schedule patients into a surgical group's overflow block time is unknown. In this study, we developed a scheduling strategy that balances the OR manager's need to reduce staffing costs and the needs of patients and surgeons for flexibility in choosing the dates and times of cases. We used computer simulation to evaluate our scheduling strategy. Surgeons and patients (i) can schedule the case into any overflow block within 2 wk; (ii) can only schedule the case into a "first case of the day" start time more than 2 wk in the future if there is not enough open time for the case within 2 wk; (iii) must schedule the case to be done within 4 wk; and (iv) are encouraged to perform the case on the earliest possible date. Staffing costs were lowest when the OR manager did not incorporate surgeon and patient preferences when scheduling cases into overflow block time. The strategy we developed provides surgeons and patients with some flexibility in scheduling, while only increasing OR staffing costs slightly over the minimum achieved when the OR manager controls scheduling. ⋯ The strategy we developed provides surgeons and patients with some flexibility in scheduling, while increasing OR staffing costs only slightly over the minimum achieved when the OR manager controls scheduling. Staffing costs were lowest when the operating room (OR) manager did not incorporate surgeon and patient preferences when scheduling cases into overflow block time.