Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialPatient-controlled epidural analgesia versus continuous epidural infusion with ropivacaine for postoperative analgesia in children.
Epidural ropivacaine infusion has been used in children; however, patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) has not been evaluated in the pediatric population. In this study, we compared the clinical efficiency of PCEA and of continuous epidural infusion analgesia (CEA) in children. Forty-eight children undergoing orthopedic surgery were randomized to receive PCEA or CEA with ropivacaine 0.2%. All patients underwent a standard general anesthetic. Children also received ketoprofen and propacetamol. Pain scores and side effects were recorded for 48 h. If the visual analog score scale score was >4 of 10, analgesia was considered inadequate, and rescue treatment was administered. Both groups obtained effective pain relief. Children in the PCEA group received significantly less local anesthetic than those in the CEA group (0.20 +/- 0.08 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1) versus 0.40 +/- 0.08 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1); P < 0.001). Motor effects, supplemental analgesic requirements, and side effects did not differ. We concluded that PCEA with ropivacaine 0.2% can provide adequate postoperative analgesia for pediatric orthopedic procedures with smaller dose requirements than CEA. ⋯ We studied patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) and continuous epidural infusion analgesia (CEA) with 0.2% ropivacaine during the postoperative period in children. We found that either PCEA or CEA with plain ropivacaine 0.2% provided adequate pain relief in children during the first 48-h postoperative course. However, adequate analgesia was obtained with 50% less volume infused with PCEA compared with CEA.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThe effects of desflurane and propofol on portosystemic pressure in patients with portal hypertension.
Physicians perform hepatic venous pressure measurements to guide medical therapy aimed at reducing portal hypertension. These measurements are frequently performed during general anesthesia. Since most general anesthetic drugs reduce liver blood flow, it is likely that hepatic venous pressures will be altered. We therefore examined the effects of two frequently used anesthetic drugs on hepatic venous pressure in a prospective randomized study to determine if pressure measurements taken during general anesthesia were similar to awake values. We studied 21 patients with hepatitis C, excluding patients with hepatofugal flow and portal vein thrombosis. All patients had free and wedged hepatic venous pressures measured awake with sedation and after anesthesia with either propofol or desflurane. Desflurane significantly increased free hepatic venous pressure (11.9 +/- 4.4 to 23.5 +/- 4.1 mm Hg; P < 0.05) and decreased hepatic venous pressure gradient (21.6 +/- 7.4 to 14.7 +/- 5.2 mm Hg; P < 0.05), whereas propofol did not change these variables. We conclude that desflurane, but not propofol, alters hepatic venous pressure measurements from the awake state, significantly increasing free hepatic venous pressure and decreasing the hepatic venous pressure gradient, an indirect measure of portosystemic pressure. Changes in the hepatic venous pressure gradient must be interpreted with caution during desflurane general anesthesia. ⋯ Desflurane reduces the blood pressure difference between the portal and systemic circulations. This can cause errors in assessment of the success of medical therapy of portal hypertension. Propofol has less effect on the difference between the portal and systemic circulation.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialPreoperative interscalene block for elective shoulder surgery: loss of benefit over early postoperative block after patient discharge to home.
We performed a randomized, prospective, parallel-group, open-label, multicenter trial to compare the effects of pre- versus postoperative interscalene block using levobupivacaine on postoperative pain and analgesic requirements. One-hundred-two outpatients scheduled for elective shoulder surgery were randomized to receive 30 mL of 0.5% levobupivacaine either preoperatively (PRE group) or postoperatively (POST group). Analgesic outcome measures during the postoperative period were: (a). time to first request for analgesic medication after surgery, (b). pain intensity using the visual analog scale at rest and during arm movement, and (c). total analgesic consumption of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and opioids. The time to first analgesic request did not differ between treatment groups. However, mean maximum pain intensity scores during the day of surgery were significantly less for the PRE group than the POST group, both at rest (P = 0.001) and after movement (P = 0.004). The mean opioid administered during surgery was lower in the PRE than the POST group (P < 0.001). Levobupivacaine was well tolerated in both treatment groups, and no adverse reactions were related to this local anesthetic. In conclusion, preoperative interscalene block with levobupivacaine provided superior pain control for the first 12 h after surgery, but this benefit was not maintained during the week after discharge because the subjects assumed control of their own pain relief as outpatients. ⋯ Preoperative interscalene block with levobupivacaine provides safe and effective analgesia for same-day elective shoulder surgery, but the benefit of this one-time intervention does not persist.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialRapid water and slow sodium excretion of acetated Ringer's solution dehydrates cells.
Acetated Ringer's solution is a slightly hypotonic infusion fluid (osmolality 270 mosmol/kg) that has inspired the belief that the fluid causes a shift of water volume to the intracellular space. We assessed the role of the kidney in modifying this volume shift by infusing 25 mL/kg of Ringer's acetate solution (mean, 1565 mL) over a time period of 15, 30, 45, and 80 min on different occasions in 5 healthy female volunteers. Regardless of the rate of administration, the excreted urine contained only half as much sodium (mean, 67 mmol/L) as the infused fluid. As there was only a slight increase of 0.9 mmol/L in the serum sodium level, mass balance calculations indicated that 274 mL of water had shifted from the intracellular to the extracellular space 30 min after the infusions ended (P < 0.001). This fluid shift was also maintained over the subsequent 90 min. In conclusion, infusion of Ringer's acetate solution does not promote cellular swelling as a result of the excretion of urine that is low in sodium. A slight dehydration of fluid from the intracellular space still persisted when our measurements ended 2 h after completing the infusion. ⋯ The kidney promotes slight cellular dehydration after infusion of Ringer's acetate solution by rapid excretion of water, whereas natriuresis occurs more slowly. In volunteers, this translocation amounted to 18% of the infused fluid volume and persisted for at least 2 h.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2003
ReviewNew light on intravascular volume replacement regimens: what did we learn from the past three years?
Definition of the "ideal" intravascular fluid volume replacement strategy still remains a critical problem. This article analyzes studies on volume replacement by using a MEDLINE search of the past 3 years (from January 1, 2000, to December 12, 2002). Forty original studies in humans with a total of 2454 subjects were identified. Five studies were performed in volunteers (n = 113); the other 35 studies (n = 2341) were performed in a variety of patients (e.g., cardiac surgery, trauma patients, children, and intensive care unit patients). The influence of different volume replacement regimens on coagulation was one of the major topics of interest (16 studies with 1183 subjects), and other studies focused on metabolic state, alterations in macro- and microcirculation, volume distribution, and organ function (e.g., kidney function and splanchnic perfusion). Among all synthetic colloids, hydroxyethyl starch (HES) was the solution most often studied. Two new HES preparations have been approved (Hextend), a balanced hetastarch solution, and a new third-generation HES [130/0.4]). Only two studies used albumin, and no superiority of albumin was found over less expensive synthetic colloids. In almost all studies, the outcome either was no end-point or was not reported. Volume replacement has often been hitherto based on dogma and personal beliefs. Future well performed studies in this area will hopefully help to shed new light on the ideal volume replacement strategy. ⋯ By using a MEDLINE search covering the last 3 yr, the present knowledge on volume replacement regimens was analyzed. Forty studies in humans were identified. New hydroxyethyl starch preparations have shed light on this topic, whereas no additional data supporting the use of albumin have been presented.