Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2008
Comparative StudyA comparison of preoperative anxiety in female patients with mothers of children undergoing surgery.
We compared anxiety in mothers of children undergoing ambulatory surgery with female patients undergoing surgery themselves. We found that mothers were as anxious as patients undergoing major abdominal surgery and more anxious than patients undergoing minor surgery. Predictors of maternal anxiety were child age and maternal monitoring coping.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2008
Comparative StudyMolecular actions of propofol on human 5-HT3A receptors: enhancement as well as inhibition by closely related phenol derivatives.
5-Hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptors are excitatory ligand-gated ion channels which are involved in postoperative nausea and vomiting. They are depressed by the anesthetic propofol, which, in contrast, enhances the activity of inhibitory ligand-gated ion channels such as gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors and glycine receptors. To investigate the molecular mechanisms responsible for these contrasting actions, we examined the kinetics of the action of propofol and its lesser hydrophobic derivatives 2-isopropylphenol and phenol on human 5-HT3A receptors. ⋯ At least two separate inhibitory actions on 5-HT3A receptors could be identified for propofol, whereas the enhancing action seen for the two related smaller phenol derivatives could no longer be detected. 5-HT-dependent and 5-HT-independent interactions could be distinguished for all three drugs. Propofol was less potent than expected from its hydrophobic properties. Underlying mechanisms appear to involve the phenolic hydroxyl group, hydrophobic interactions, and steric restrictions.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2008
Comparative StudyImmobilizing doses of halothane, isoflurane or propofol, do not preferentially depress noxious heat-evoked responses of rat lumbar dorsal horn neurons with ascending projections.
The spinal cord is an important site where volatile anesthetics decrease sensation and produce immobility. Beyond this knowledge, our understanding of a site of anesthetic action is limited. Previous evidence suggests that dorsal horn neurons with ascending projections may be more susceptible to depression by general anesthetics than local spinal interneurons. In this study we evaluated the effects of volatile and injectable general anesthetics on lumbar dorsal horn neurons with and without ascending projections. ⋯ Our findings suggest, at peri-MAC concentrations, these general anesthetics do not preferentially depress lumbar dorsal horn neurons with ascending projections compared to those with no identifiable ascending projections.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2008
Case ReportsA novel approach for assessing catheter position after ultrasound-guided placement of continuous interscalene block.
The increasing use of ultrasound has allowed anesthesiologists to perform nerve blocks with a high success rate and without nerve stimulation or eliciting a paresthesia. The ability to visualize peripheral nerve catheters using ultrasound is limited. We present a novel method to confirm the position of an interscalene catheter tip using injection of agitated contrast. The described technique is simple and allows timely assessment of catheter tip position.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2008
Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells produce pre-pro-nociceptin/orphanin FQ mRNA.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) transcribe mRNA for the nonclassical opioid nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) receptor (NOP). We probed for the N/OFQ precursor, pre-pro-N/OFQ (ppN/OFQ). ⋯ These data indicate that PBMCs transcribe ppN/OFQ which, coupled with NOP expression, suggest NOP may be involved in the autoregulation of PBMCs.