Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyFive unit bolus oxytocin at cesarean delivery in women at risk of atony: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.
I.v. bolus oxytocin is used routinely during cesarean delivery to prevent postpartum hemorrhage. Its adverse hemodynamic effects are well known, resulting in a recent change in dose from 10 IU to 5. Whether a 5 IU bolus has any advantages over infusion alone is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that a 5 IU i.v. bolus of oxytocin before the initiation of a continuous infusion decreases the need for additional uterotonic drugs in the first 24 hours after delivery in women with risk factors for uterine atony undergoing cesarean delivery, compared with infusion alone. ⋯ We found that a 5 IU i.v. bolus of oxytocin added to an infusion did not alter the need for additional uterotonic drugs to prevent or treat postpartum hemorrhage in the first 24 hours in women undergoing cesarean delivery with risk factors for uterine atony, despite causing an initial stronger uterine contraction. Our study was not powered to find a difference in side effects between groups. These results suggest that an oxytocin infusion may be adequate without the need for a bolus, even in high-risk patients.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialDexmedetomidine added to levobupivacaine prolongs axillary brachial plexus block.
We evaluated the effect of adding dexmedetomidine to levobupivacaine for axillary brachial plexus blockade. The primary endpoints were the onset and duration of sensory and motor block and duration of analgesia. ⋯ Dexmedetomidine added to levobupivacaine for axillary brachial plexus block shortens the onset time and prolongs the duration of the block and the duration of postoperative analgesia. However, dexmedetomidine also may lead to bradycardia.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2010
The association between lower extremity continuous peripheral nerve blocks and patient falls after knee and hip arthroplasty.
Continuous peripheral nerve blocks (CPNB) may induce muscle weakness, and multiple recently published series emphasize patient falls after postarthroplasty CPNB. However, none have included an adequate control group, and therefore the relationship between CPNB and falls remains speculative. ⋯ Our analysis suggests that there is a causal relationship between CPNB and the risk of falling after knee and hip arthroplasty.
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On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 M(L) earthquake devastated Haiti, the most impoverished nation in the Western hemisphere with extremely limited health care resources. We traveled to Milot, Haiti situated north of Port-au-Prince, to care for injured patients at Hôpital Sacré Coeur, an undamaged hospital with 74 beds and 2 operating rooms. The massive influx of patients brought by helicopter from the earthquake zone transformed the hospital to >400 beds and 6 operating rooms. ⋯ Postoperative care was limited to an 8-bed postanesthesia care unit/intensive care unit caring for patients with tetanus, diabetic ketoacidosis, pulmonary aspiration, acute renal failure due to crush, extreme anemia, sepsis, and other illnesses. Other important aspects of this journey included the professionalism of the health care personnel who prioritized patient care, adaptation to limited laboratory and radiological services, and provision of living arrangements. Although challenging from many perspectives, the experience was emotionally enriching and recalls the fundamental reasons why we selected medicine and anesthesiology as a profession.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2010
Comparative StudyThe accuracy of noninvasive and continuous total hemoglobin measurement by pulse CO-Oximetry in human subjects undergoing hemodilution.
Total hemoglobin (tHb) is one the most frequently ordered laboratory measurements. Pulse CO-Oximetry™ (Masimo Corp., Irvine, CA) is a multi-wavelength spectrophotometric method for noninvasive and continuous hemoglobin monitoring (SpHb). In this study, we evaluated the accuracy of SpHb compared with laboratory CO-Oximeter measurement of tHb from arterial blood samples in 20 healthy volunteer subjects undergoing hemodilution. ⋯ Pulse CO-Oximetry-based SpHb measurement is accurate within 1.0 g/dL (1 SD) compared with laboratory CO-Oximeter tHb measurement in subjects undergoing hemodilution.