Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialThe efficacy of intravenous patient-controlled analgesia after intracranial surgery of the posterior fossa: a prospective, randomized controlled trial.
Surgery of the posterior fossa often produces intense postoperative pain. However, this pain is infrequently treated because of concern that opioid administration may mask the postoperative neurologic examination and/or produce hypercarbia. In this prospective, randomized controlled trial, we sought to determine whether IV patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) would lead to reductions in postoperative pain after neurosurgical procedures of the posterior fossa compared with conventional IV nurse-administered as-needed (PRN) therapy. ⋯ IV PCA use resulted in reduction in postoperative pain compared with PRN analgesic therapy after surgery of the posterior fossa. Larger studies will be required to determine the safety of IV PCA in this patient population.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialEsophageal guidewire-assisted nasogastric tube insertion in anesthetized and intubated patients: a prospective randomized controlled study.
Nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion is indicated almost routinely in patients undergoing abdominal surgery to decompress the stomach intraoperatively and postoperatively, and to allow postoperative tube feeding. NGTs are made of nonreinforced polymer plastic materials and are prone to kinking and coiling during insertion. This often poses difficulty in blind NGT placement or placement assisted by variously described techniques. We hypothesized that esophageal guidewire-assisted NGT insertion with manual forward laryngeal displacement can significantly improve the first-attempt success rate over the technique of head flexion and lateral neck pressure during its insertion in anesthetized and tracheally intubated patients. ⋯ Esophageal guidewire-assisted insertion with manual forward laryngeal displacement technique most frequently resulted in correct positioning of the NGT in anesthetized and tracheally intubated patients after the first attempt. This technique is also associated with a lower incidence of procedure-related injuries and is less time-consuming than conventional insertion techniques.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2012
ReviewA review of the impact of phenylephrine administration on maternal hemodynamics and maternal and neonatal outcomes in women undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia.
Phenylephrine is effective for the management of spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension in parturients undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. While ephedrine was previously considered the vasopressor of choice in obstetric patients, phenylephrine is increasingly being used. This is largely due to studies suggesting improved fetal acid-base status with the use of phenylephrine as well as the low incidence of hypotension and its related side effects with prophylactic phenylephrine regimens. ⋯ The impact of the administration of phenylephrine as a bolus for the treatment of established hypotension compared with its administration as a prophylactic infusion is discussed. This article also reviews the impact of phenylephrine compared with ephedrine on uteroplacental perfusion, and fetal outcomes such as neonatal acid-base status and Apgar scores. The optimum dosing regimen for phenylephrine administration is also discussed.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2012
Comparative StudyThe impact on drug mass flow rate of interrupting and resuming carrier fluid flow: an in vitro study on a very low dead-space volume infusion set.
Stopping and resuming carrier fluid flow can lead to potentially dangerous transient disturbances in drug mass flow rate. We compared the impact of 2 infusion sets, one with very low dead-space volume and the other with greater dead-space volume, on the amount of drug delivered during stop-and-go carrier fluid flows. ⋯ The use of a very low dead-space volume set attenuates disturbances in drug delivery caused by interrupting and resuming carrier fluid flow.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2012
ReviewFibrinogen and hemostasis: a primary hemostatic target for the management of acquired bleeding.
Fibrinogen plays several key roles in the maintenance of hemostasis. Its cleavage by thrombin and subsequent polymerization to form fibrin strands provides the structural network required for effective clot formation. During cases of acute blood loss, attempts to maintain circulating volume and tissue perfusion often involve the infusion of crystalloids, colloids, and red blood cells. ⋯ Although traditionally performed via administration of fresh frozen plasma or cryoprecipitate, the use of lyophilized fibrinogen (concentrate) is becoming more prevalent in some countries. Recent reports relating to the efficacy of fibrinogen concentrate suggest that it is a viable alternative to traditional hemostatic approaches, which should be considered. The prospective study of fibrinogen supplementation in acquired bleeding is needed to accurately assess the range of clinical settings in which this management strategy is appropriate, the most effective method of supplementation and a comprehensive safety profile of fibrinogen concentrate used for such an approach.