Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Sep 1985
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialUse of intrathecal morphine for postoperative pain relief following lumbar spine surgery.
A randomized prospective double-blind trial of intrathecal morphine for postoperative pain relief following lumbar spine surgery is described. Intrathecal morphine significantly reduced the mean pain score in the postoperative period (p less than 0.01) and there was a corresponding significant reduction in the need for additional postoperative analgesia (p less than 0.05). The possible mechanism of action of intrathecal morphine and the potential advantages of this technique are discussed. Possible side effects are also considered, and caution is urged until wider experience has been obtained.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 1983
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialFailure of prophylactically administered phenytoin to prevent early posttraumatic seizures.
A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study was carried out to determine whether phenytoin administered soon after injury lessens the incidence of epilepsy in the 1st week after severe head trauma. In this study, 244 patients were randomized into either a phenytoin or placebo group. The patients in the phenytoin group were administered phenytoin intravenously or intramuscularly within 24 hours of hospital admission. ⋯ There was no significant difference in the interval from injury to first seizure between the treated and placebo groups (p = 0.41). The early administration of phenytoin did not lessen the occurrence of seizures in the 1st week after head injury. Since the effectiveness of seizure prophylaxis has not been established, the authors suggest that anticonvulsant drugs be administered only after an early seizure has occurred.
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Journal of neurosurgery · May 1982
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialOsmotic and osmotic-loop diuresis in brain surgery. Effects on plasma and CSF electrolytes and ion excretion.
In 22 patients to be operated on for brain tumors or cerebral aneurysms, the effect of osmotic diuresis was compared with that of osmotic-loop diuresis on plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) electrolytes, and water and ion excretion. Mannitol or mannitol plus furosemide were used to reduce brain bulk. After treatment with thiopental and hyperventilation, patients received randomly a rapid infusion of mannitol (1.4 gm/kg), or mannitol (1.4 gm/kg) plus furosemide (0.3 mg/kg). ⋯ At peak diuresis after mannitol, Na+ and Cl- excretion average 0.57 and 0.62 mEq/min, respectively. This compares with mean values of 3.7 and 4.12 mEq/min for Na+ and Cl-, respectively, after mannitol plus furosemide. Although optimum brain shrinkage is achieved with osmotic-loop diuresis, the rapid electrolyte depletion (Na+ and Cl-) must be corrected to avoid altered sensorium during the patients' postoperative course.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 1982
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialEffect of intracranial pressure monitoring and aggressive treatment on mortality in severe head injury.
During 1977-1978, 127 patients with severe head injury were admitted and underwent intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. All patients had Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of 7 or less. All received identical initial treatment according to a standardized protocol. ⋯ Twenty-six patients (25%) had ICP's of 25 mm Hg or greater, compared to 34% in the previous series (p less than 0.05), and 18 of these 26 patients (69%) died. The overall mortality for this current series was 28% compared to 46% in the previous series (p less than 0.0005). This study reconfirms the high mortality rate if ICP is 25 mm Hg or greater; however, the data also document that early aggressive treatment based on ICP monitoring significantly lessens the incidence of ICP of 25 mm Hg or greater and reduces the overall mortality rate of severe head injury.