European journal of anaesthesiology
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Since reports have shown that outpatient preoperative evaluation increases the quality of care and cost-effectiveness, an increasing number of patients are being evaluated purely on an outpatient basis. To improve cost-effectiveness, it would be appealing if those patients who are healthy and ready for surgery without additional testing could be easily distinguished from those who require more extensive evaluation. This paper examines whether published studies provide sufficient data to determine how detailed preoperative history taking and physical examination need to be in order to assess the health of surgical patients and to meet the objective of easy and early distinction. ⋯ The amount of detail of preoperative patient history and the value of physical examination to obtain a reasonable estimate of perioperative risk remains unclear. Although not evidence based, a thorough history taking and physical examination of all patients before surgery seems important until more evidence-based guidelines become available. Diagnostic and prognostic prediction studies may provide this necessary evidence.
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Comment Letter Comparative Study
Epidural anaesthesia for pain relief in labour.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Randomized comparison between sevoflurane anaesthesia and unilateral spinal anaesthesia in elderly patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery.
This prospective, randomized study was conducted to compare unilateral spinal block using small doses of hyperbaric bupivacaine and single-agent anaesthesia with sevoflurane in elderly patients undergoing hip surgery. ⋯ In elderly patients undergoing hemiarthroplasty of the hip, induction and maintenance with sevoflurane provide a rapid emergence from anaesthesia without more depression of postoperative cognitive function compared with unilateral spinal anaesthesia. This technique represents an attractive option when patient refusal, lack of adequate co-operation or concomitant anticoagulant therapy contraindicate the use of spinal anaesthesia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Sufentanil added to hyperbaric bupivacaine for subarachnoid block in Caesarean section.
Subarachnoid block is a widely used technique for Caesarean section. Its quality can be improved by adding opioids to the local anaesthetics. We studied the quality of the block and its maternal-fetal repercussions when different doses of sufentanil were combined with hyperbaric bupivacaine using the intrathecal route in pregnant women undergoing Caesarean section. ⋯ The addition of sufentanil 5.0 and 7.5 microg to hyperbaric bupivacaine provided adequate anaesthesia for Caesarean section and good postoperative analgesia. Pruritus was the most common side-effect and had a significantly higher incidence when a dose of sufentanil 7.5 microg was used.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
General anaesthesia or spinal anaesthesia for outpatient urological surgery.
A variety of drugs and techniques have been introduced into ambulatory anaesthesia. The technique as well as the drugs used may hasten or delay home discharge. We compared recovery profiles and side-effects of spinal anaesthesia and total intravenous anaesthesia. ⋯ In healthy unpremedicated men undergoing minor urological operations, total intravenous anaesthesia with remifentanil and propofol provided as safe and effective anaesthesia as spinal block with the advantage of earlier home readiness.