Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Apr 2006
Estimate of the number of patients eligible for treatment with drotrecogin alfa (activated) based on differing international indications: post-hoc analysis of an inception cohort study in Australia and New Zealand.
We aimed to estimate the potential number of patients eligible for treatment with drotrecogin alfa (activated) when applying different international criteria. The study was a post-hoc analysis of inception cohort study of 691 patients with severe sepsis during 5878 consecutive intensive care unit admission episodes in 23 closed multi-disciplinary ICUs of 21 hospitals (16 tertiary and 5 university-affiliated) in Australia and New Zealand. Outcomes assessed were presence of contraindications to treatment with drotrecogin alfa (activated), an admission APACHE II score of 25 or greater and dysfunction of two or more organs. ⋯ Two hundred and six patients (3.5%, 3.0-4.0%) had an APACHE II score of 25 or greater, 452 (7.7%, 7.0-8.4%) had dysfunction of two or more organs, 469 (8.0%, 7.3-8.7%) had either dysfunction of two or more organs or an APACHE II score of 25 or greater Relatively few patients had an absolute contraindication to treatment with drotrecogin alfa (activated). Selection based on the APACHE II score results in fewer eligible patients than selection based on multiple organ dysfunction. Depending on the selection criteria used, for every hundred admissions to intensive care, between 3.5 and 8.0 of patients may be eligible for treatment with drotrecogin alfa (activated).
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Apr 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of scalp block on postoperative pain relief in craniotomy patients.
The efficacy of scalp nerve block using 0.5% bupivacaine with adrenaline for postoperative pain relief in craniotomy patients was evaluated in 40 ASA I or II adult patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy. A standard general anaesthesia technique was followed. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. ⋯ The number of doses of diclofenac (5 vs 19) was significantly lower in group B compared to group S (P < 0.01). Tramadol was required by six patients in group S only. Scalp nerve block using 0.5% bupivacaine with 1:400,000 adrenaline decreases the incidence and severity of postoperative pain in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Apr 2006
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialA comparison of the oropharyngeal leak pressure between the reusable Classic laryngeal mask airway and the single-use Soft Seal laryngeal mask airway.
We tested the oropharyngeal leak pressure with the reusable laryngeal mask airway and the single-use Soft Seal laryngeal mask airway. These two types of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) have a similar design but the reusable LMA cuff is made from silicone whereas the Soft Seal LMA cuff is polyvinylchloride. ⋯ However, in four subjects the oropharyngeal leak pressure was higher with the reusable by > 4 cm H2O. We concluded that the reusable LMA may provide a better seal in some individuals but that, on average, the Soft Seal provides a higher oropharyngeal leak pressure than the reusable LMA.
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Surveys allow convenient and inexpensive research. Surveys include mail-out questionnaires, email questionnaires, telephone interviews, and personal interviews. Despite a widespread perception that surveys are easy to conduct, good surveys need rigorous design, implementation and analysis. ⋯ The main goal when implementing a survey is to maximize the response rate to avoid misleading results. Evidence-based strategies, including brief personalized surveys with stamped return envelopes, can be used to maximize the response rate. A poorly conducted survey can lead to misleading or invalid conclusions and may undermine participation in subsequent surveys by the target population.