Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison between patient-controlled analgesia and intramuscular meperidine after thoracotomy.
A prospective randomized controlled study was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) in patients undergoing thoracotomy. This method was compared with a conventional pain management technique consisting of regularly scheduled im injections of analgesics. Forty adult patients were randomly assigned to receive intravenous PCA or im meperidine treatment over a 48-hr period after surgery. ⋯ Meperidine intake was similar in both groups but considerable interpatient variation was seen. In conclusion, PCA is a safe, effective and individualized treatment method for controlling pain after thoracotomy. There appears to be some clinical advantages of PCA over im dosing regimens for analgesia after thoracotomy.
-
Nurse-administered analgesia is simple, universally accessible, and cost-effective. This route of administration must be fully explored and exploited to gain maximal analgesia at minimal cost. Combined, balanced multimodal analgesia with NSAIDs and opioids used preoperatively to prevent pain should be encouraged. ⋯ This requires a multi-disciplinary team of health care professionals and a multi-modal array of analgesics. This approach represents a change from current practice. Considerable time and energy has been invested in the development of the clinical practice guidelines and they deserve our consideration as we manage patients now and in the future.
-
Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Vital capacity rapid inhalation induction technique: comparison of sevoflurane and halothane.
Induction of anaesthesia using the vital capacity rapid inhalation induction (VCRII) technique with either sevoflurane or halothane was compared. The induction time, characteristics, and acceptability were assessed. Thirty-two volunteers were given one of the vapours: 17 received sevoflurane and 15 halothane. ⋯ Subjects in both groups had no objection to undergoing the procedure again. It is concluded that both halothane and sevoflurane are effective in VCRII of anaesthesia without premedication. However, the slower speed of induction with halothane frustrated the anaesthetist because of the longer induction time, and may increase the chance of pronounced excitatory phenomena occurring.
-
We studied the responses of plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, and antidiuretic hormone (ADH) during and immediately after sevoflurane-nitrous oxide anaesthesia supplemented with vecuronium in seven elderly patients (mean 76.6 +/- 1.7 SEM) who underwent major intra-abdominal surgery. The plasma concentrations of norepinephrine, ACTH, cortisol, and ADH increased in response to surgical procedures (P < 0.05). ⋯ We conclude that, in the elderly patients, the responses of stress hormones to major intra-abdominal surgery were preserved during sevoflurane-nitrous oxide anaesthesia sufficient to prevent increases in arterial pressure and heart rate. The strongest responses of epinephrine, norepinephrine, ACTH, and cortisol were elicited immediately after tracheal extubation.
-
The effects of dobutamine (DOB) on diaphragmatic fatigue were examined in 20 anaesthetized, mechanically ventilated dogs. Animals were divided into two groups: the DOB group (n = 10) and the control group (n = 10). Diaphragmatic fatigue was induced by intermittent supramaximal electric stimulation applied to bilateral phrenic nerves at a frequency of 20 Hz for 30 min. ⋯ In the control group, the speed of recovery from fatigue was much slower at low-frequency stimulation. The integrated diaphragmatic electric activity (Edi) in the two groups did not change throughout the experiment at any frequency of stimulation. We conclude that dobutamine improves contractility in fatigued diaphragm.