Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Current methods of assessing nerve blocks, such as loss of perception to cold sensation, are subjective at best. Transcutaneous nerve stimulation is an alternative method that has previously been used to measure the current perception threshold (CPT) in individuals with neuropathic conditions, and various devices to measure CPT are commercially available. Nevertheless, the device must provide reproducible results to be used as an objective tool for assessing nerve blocks. ⋯ Overall, the Stimpod device displayed good to excellent reproducibility in measuring CPT in healthy volunteers. The Neurometer displayed poor reproducibility at low frequency (5 Hz). These results suggest that peripheral nerve stimulators may be potential devices for measuring CPT to assess nerve blocks.
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Comparative Study
Evaluation of a novel mouse model of intracisternal strychnine-induced trigeminal allodynia.
Intractable neuropathic dynamic allodynia remains one of the major symptoms of human trigeminal neuropathy and is commonly accepted to be the most excruciatingly painful condition known to humankind. At present, a validated animal model of this disorder is necessary for efficient and effective development of novel drug treatments. Intracisternal strychnine in rats has been shown to result in localized trigeminal dynamic allodynia, thus representing a possible model of trigeminal neuralgia. The purpose of this study was to validate a mouse model of trigeminal glycinergic inhibitory dysfunction using established positive (carbamazepine epoxide) and negative (morphine) controls. ⋯ In this study, we have developed and validated a novel murine model of trigeminal dynamic allodynia induced by intracisternal strychnine. The use of mice to study trigeminal allodynia has many benefits, including access to a vast repository of transgenic mouse variants, ease of handling, low cost, and minimal variance of results. The present model may have utility in screening drug treatments for dynamic mechanical allodynia resulting from trigeminal neuropathies.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Factors that influence the selection of sterile glove brand: a randomized controlled trial evaluating the performance and cost of gloves.
To determine whether glove use modifies tactile and psychomotor performance of health care providers when compared with no glove use and to evaluate factors that influence the selection of sterile glove brand. ⋯ Given the observed similarities in touch sensitivity and psychomotor performance associated with five different glove types, our results suggest that subjective provider preferences, such as glove comfort, should be balanced against material costs.