Journal of clinical anesthesia
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The acquisition and maintenance of essential psychomotor skills that are only required sporadically is a significant problem in medical training and practice. It is of particular relevance to anesthesiologists with regard to fiberoptic intubation, a technique that may be under-utilized despite its central role in the management of the difficult airway. ⋯ We describe an educational resource (Dexter), which has been developed to overcome these problems. Dexter is a nonanatomical, endoscopic dexterity training system designed to encourage practice and help establish and maintain a state of procedural readiness, even if clinical exposure to difficult airway situations is sporadic.
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In December 2001, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added a "black box" warning to the labeling for droperidol stating that all doses, even those typically used for postoperative nausea and vomiting, were potentially associated with malignant ventricular dysrhythmias, including torsade de pointes. The 19 cases in which droperidol doses less than 10 mg were allegedly associated with such dysrhythmias are reviewed in detail. Confounding issues present in a majority of the cases make it difficult to incriminate droperidol as the likely cause of the reported adverse events.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of ropivacaine-fentanyl patient-controlled epidural analgesia with morphine intravenous patient-controlled analgesia for perioperative analgesia and recovery after open colon surgery.
To compare the effects of ropivacaine-fentanyl patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) with morphine intravenous (IV) patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). ⋯ Ropivacaine-fentanyl PCEA provides superior analgesia, reduced opioid requirement, and more rapid recovery after colon surgery.
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We report on a new optic laryngoscope blade that provides two views of the larynx during tracheal intubation. The availability of an alternative direct view of the larynx may improve the ability of anesthesia providers to observe the tracheal tube passing through the vocal cords when using a Macintosh laryngoscope blade. The optic port improved visualization of passage of the endotracheal tube in obese patients. However, further studies are needed in patients with difficult airways to determine whether this new blade will ease the ability of practitioners to insert a tracheal tube.
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We describe a case of a failed implanted, programmable, intrathecal infusion pump-and its external programmer-leading to morphine withdrawal symptoms, in a patient with failed back syndrome.