Journal of clinical anesthesia
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparative recovery of 50-Hz and 100-Hz posttetanic twitch following profound neuromuscular block.
To determine if posttetanic twitch following 100-Hz tetanic stimulation enables titration of a nondepolarizing relaxant infusion to a greater depth of block than that achieved with posttetanic twitch following 50 Hz. ⋯ Posttetanic twitch following 100-Hz tetanic stimulation enables titration of a vecuronium infusion to a greater depth of block than posttetanic twitch following 50-Hz tetanic stimulation. The present findings should enable more effective titration of this relaxant, thereby reducing the likelihood of unwanted patient movement or unduly prolonged recovery due to relaxant overdosing.
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Sarcoidosis, a rare multisystem disease, often occurs in women of childbearing age. The disease, which may be improved or exacerbated by pregnancy, presents unique considerations to the anesthesiologist. These considerations are illustrated by the case presented here of complicated sarcoidosis in a parturient who underwent cesarean section.
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Letter Case Reports
Post-dural puncture headache and epidural blood patch in an AIDS patient.
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Opioids decrease the sympathetic and somatic responses to noxious stimulation and can be given in high doses without negative inotropic effects, even in patients with impaired cardiac function. With currently available opioids, precise titration of dose to effect is difficult, and high doses result in drug accumulation and prolonged respiratory depression. Remifentanil is a new synthetic opioid with direct action on mu-opioid receptors. ⋯ The hydrolysis of remifentanil produces a metabolite with very weak opioid receptor activity that does not contribute to the effects of remifentanil. Possible disadvantages of the drug include (1) the need to mix the lyophilized drug with a diluent, (2) administration as a continuous infusion, (3) risk of rapid loss of analgesic and anesthetic effects if the infusion is interrupted accidentally, and (4) difficulty in judging the dose of another, longer lasting opioid that will be required to control postoperative pain without producing excessive ventilatory depression. Remifentanil is likely to be more expensive than other opioids, but its use may reduce overall costs if prompt recovery from its effects results in shorter stays in the operating room and recovery units.
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An abrupt decrease in end-tidal carbon dioxide (CO2) occurred in an anesthetized male who was placed in the head down position during radical perineal prostatectomy. The end-tidal CO2 was restored after insertion of a wet pack into the operative site, which strongly indicated venous air embolism as the cause. Predisposing factors, detection, and treatment of venous air embolism in this setting are discussed.