Journal of anesthesia
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Journal of anesthesia · Sep 1994
High incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation in children.
Postoperative pulmonary complications were investigated in a total of 41 pediatric recipients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) between January, 1990 and March, 1992 at the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane. Atelectasis was seen in 40 cases (98%) of the 41 recipients, and occurred in the left lower lobe in 28 cases (68%), and in the right upper lobe in 25 cases (61%). Radiographic pulmonary edema occurred on 23 occasions in 18 recipients (45%). ⋯ Pneumothorax occurred in three cases. Pyothorax, hemothorax, bronchial asthma, and subglottic granulation occurred in one case each. The present study demonstrated that postoperative pulmonary complications are frequently observed in pediatric recipients undergoing OLT.
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Journal of anesthesia · Sep 1994
The effect of pH adjustment of 1% lidocaine on the onset of sensory and motor blockade of epidural anesthesia in nonpregnant gynecological patients.
Using a double-blind randominzed study protocol, we examined the distribution of sensory blockade and the quality of motor blockade after epidural anesthesia with 1% lidocaine with or without bicarbonate in nonpregnant gynecological patients. Alkalinization significantly decreased the time to onset of sensory blockade. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the low-pH and high-pH groups with respect to motor blockade or the distribution of sensory blockade. We conclude that pH-adjusted 1% lidocaine offers the advantage of a more rapid onset of sensory blockade, while motor blockade and the distribution of anesthesia are unaffected by pH change in epidural anesthesia.