Journal of anesthesia
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Journal of anesthesia · Aug 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialModified 45-degree head-up tilt increases success rate of lumbar puncture in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia.
Lumbar puncture (LP) is one of the most common procedures performed in medicine. The aim of this prospective study is to determine the success rate of LP in lateral decubitus with 45-degree head-up tilt position, and compare it with traditional positions like sitting and lateral decubitus. ⋯ The lateral decubitus in knee-chest position with a 45-degree head-up tilt may be the preferred position for spinal anesthesia in young and elderly patients, due to the high success rate.
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Journal of anesthesia · Aug 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialMethadone patient-controlled analgesia for postoperative pain: a randomized, controlled, double-blind study.
Postoperative pain is an important health-care issue. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is considered the gold standard for systemic postoperative pain treatment. Methadone PCA is used for patients with chronic pain and those in the palliative care setting. However, its efficacy as a first-line drug for acute postoperative pain is unknown. This study evaluated the use of postoperative methadone PCA after total hip arthroplasty (THA) compared with morphine PCA. ⋯ This study demonstrated that methadone PCA prompted less opioid consumption and lower pain scores at rest and at motion in comparison with morphine PCA as postoperative analgesia after THA.
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Journal of anesthesia · Aug 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialPlasma ropivacaine concentrations after ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block for open retropubic prostatectomy.
Ropivacaine-induced vasoconstriction may affect the early absorption speed of ropivacaine; however, the effects of dose on pharmacokinetics following transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block have not been studied. In this study, we have examined plasma ropivacaine concentrations following TAP block with various ropivacaine concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 %). ⋯ Ropivacaine concentration did not alter pharmacokinetic profile following TAP blocks.
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Journal of anesthesia · Aug 2014
Co-existing liver disease increases the risk of postoperative thrombocytopenia in patients undergoing hepatic resection: implications for the risk of epidural hematoma associated with the removal of an epidural catheter.
A common surgical diagnosis for hepatic resection in Japan is hepatocellular carcinoma secondary to chronic viral hepatitis. It is known that chronic liver disease causes a decrease in blood platelet count. We retrospectively reviewed the perioperative changes in blood platelet count associated with hepatic resection at a Japanese institution and evaluated the incidence and risk factors for postoperative thrombocytopenia, which may increase the potential risk of epidural hematoma. ⋯ Hepatic resection can cause postoperative thrombocytopenia that may increase the potential risk of epidural hematoma associated with catheter removal, and the presence of co-existing liver disease heightens concerns for postoperative crucial thrombocytopenia.
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Journal of anesthesia · Aug 2014
Accidental dural puncture, postdural puncture headache, intrathecal catheters, and epidural blood patch: revisiting the old nemesis.
One of the controversial management options for accidental dural puncture in pregnant patients is the conversion of labor epidural analgesia to continuous spinal analgesia by threading the epidural catheter intrathecally. No clear consensus exists on how to best prevent severe headache from occurring after accidental dural puncture. To investigate whether the intrathecal placement of an epidural catheter following accidental dural puncture impacts the incidence of postdural puncture headache (PDPH) and the subsequent need for an epidural blood patch in parturients. ⋯ In contrast, 7 (13 %) of parturients in the ITC group required an EBP. The incidence of EBP was calculated in parturients who actually developed headache to be 57 of 99 (57 %) in the non-ITC group versus 7 of 20 (35 %) in the ITC group (OR, 2.52; 95 % CI, 0.92-6.68; P = 0.07). The insertion of an intrathecal catheter following accidental dural puncture decreases the incidence of PDPH but not the need for epidural blood patch in parturients.