Journal of anesthesia
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Journal of anesthesia · Aug 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyA randomised trial of oral versus intravenous opioids for treatment of pain after cardiac surgery.
Cardiac surgery and sternotomy are procedures accompanied by substantial postoperative pain which is challenging to treat. In general, intravenous (IV) opioids are used in the immediate postoperative phase, followed by oral opioids. Oral opioids are easier to use and generally less expensive. Our goal was thus to determine whether a new opioid preparation provides adequate analgesia after sternotomy. In particular, we tested the primary hypothesis that total opioid use (in morphine equivalents) is not greater with oral opioid compared with patient-controlled IV morphine. Our secondary hypothesis was that analgesic efficacy is similar with oral and IV opioids. ⋯ Analgesic quality was comparable with oral and IV opioids, suggesting that postoperative pain even after very painful procedures can be sufficiently managed with oral opioids.
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Journal of anesthesia · Aug 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyAnalgesic efficacy and outcome of transversus-abdominis plane block versus low thoracic-epidural analgesia after laparotomy in ischemic heart disease patients.
Tranversus-abdominis plane (TAP) block is a novel technique alternative to central neural blockade in providing analgesia to the anterior abdominal wall. As such, we compared the analgesic efficacy of TAP block with low thoracic-epidural analgesia (TEA) in ischemic heart disease patients after abdominal laparotomy. ⋯ Low TEA reduced morphine consumption and provided a higher analgesic efficacy compared with TAP block after laparotomy in ischemic heart disease patients.
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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
Case ReportsPostsurgical coagulopathy in a hemophilia A patient with inhibitors: efficacy of recombinant factor VIIa.
Perioperative hemostatic management in patients with hemophilia A who develop the coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitor is challenging, because exogenous FVIII is neutralized, which boosts the inhibitor to provoke postoperative coagulopathy. Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) has become available for this type of patient, although FVIII is sometimes required. We treated a 56-year-old male patient with hemophilia A with FVIII inhibitor scheduled for total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). ⋯ The amount of bleeding during TKA was 1,340 ml, while the level of the inhibitor increased to a greater level than that after THA, provoking uncontrollable bleeding. For anesthetic management in hemophilia A patients with FVIII inhibitor, anesthesiologists must pay attention to postoperative coagulopathy, and every effort should be used to minimize exposure to FVIII. Furthermore, when rFVIIa is ineffective, postponement of surgery until rFVIIa regains its efficacy may be beneficial as compared to an operation with FVIII.
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Over the years, a trend for very low numbers of scientific publications from Africa has emerged. There has been no evaluation of pain research publications from this region. This study was conducted to determine the African pain research spectrum over the last 10 years, to identify trends in the number of publications from different countries, to identify currently underexplored areas of pain research, and to stimulate renewed interest in quality pain research in Nigeria and Africa. ⋯ Pain research publications from Africa should be encouraged. Given the underexplored frontiers of pain research, there is a need to engage in rigorous research in this field to enhance the contribution of the African continent ("the African Voice") to worldwide advances in this respect.