Journal of anesthesia
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Journal of anesthesia · Mar 1996
Epidural anesthesia during upper abdominal surgery provides better postoperative analgesia.
Since repeated noxious stimuli may sensitize neuropathic pain receptors of the spinal cord, we tested the hypothesis that the appropriate blockade of surgical stimuli with epidural anesthesia during upper abdominal surgery would be beneficial for postoperative analgesia. Thirty-six adult patients undergoing either elective gastrectomy or open cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to receive either inhalational general anesthesia alone (group G) or epidural anesthesia along with light general anesthesia (group E) throughout the surgery. ⋯ While there was no significant difference in the bupivacaine dose, more patients undergoing gastrectomy in group G required supplemental analgesics than those in group E, and the VAS scores in group E demonstrated significantly better postoperative analgesia compared to group G after both types of surgery. Thus, an appropriate epidural blockade during upper abdominal surgery likely provides better postoperative pain relief.
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Journal of anesthesia · Mar 1996
Does increasing end-tidal carbon dioxide during laparoscopic cholecystectomy matter?
To examine the adverse effects of peritoneal carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, both hemodynamic and respiratory alterations were continously monitored in 17 adult patients using noninvasive Doppler ultrasonography and a continuous spirometric monitoring device. During the surgery, which was performed under inhalational general anesthesia, intraabdominal pressure was maintained automatically at 10mmHg by a CO2 insufflator, and a constant minute ventilation, initially set to 30-33 mmHg of end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2), was maintained. ⋯ The stress of 10mmHg pneumoperitoneum was a major cause of hemodynamic changes during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Some clinical strategies such as deliberate intraabdominal insufflation at the initial phase might be required to minimize these hemodynamic changes.
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Journal of anesthesia · Mar 1996
Ketamine and its isomers have equipotent relaxant effects on tracheal smooth muscle contracted by tachykinins.
Recent studies indicate that not only inflammatory cells but also neural mechanisms by which tachykinins such as substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA) are released from vagal afferent C-fiber contribute to asthma. Although ketamine (K) has been used in the anesthetic management of asthmatic patients, the mechanism by which K relaxes the airway smooth muscle is still uncertain, and no information exists on any differential effect of K and its isomers. We determined the spasmolytic effect of racemic [R(±)]K and its isomers S(+) K and R(-) K on SP and NKA-induced contraction of tracheal smooth muscle in guinea pigs. ⋯ R(±), R(-), or S(+) K (4.5-18.0×10(-4)M) was cumulatively administered into the bath. The calculated ED50 values (the concentration that relaxed the contraction by 50%) of R(±), R(-) and S(+) K were 7.6±0.5, 7.8±0.6, and 7.6±0.5 (10(-4)M), respectively, when the contraction was elicited with SP, and 8.0±1.0, 8.2±1.2, and 7.9±1.3 (10(-4)M), respectively, when NKA was used. We concluded that K and its isomers have equipotent spasmolytic effects on airway smooth muscle precontracted with tachykinins.
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Journal of anesthesia · Mar 1996
Alterations in the myocardial β-adrenergic system during experimental endotoxemia.
In this study to investigate whether β-adrenergic receptor systems in the heart are impaired during endotoxemia, we examined two models of septic shock in rats, each of which has a different time course for the shock state. Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: (1) the LPS (lipopolysaccharide) iv group (Escherichia coli endotoxin 1.0 mg·kg(-1) iv bolus administration), and (2) the CLP (cecal ligation and puncture model) group. As a control group for each model, a 0.9% saline injection group and a sham-operated group were also prepared. ⋯ The alteration in hemodynamics of septic-shock rats observed in this study was linked to the change in heart β-receptor density rather than the change in plasma CA. These observations suggested that the alterations which occur in the β-receptor system during endotoxemia depend upon the model of animal sepsis that is employed, and the time course of the septic-shock state. These alterations in the β-adrenergic system are thought to cause myocardial dysfunction during endotoxemia.
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Journal of anesthesia · Mar 1996
A comparison of sympathetic adrenal nerve responses to intravenous high-dose morphine and fentanyl administration in rats.
We compared the effects of intravenous morphine (5 mg·kg(-1)) and fentanyl, (50μg·kg(-1)) on systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR), and efferent sympathetic adrenal nerve action potentials (SANA) in rats. We also determined the extent of the reflex responses of these parameters of 9% carbon dioxide (CO2) challenge during the above narcotic anesthesia. In the morphine group, SBP was elevated and the elevated levels were maintained, while changes in SBP in the fentanyl group were not significant. ⋯ CO2 challenge induced only very small changes in SBP and HR, suggesting that during high-dose narcotic anesthesia the hypercapnic stimulus may not be reflected in circulatory parameters. In both groups, hypercapnia increased SANA to 30% of the baseline values from the pre-challenge level. However, these values were only 91% and 56% of the baseline value in the morphine and the fentanyl, groups, respectively.