Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 1995
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialReversal of atracurium-induced neuromuscular block in paediatric patients.
We studied the efficacy of neostigmine and edrophonium to reverse an atracurium-induced 90% neuromuscular block in 80 paediatric patients anaesthetized with thiopentone, fentanyl and nitrous oxide. The patients were divided into five age groups: 0-2 months, 3-11 months, 2-5 years, 6-10 years, and 11-15 years. At the end of surgery, the neuromuscular block was randomly antagonized with either neostigmine 50 micrograms kg-1 with atropine 20 micrograms kg-1 or with edrophonium 1 mg kg-1 with atropine 10 micrograms kg-1. ⋯ However, in each age group edrophonium had a faster onset of effect than neostigmine (P < 0.05) even though a greater TAO-ratio was finally reached with neostigmine. The effects of neostigmine were less variable and more predictable than those of edrophonium. Therefore, we recommend the use of neostigmine for routine paediatric practice.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 1995
Transpulmonary disposition of prilocaine, mepivacaine, and bupivacaine in humans in the course of epidural anaesthesia.
The pulmonary first-pass kinetics of the amide-linked local anaesthetics prilocaine, mepivacaine and bupivacaine were studied in 33 patients after a single epidural injection. Drug concentrations were monitored before and after lung passage, i.e. in samples withdrawn simultaneously from mixed venous and arterial blood. In most cases, maximum plasma concentrations were observed 10 min after injection (range 2 to 30 min). ⋯ However, a transpulmonary concentration gradient could be observed only for a short time, i.e. maximum 15 min. Altogether, in the case of accidental fast absorption, e.g. inadvertent intravenous injection, arterial peak concentrations of these drugs will be attenuated by passage of the lung. However, the lung will not substantially lower the risk of toxicity by amide-linked local anaesthetics during normal conditions of regional anaesthesia where slow absorption occurs.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 1995
Reperfusion after cardioplegic cardiac arrest--effects on intracoronary leucocyte elastase release and oxygen free radical mediated lipid peroxidation.
In experimental animal models reperfusion of ischaemic myocardium causes sequestration of leucocytes within the coronary circulation. Leucocytes contribute to postischaemic myocardial injury by releasing proteolytic enzymes and by generating oxygen free radicals. The aim of this study was to investigate whether leucocytes also contribute to myocardial injury following ischaemia and reperfusion associated with cardioplegic cardiac arrest. ⋯ Neither elastase nor malondialdehyde concentrations in coronary sinus blood differed significantly from arterial or central venous blood at any time point measured. Our data demonstrated increased elastase concentrations during cardiopulmonary bypass, but we did not find enhance intracoronary elastase release or myocardial during cardiopulmonary bypass, but we did not find enhanced intracoronary elastase release or myocardial lipid peroxidation. Our data suggest that patients are sufficiently protected from leucocyte mediated ischaemia reperfusion injury during uncomplicated coronary artery bypass grafting with cardioplegic arrest.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 1995
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialPremedication with promethazine and transdermal scopolamine reduces the incidence of nausea and vomiting after intrathecal morphine.
Intrathecal morphine provides effective postoperative pain relief in major orthopaedic surgery. In use, however, is associated with unpleasant side effects like nausea and vomiting. The effect of different premedications on postoperative emetic sequelae induced by intrathecal morphine was studied in a prospective, double blind study. ⋯ PONV occurred in a majority of patients during the first 12 hours of the 24 hour study period and the need for additional analgesics thereafter. The incidence of itching (50-65%) and urinary catheterisation (55-70%) was similar in all groups. In conclusion, the combination of oral promethazine and transdermal scopolamine was most effective in reducing PONV symptoms and also reduced the need for postoperative pain treatment.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 1995
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe treatment of postanaesthetic shivering: a double blind comparison between alfentanil and pethidine.
It has been postulated that pethidine may mediate its effects on postanaesthetic shivering (PAS) via kappa-opioid receptors. However, clinical evidence indicates that alfentanil, a pure mu-agonist, may also have beneficial effects on PAS. In order to assess whether opioid effects on PAS are effected via kappa receptors, fifty-one patients were randomised to receive alfentanil 250 micrograms (n = 18), pethidine 25 mg (n = 18) or placebo (n = 15) on a double-blind basis for the treatment of established postanaesthesia shivering (PAS). ⋯ Following treatment, blood pressure fell and oxygen saturation increased in patients in the two treatment groups when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). There was a highly significant incidence of reshivering in the alfentanil treated group (P < 0.005). In conclusion, the high incidence of reshivering indicates that alfentanil is unlikely to supercede pethidine in the treatment of PAS, but its initial success rate implies that pethidine's anti-shivering effect is unlikely to be mediated via kappa-opioid receptors.